s,
taking Sybil by the hand, and leading her to the seat in question.

She suffered herself to be put into it; but the next instant she was
horrified by the insolence of Moloch, who deliberately arose from his
seat and came around and placed himself beside her, and laid his great
hand upon her shoulder.

"You are handsome," he said "Do you know it? But of course you do. The
swells have told you so a many times."

"Don't touch me!" said Sybil, shrinking from him.

"Now don't put on airs. You're one of us, you know, and so we'll 'fend
you to the last drop of blood in our weins. Only don't put on airs; but
be kind to them as are kind to you," growled the brute.

"But take your hand away--please do. I cannot bear it!" cried Sybil,
shrinking farther off still.

"Why, now, if you only knowed what this here hand have done in your
sarvice, you'd fondle on to it, instead o' flinging it off like it was a
wasp," coaxed the ruffian, stealing his arm around her neck.

But Sybil, with a sudden and violent gesture, cast it off, and started
to her feet, seizing the knife beside her as a weapon of defence.

"Lord bless your pretty little soul, what's the good of that? Why, when
I was a lad, I always liked to tease the kittens best that spit and
scratched and fit the most! That only makes me like you better. Come
now, sit down alongside o' me, and let's be good friends," said the
ruffian, throwing his arms around Sybil, and forcing her into her seat.

"Stop that, you devilish beast! Let the lady alone!" cried Sybil's
nameless hostess, in a voice of authority.

"Don't be jealous, my darling," replied Moloch, tightening his clasp
around Sybil's waist.

"Men! why don't you interfere? He is rude to the lady!" cried the girl,
appealing to the others.

"We never meddle between other men and their sweethearts. Do we, mates?"
called out one.

"No, no, no!" answered the others.

"Oh, if Satan were here!" cried the girl in despair.

"SATAN IS HERE!" responded a voice close by.

And the robber captain stood among them as if he had risen from the
earth!

Moloch dropped Sybil, and cowered in the most abject manner.

Sybil looked up, and turned cold from head to foot; for in the handsome,
stately, graceful form of the brigand chief, she recognized the finished
gentleman who, in the character of "Death," had danced with her at her
own Mask ball, and--the probable murderer of Rosa Blondelle!

CHAPTER VI.

THE ROBBER CHIEF