XIONBL LACKLAND. 99'% 



from their sockets ; " Merciful God, protect the victim," muttered 

 I — "Ah ! what moves there ?" cried the pystrior. I shrunk still 

 further into the rock. " I see 1 am entrapped," said Stratton, in a 

 low, dofjged tone of voice, " but for what cause 1 know not — if 

 plunder be your intention, I have little about me to tenipt cupidi- 

 ty." " Plunder !" muttered the men. I saw the female retire to 

 the further end of the cave, where she remained leaning against 

 the pebbly sides. ** The moon has risen, beyond twelve, the wind 

 comes squalling over the sea, we must hasten," said the pystrior. 

 Stratton stood motionless before them, he could offer no resist- 

 ance — that frame, usually so insensible to alarm, seemed now 

 paralysed by the uncertainty of the evil. With a quick, hurried 

 tone of voice he appealed to them as men, — " Would you take an 

 advantage of a single unarmed man j you have decoyed me here a* 

 a bird to the snare ; you may injure me, but think not your 

 punishment is uncertain, as there is a God above." — "Peace, 

 ruffian, who talks of God?" said the deep-toned voice of the man, 

 — " have you lived so generously with man as to hold a claim with 

 God. Do you know this dark cavern, does its echo whisper of 

 your humanity?" "J suspect who you are," replied btratton, 

 ** and to what you refer, but be my witness if I struck not in my 

 own defence." " Ah," screamed the man, " your own defence — to 

 ruin the purity of the purest heart that ever beat j that knew no 

 affection but love ; look, look ! devil, damned devil, do you know 

 me ?" — the light flashed full upon his haggard face — "do you know 

 me? or must I sink into the degraded witness of my despair — 

 there !" At once he assumed the idiotic expression of Mark, and 

 as instantly lost it. " 'Tis the lust glance of mortal eye that ever 

 shall again behold that horrid image — but it has served my 

 purpose" — "Mark, Mark, I will give you fortune." "Silence, 

 monster j not all that riches could purchase could save thee from 

 thy fate — oh God ! for this I have prayed, sufl"ered > suffering 

 "without compassion ; reduced to a state lower than the brute — 

 'tis come, the hour is come, and the dash of the blue waves is thy 

 knell." Stratton made a rush at Mark, but was swung back with 

 a giant's force, at the same time Mark presented a pistol close to 

 his head, " Move not, wretch, if you would live a moment longer, 

 hear me, and let my words sink like the deadness of that despair 

 which has rested on my heart, through long years of anguish. 

 'Twas here, Stratton, we met on that fatal night ) God marked 

 thee for my victim, or I should have ploughed the waves of the 

 green sea, at peace, if not happy — 'tis past — we met : AUein ! oh my 

 love, my soul's joy ! I have loved and worshipped thee for ever, 

 but thou wert ruined, and 1 have passed the bright days of my 

 youth in the darkness of utter misery, ruin, and desolation ; 

 and thou, Stratton, thou didst all this. Now, now, Henry ! let the 

 light fall upon the face of Mark Askin and his victim. Now, 

 Allein, Allcin ! look, look ! thou art avenged. — Ah I ah !" Mark 

 seized his victim by the throat, nor could the desperate throes of, 

 the poor wretch unlink that fatal grasp. I was mattdened witlv 



