rling with proud disdain. "Listen to me,
old man: you are right--I _am_ a villain--nay, more; I glory in the
title. Am I not candid with you?--and yet you, yourself, will be as
anxious as I can be, to keep the world ignorant of the fact that I am a
villain,--for will the aristocratic Mr. Goldworthy consent that the
public shall know that his beautiful daughter Alice is married to a
branded criminal? Being perfectly safe, what need is there of
concealment on my part? Know, then, that I am an escaped convict from
Botany Bay, to which colony I was transported from England, for an
atrocious crime. This brand upon my breast was placed there as a
punishment for having attempted to murder one of my guards. I have been
a pirate, a robber, a highwayman, a burglar, and (but let me whisper
this word in your ear,) a _murderer_! Ha, ha, ha! how do you like your
son-in-law now?"

"Monster, out of my sight!" cried the old man, shuddering.

"Softly, softly," said the Chevalier, with imperturbable calmness--"you
have not heard all yet; of my skill as a pickpocket, you yourself have
had ample proof, for 'twas I who relieved you of the valuable package
last night; yet you dare not prosecute me--for am I not your son-in-law?
But curses on my own indiscretion, in allowing wine to overcome my
habitual prudence! For had I not been partially intoxicated, think you
this mark of guilt would have been so easily discovered? No, believe
me--"

"Silence, villain!" thundered Mr. Goldworthy, no longer able to contain
his indignation at the cool effrontery of the Chevalier--"I have bandied
words with you too long already; you see this pistol?--you are unarmed;
I give you five minutes to dress yourself and leave the house; if you
are not gone at the end of that time, I swear by the living God to shoot
you through the head."

These last words were pronounced with a calmness that left no doubt of
their sincerity on the mind of the Chevalier. Villain as he was, he was
brave even to desperation; yet he had no particular wish to be hurried
into eternity so unceremoniously. He therefore commenced dressing
himself, while Mr. Goldworthy stood with the pistol cocked and pointed
at his head with a deadly aim.

Meanwhile, the unfortunate Alice recovered from her swoon. Starting up
in bed, she cast a hurried glance at her father and the discomfited
Chevalier. That glance was sufficient to reveal to her the true state of
affairs; and covering her face with her