ndise to the home of his purchaser. He saw a Virginia
plantation lying fair and serene beneath a Virginia heaven; and a wide
porch, and standing therein an angelic vision, all grace and beauty,
vivid youth and splendor.

The picture vanished into the night that raved about him, and with a
long shaken sigh he let his eyes fall from the watery steeps to the face
of the woman who lay within his arms. He had not looked at her before,
conceiving that she might be awake and feel his glance upon her. Now he
could tell from her breathing that she slept. He gazed upon the pure
pale face with the golden hair falling about it, in a passion of pity
and tenderness. She moaned now and then in her sleep, or turned uneasily
in his arms. Once she spoke a few words, and he bent eagerly to catch
them, thinking that she had awakened and was speaking to him. They
were:--

"Ah, your Excellency! where I reign there shall be only good Churchmen
and loyal Cavaliers--no Roundheads, no rebel or convict servants!" and
she laughed in her sleep.

Landless shrank as from a mortal blow, then broke into a bitter laugh,
and said to himself, "Thou art a fool, Godfrey Landless. It were but too
easy to forget to-night what thou art and what thou must seem to her.
Thou art answered according to thy folly." He sighed impatiently, and
withdrawing his gaze from the sleeping face, fell into a sombre reverie.

He was roused to active consciousness by a sudden and death-like pause
in the gale. The lightning showed the pall of cloud hanging low, black,
and unbroken; but the wind had sunk into an ominous calm. He looked
anxiously around him, then softly disengaging himself from Patricia,
leaned across her, and shook Regulus awake. The negro started up, stupid
from sleep and from his wound.

"What is it, massa?" he queried. "Wake mighty early at Rosemead.... Lawd
hab mercy! we 's still on de Chesapeake!"

"We will be in the Chesapeake in a moment," said Landless sternly, "if
you stagger about in that way. Sit down and pull your wits together. You
are like to need them all directly." He touched Darkeih and said, as her
eyes, wide with alarm, opened upon him, "Listen, my wench! Whatever
happens, you are to trust yourself to Regulus. He is a strong swimmer
and he will take care of you. You hear, Regulus!"

"What is it?" exclaimed Patricia, as he bent over her. "Why have you
waked Regulus? And oh! has not that dreadful wind died away?"

"It has stopped, madam,