complished Colonel Le Noir
among the rest!"

"If the latter really was an accomplice, there could be no better way of
discovering the fact than to bring this Black Donald to justice; but I
greatly fear that there is little hope of that," said the minister.

"Aye, but there is! Listen! The long impunity enjoyed by this desperado
has made him daring to fatuity. Why, I was within a hair's breadth of
capturing him myself a few days ago."

"Ha! is it possible?" asked the minister, with a look of surprise and
interest.

"Aye, was I; and you shall hear all about it," said Old Hurricane. And
upon that he commenced and told the minister the adventure of Capitola
with Black Donald at Hurricane Hall.

The minister was amazed, yet could not forbear to say:

"It seems to me, however, that it was Capitola who was in a hair's
breadth of capturing this notorious desperado."

"Pooh! she clung to him like the reckless lunatic that she is; but Lord,
he would have carried her off on his back if it had not been for me."

The minister smiled a little to himself and then said:

"This protege of yours is a very remarkable girl, as interesting to me
in her character as she is in her history; her very spirit, courage and
insubordination make her singularly hard to manage and apt to go astray.
With your permission I will make her acquaintance, with the view of
seeing what good I can do her."

"Pray do so, for then you will be better able to counsel me how to
manage the capricious little witch who, if I attempt to check her in her
wild and dangerous freedom of action, tells me plainly that liberty is
too precious a thing to be exchanged for food and clothing, and that,
rather than live in bondage, she will throw herself upon the protection
of the court. If she does that the game is up. Le Noir, against whom we
can as yet prove nothing, would claim her as his niece and ward, and get
her into his power for the purpose of making way with her, as he did
with her father and mother."

"Oh, for heaven's sake, sir! no more of that until we have further
evidence," said the minister, uneasily, adding, "I will see your very
interesting protege to-morrow."

"Do, do! to-morrow, to-day, this hour, any time!" said Major Warfield,
as he cordially took leave of the pastor.

CHAPTER XXV.

CAP'S TRICKS AND PERILS.

I'll be merry and free,
I'll be sad for naebody;
Naebody cares for me,
I care for naebody.