FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   >>  
ance at Miriam; "I will inquire." Miriam waited with growing impatience until the man returned, and was relieved when she heard that the captain was not only there, but would see her. With wildly beating heart the girl followed her conductor to a large, darkly-furnished room, where, by a table scattered with papers, sat a tall, bronzed seaman. "I believe you are leaving India to-morrow? Would you mind telling me where you are going?" "To Africa," a look of surprise crossing his face. "Are you going to take passengers?" "That was not my intention." "But if any one asked you, would you refuse?" "I don't know. I did not want any one on board," Moriz answered uneasily. "If you knew it would do some one a great service? I am rich, and would pay you well; so do not hesitate on that account." "Is it you who wish to go?" Miriam blushed, and bit her lip angrily. She had not intended to betray her secret so soon. "Yes, it is I, and two other people. Will you take us, and set us down on one of those small islands on the coast, where no one would find us?" Moriz hesitated; but he could not withstand the eager pleading in the slumbrous eyes, the intense pathos in the sweet voice. "Yes," he said at last, very slowly, "I will take you on board; but you must be ready by to-morrow night. I cannot wait for stragglers," trying to force much severity into his tones. "Oh, thank you! I am content now. Do not fear; we shall be in time. Until then adieu," she said softly. And, with a graceful bow, she departed. Her next step was in the direction where Phenee was confined. She found no difficulty in finding the jailer, a hard-looking man enough, though Miriam thought she could see a gentle expression in his eyes when they rested on two young children, whose pale, wasted features gave evidence of close confinement in that dreary place. "I may win him yet by those little ones," she murmured; "gold will have power to touch his heart for their sakes." "You wished to see me, senora?" "Yes. I want you to answer a few questions. First, have you not got Phenee, the Jew, and Diniz Sampayo here?" "Yes, senora." "Are they together?" "No, senora." "Could it be possible for you to set them free, without fear of detection?" eagerly. "Yes, senora; but I am not a traitor." "But think, Vincent: my poor grandfather has done no harm, and he will perish in that horrible place, though innocent. And t
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   >>  



Top keywords:
senora
 

Miriam

 

morrow

 

Phenee

 

finding

 
difficulty
 
thought
 

gentle

 
stragglers
 

severity


jailer

 

softly

 
expression
 

graceful

 
departed
 

content

 
confined
 
direction
 

Sampayo

 

detection


perish

 

horrible

 

innocent

 

grandfather

 

traitor

 

eagerly

 

Vincent

 

questions

 

evidence

 

confinement


dreary

 
features
 

children

 

wasted

 

wished

 
answer
 

murmured

 
rested
 

telling

 
leaving

bronzed
 

seaman

 
Africa
 
refuse
 

intention

 

surprise

 
crossing
 

passengers

 
papers
 

scattered