ay and night when
this shall be so. Then you three shall watch your opportunity, enter the
house by stealth, conceal yourselves in the chamber of the girl, and at
midnight when all is quiet, gag her and bring her away."

"Excellent!" said Hal.

"And mind, no liberty, except the simple act of carrying her off, is to
be taken with your captain's prize!" said the leader, with a threatening
glare of his lion-like eye.

"Oh, no, no, not for the world! She shall be as sacred from insult as
though she were an angel and we saints!" said Hal, both the others
assenting.

"And now, not a word more. We will arrange the further details of this
business hereafter," said the captain, as a peculiar signal was given at
the door.

Waving his hand for the men to keep their places, Black Donald went out
and opened the back passage door, admitting Colonel Le Noir.

"Well!" said the latter anxiously.

"Well, sir, I have contrived to see her; come into the front room and I
will tell you all about it!" said the outlaw, leading the way into the
old parlor that had been the scene of so many of their conspiracies.

"Does Capitola Le Noir still live?" hoarsely demanded the colonel, as
the two conspirators reached the parlor.

"Still live? Yes; 'twas but yesterday we agreed upon her death! Give a
man time! Sit down, colonel! Take this seat. We will talk the matter
over again."

With something very like a sigh of relief, Colonel Le Noir threw himself
into the offered chair.

Black Donald drew another chair up and sat down beside his patron.

"Well, colonel, I have contrived to see the girl as I told you," he
began.

"But you have not done the deed! When will it be done?"

"Colonel, my patron, be patient! Within twelve days I shall claim the
last instalment of the ten thousand dollars agreed upon between us for
this job!"

"But why so long, since it is to be done, why not have it over at once?"
said Colonel Le Noir, starting up and pacing the floor impatiently.

"Patience, my colonel! The cat may play with the mouse most delightfully
before devouring it!"

"What do you mean?"

"My colonel, I have seen the girl, under circumstances that has fired my
heart with an uncontrollable desire for her."

"Ha, ha ha!" scornfully laughed the colonel. "Black Donald, the mail
robber, burglar, outlaw, the subject of the grand passion!"

"Why not, my colonel? Listen, you shall hear! And then you shall judge
whether or not you yourself migh