e and told him to his no
small amazement, in his own tongue, that to-morrow, the Great Spirit
that ruled the sun would put a veil over it in displeasure at the
detention of his white child by them, but that as soon as they should
loose his feet and arms, and set him free, the veil would be removed.

Amazed at such an assertion, the chief consulted among his brethren, and
it was agreed that if the white man's story proved true, then he should
be released.

At the hour appointed on the following day, the negroes were surprised
and terrified to see the gradual and almost total eclipse of the sun,
and attributed it to the Great Spirit's displeasure because of their
detention of the white prisoner, as he had foretold. They hastened to
loose his arms and to set him on his way rejoicing. They even bore him
on their shoulders for leagues in a sort of triumphal march, and did not
permit him to walk until they had brought him safely and deposited him
with his arms and pack before the doors of Don Leonardo!

CHAPTER XVII.

THE POISONED BARB.

OF course, Don Leonardo was amazed to see his friend, deeming him by
this time either in an English prison or dead. He learned with amazement
the part that Maud had performed, for Charles Bramble was forced to
reveal to the father, who was eager to inquire after his daughter.
Though Charles felt not the least compunctions of conscience as to the
matter, yet he now fully realized the cause of all her enmity, though of
this he said not a word to her father. Don Leonardo cheerfully joined
the new-comer in completing his business arrangements, and Charles
Bramble found himself the rightful owner of some eight thousand dollars
in gold, the product of the goods which he had landed as his private
venture, and he also took good care to forward true bills of credit to
his owners in Cuba, for the specie which had been sent out by him to
purchase slaves.

These business arrangements consummated, he now began to think seriously
of once more revisiting the scenes of his childhood, Bramble Park. He
doubted not that Helen and her mother would arrive at their own early
home, which adjoined that of Bramble Park, and which, by the way, had
been leased during their settlement in India, as early as he could
himself procure conveyance which would enable him to reach the spot.
With this idea, he eagerly scanned the horizon daily, hoping for the
arrival of some craft, even a slaver, that might bear h