vers
carried sufficed to develop the form of that person, at the foot of the
stairs, followed by Munro, just returning from the attempt which she had
rendered fruitless, and now approaching directly toward her.

Conscious of the awkwardness of her situation, and with a degree of
apprehension which now for the first time seemed to paralyze her
faculties, she endeavored, but with some uncertainty and hesitation of
manner, to gain the shelter of the wall which stretched dimly beside
her; a hope not entirely vain, had she pursued it decisively, since the
lamp which Rivers carried gave forth but a feeble ray, barely adequate
to the task of guiding the footsteps of those who employed it. But the
glance of the outlaw, rendered, it would seem, more malignantly
penetrating from his recent disappointment, detected the movement; and
though, from the imperfectness of the light, uncertain of the object,
with a ready activity, the result of a conviction that the
long-sought-for victim was now before him, he sprang forward, flinging
aside the lamp as he did so, and grasping with one hand and with rigid
gripe the almost-fainting girl: the other, brandishing a bared knife,
was uplifted to strike, when her shrieks arrested the blow.

Disappointed in not finding the object he sought, the fury of the outlaw
was rather heightened than diminished when he discovered that his arm
only encircled a young and terrified female; and his teeth were gnashed
in token of the bitter wrath in his bosom, and angry curses came from
his lips in the undisguised vexation of his spirit. In the meantime,
Munro advanced, and the lamp having been dashed out in the onset of
Rivers, they were still ignorant of the character of their prisoner,
until, having somewhat recovered from her first alarm, and struggling
for deliverance from the painful gripe which secured her arm, she
exclaimed--

"Unhand me, sir--unhand me, on the instant. What mean you by this
violence?"

"Ha! it is you then, fair mistress, that have done this work. It is you
that have meddled in the concerns of men, prying into their plans, and
arresting their execution. By my soul, I had not thought you so ready or
so apt; but how do you reconcile it to your notions of propriety to be
abroad at an hour which is something late for a coy damsel? Munro, you
must look to these rare doings, or they will work you some difficulty in
time to come."

Munro advanced and addressed her with some sternness--"W