half-idiotic expression; and yet there was an uneasy twinkle in the eye,
as of boundless terror and suspicion. She lifted up her fettered wrist
to shade her face; and as she did so, disclosed a line of fearful scars
upon her skinny arm.

"Look there, sirs!" said Yeo, pointing to them with a stern smile.
"Here's some of these Popish gentry's handiwork. I know well enough how
those marks came;" and he pointed to the similar scars on his own wrist.

The commandant, as well as the Englishmen, recoiled with horror.

"Holy Virgin! what wretch is this on board my ship? Bishop, is this the
prisoner whom you sent on board?"

The bishop, who had been slowly recovering his senses, looked at her a
moment; and then thrusting his chair back, crossed himself, and almost
screamed, "Malefica! Malefica! Who brought her here? Turn her away,
gentlemen; turn her eye away; she will bewitch, fascinate"--and he began
muttering prayers.

Amyas seized him by the shoulder, and shook him on to his legs.

"Swine! who is this? Wake up, coward, and tell me, or I will cut you
piecemeal!"

But ere the bishop could answer, the woman uttered a wild shriek, and
pointing to the taller of the two monks, cowered behind Yeo.

"He here?" cried she, in broken Spanish. "Take me away! I will tell you
no more. I have told you all, and lies enough beside. Oh! why is he come
again? Did they not say that I should have no more torments?"

The monk turned pale: but like a wild beast at bay, glared firmly round
on the whole company; and then, fixing his dark eyes full on the woman,
he bade her be silent so sternly, that she shrank down like a beaten
hound.

"Silence, dog!" said Will Cary, whose blood was up, and followed his
words with a blow on the monk's mouth, which silenced him effectually.

"Don't be afraid, good woman, but speak English. We are all English
here, and Protestants too. Tell us what they have done for you."

"Another trap! another trap!" cried she, in a strong Devonshire accent.
"You be no English! You want to make me lie again, and then torment me.
Oh! wretched, wretched that I am!" cried she, bursting into tears. "Whom
should I trust? Not myself: no, nor God; for I have denied Him! O Lord!
O Lord!"

Amyas stood silent with fear and horror; some instinct told him that he
was on the point of hearing news for which he feared to ask. But Jack
spoke--

"My dear soul! my dear soul! don't you be afraid; and the Lord will
stand by you, if y