es spoke at once that I could not make out a word that was
said, except imprecations and entreaties. The lamp still burned upon the
table before me. The door opened, and the captain entered, accompanied
by several others.

"Dear captain," said Mary, "they are not informers--they are strangers,
and fast asleep. Harm them not, for mercy's sake!"

"Silly wench!" replied the captain. "Peace!--I say, peace! These are
the same rascals who were watching us this whole afternoon. How the
devil came they here, if they have not some knowledge of our
proceedings? Look to your arms, my lads! We will shew them they have
caught a Tartar." I heard one pistol cocked, then another. How I
restrained myself from shewing my agitation I know not; I was nearly
fainting.

"Captain," cried Mary, "you shall not harm them, or you must do to me as
you do to them. You are as safe as ye were before I let them in. Do ye
no see they are dead asleep?--try them, and believe me for aince, like a
good fellow."

"I don't wish to do more than is necessary for my own safety," said he;
"perhaps they are not what I take them for; but fellows will talk of
what they see." Taking Malcolm by the shoulder, he gave him a shake, as
I saw through between my eyelids, nearly closed. "Fellow," he cried,
"who are you?" Malcolm neither heard nor felt him; so powerful had the
opiate been. He passed the lamp before his eyes, and made a blow at his
head with the but-end of his pistol. Malcolm moved not a muscle of his
face. He was satisfied. After passing the lamp so close before my eyes
that one of my eyebrows was nearly singed by the flame, he set it slowly
upon the table, and I felt the muzzle of the pistol touch my temple. I
moved not a muscle of my face. It was withdrawn, and I heard him pace
the room for a moment, muttering curses at the young woman, who
endeavoured to soothe his rage. No other person spoke. He paused at
length, and, lifting the lamp, held it again to my face.

"I am satisfied--all is right," said he; "but, if you dare again, Mary,
to do the same, you and your mother may go hang for me--that's all.
Come, boys, be moving--we lose time." In a few minutes afterwards, I
heard the sound of their horses' feet leaving the house. My lungs
recovered their elasticity; I breathed more freely. Mary entered, and,
lifting the lamp to remove it, looked upon us in tears. I would have
spoken, but refrained, lest I had given farther alarm and uneasiness to
one so k