icken,
paralyzed by terror.

"Get out of this, you vermin!" ordered a stern voice at one of the
windows.

"Ye--ye--yes, gentlemen," faltered Jones.

"Ta--take, all we have, but spa--spa--spare our lives!" pleaded Smith.

"Well, well, get out of this, you miserable cowards! Empty your pockets,
and you shall be safe! It would be crueler than infanticide to slay such
miserably helpless wretches!" laughed the same voice, which poor Sybil,
as in a dream, recognized as belonging to Captain "Inconnu."

The trembling bailiffs descended from the coach and gave up their
pocket-books and watches, and then submitted to be tied to trees.

The coachman and the guard yielded to the same necessity.

The horses were taken from the coach and appropriated to the use of the
victors.

And lastly, Sybil, who was rendered by despair indifferent to her fate,
was lifted from her seat by the strong arms of Moloch, who held her a
moment in suspense, while he turned to his chief and inquired:

"Where now, Captain?"

"To the rendezvous! And look that you treat the lady with due
deference!"

"Never you fear, Captain! I'm sober to-night!" answered the giant, as he
threw the half-fainting form of the lady across his shoulders and strode
up a narrow foot-path leading through the mountain pass.

Indifferent to fate, to life, to all things, Sybil felt herself borne
along in the firm embrace of her rude abductor. As in a dream she heard
his voice speaking to her:

"Now don't you be afeard, darlint! We an't none on us agwine to hurt a
hair o' your head, or to let anybody else do it! Bless your purty face,
if we didn't carry you off you'd spend this night and many more on 'em
in the county jail! and end by losing your liberty and your life for
that which you never did! But you's safe now! And don't you go to
mistrusting on us 'pon account o' that night! Why, Lord love ye! we was
all drunk as dukes that night, else we never would a mislested you!
Lord! if you'd seen the lots of liquor we'd took aboard, you wouldn't
wonder at nothing! But we's sober now! And so you's safe! Where's your
little dog? Lord bless my life and soul how that little creetur did take
hold o' my throat, to be sure! Where is she?"

Sybil could not answer. Indeed, though she heard the voice, she scarcely
comprehended the question.

"What! you won't speak to me, eh? Well, that's natural too, but precious
hard, seeing as I risked my life to save your'n; and mean you so we