n?" cried the lady, who appeared well-nigh distracted
with her emotions.

"Then," said Jonathan, "there came a strange man--a foreigner--who upon
his part assaulted me with a pistol, with every intention of murdering
me and thus obtaining possession of that same little trifle."

"And did he," exclaimed the lady, "have long, black mustachios, and did
he have silver ear-rings in his ears?"

"Yes," said Jonathan, "he did."

"That," cried the lady, "could have been none other than Captain
Keitt's Portuguese sailing-master, who must have been spying upon Hunt!
Tell me what happened next!"

"He would have taken my life," said Jonathan, "but in the struggle that
followed he shot himself accidentally with his own pistol, and died at
my very feet. I do not know what would have happened to me if a
sea-captain had not come and proffered his assistance."

"A sea-captain!" she exclaimed; "and had he a flat face and a broken
nose?"

"Indeed he had," replied Jonathan.

"That," said the lady, "must have been Captain Keitt's pirate
partner--Captain Willitts, of The Bloody Hand. He was doubtless spying
upon the Portuguese."

"He induced me," said Jonathan, "to carry the two bodies down to the
wharf. Having inveigled me there--where, I suppose, he thought no one
could interfere--he assaulted me, and endeavored to take the ivory ball
away from me. In my efforts to escape we both fell into the water, and
he, striking his head upon the edge of the wharf, was first stunned and
then drowned."

"Thank God!" cried the lady, with a transport of fervor, and clasping
her jewelled hands together. "At last I am free of those who have
heretofore persecuted me and threatened my very life itself! You have
asked to behold my face; I will now show it to you! Heretofore I have
been obliged to keep it concealed lest, recognizing me, my enemies
should have slain me." As she spoke she drew aside her veil, and
disclosed to the vision of our hero a countenance of the most
extraordinary and striking beauty. Her luminous eyes were like those
of a Jawa, and set beneath exquisitely arched and pencilled brows. Her
forehead was like lustrous ivory and her lips like rose-leaves. Her
hair, which was as soft as the finest silk, was fastened up in masses
of ravishing abundance. "I am," said she, "the daughter of that
unfortunate Captain Keitt, who, though weak and a pirate, was not so
wicked, I would have you know, as he has been painted. He wo