Dame Tigrina's halls? To be permitted to see home and
friends as often as she wished! Ought she not to make the sacrifice, and
save dear Faith?

The temptation flashed before her imagination for a moment--only for a
moment. With a shudder, and a blush of self-reproach that she had even
allowed the thought to rise, she put the temptation aside.

"O Sir," she exclaimed, bursting into tears, "I pray you say no more!
You have showed me some kindness; have pity on me now. I cannot do what
you ask. I am betrothed to Sergeant True. The laws of my race would not
allow a marriage with you or any other of your people. Such concord,
fellowship, and communion we may never hold with Pixies. We dare not be
thus unequally yoked together. Indeed, I would not offend you, but--"

"Tut, tut," exclaimed the smuggler interrupting her, "there's no offence
in particular. If you don't accept, it's your own look out. However, I
can do nothing for you in that case. If you were my wife now, I should
have a right to protect you and yours against all my kith and kin. I
would do it, too! But as you don't choose that, I must e'en stand by my
employer, and do the best I can for him. So, say no more about it.
There! the chief is ready to leave, I see, and so good-night!"

The two Pixies left the room, and Faith and Sophia were once more alone.
Their grief was pitiful to see. There was not a ray of hope for them. O
that they were dead! or, that they had never been born! So they moaned,
and wept in each other's arms for long, long hours, until Nature hushed
their anguish into the forgetfulness of sleep.

While the Pixie chief was off upon his mission of unrighteousness, the
Brownie captain had also gone upon a journey. Leaving the command to
MacWhirlie he started for the mansion with Blythe and True. The old
Dutch clock in the hall rang out the hour of four as they entered the
chamber window by the Virginia creeper that covered the side of the
house. Night was beginning to yield before the advance of coming day,

"And now Aurora, daughter of the Dawn,
With rosy lustre purpled o'er the lawn."

How sweet, fresh and still the old place looked after the trials,
fatigues and perils of the past day and night! But there was no time to
indulge pleasant sentiment. Many dear interests hung upon their haste.
They crept through the window blinds, and mounted the bed posts to the
coverlid close by the sleeping Governor.

Bruce spoke. Wille turned un