eyes
of passionate unreasoning tropic love.

He swore, trembling, and deadly pale.

"Give me your dagger."

"No, not mine. It may be found. I shall be suspected. What if my sheath
were seen to be empty?"

"Your knife will do. His throat is soft enough."

And she glided stealthily as a cat toward the hammock, while her
cowardly companion stood shivering at the other end of the cabin, and
turned his back to her, that he might not see the deed.

He stood waiting, one minute--two--five? Was it an hour, rather? A cold
sweat bathed his limbs; the blood beat so fiercely within his temples,
that his head rang again. Was that a death-bell tolling? No; it was the
pulses of his brain. Impossible, surely, a death-bell. Whence could it
come?

There was a struggle--ah! she was about it now; a stifled cry--Ah! he
had dreaded that most of all, to hear the old man cry. Would there be
much blood? He hoped not. Another struggle, and Tita's voice, apparently
muffled, called for help.

"I cannot help you. Mother of Mercies! I dare not help you!" hissed he.
"She-devil! you have begun it, and you must finish it yourself!"

A heavy arm from behind clasped his throat. The bishop had broken loose
from her and seized him! Or was it his ghost? or a fiend come to drag
him down to the pit? And forgetting all but mere wild terror, he opened
his lips for a scream, which would have wakened every soul on board. But
a handkerchief was thrust into his mouth and in another minute he found
himself bound hand and foot, and laid upon the table by a gigantic
enemy. The cabin was full of armed men, two of whom were lashing up
the bishop in his hammock; two more had seized Tita; and more were
clambering up into the stern-gallery beyond, wild figures, with bright
blades and armor gleaming in the starlight.

"Now, Will," whispered the giant who had seized him, "forward and
clap the fore-hatches on; and shout Fire! with all your might. Girl!
murderess! your life is in my hands. Tell me where the commander sleeps,
and I pardon you."

Tita looked up at the huge speaker, and obeyed in silence. The intendant
heard him enter the colonel's cabin, and then a short scuffle, and
silence for a moment.

But only for a moment; for already the alarm had been given, and mad
confusion reigned through every deck. Amyas (for it was none other) had
already gained the poop; the sentinels were gagged and bound; and every
half-naked wretch who came trembling up on deck