on board his ship. This he
could not do while he realized that Miss Huntington was so near upon the
shore; for, so far as such a being could really love, he did love the
lady; and yet his sentiment of regard was so mixed up with selfishness
and bitterness of spirit, and pride at being refused, that the small
germ of real affection which had found birth in his bosom was too much
corroded with alloy to be identified. He felt that he had been
overreached by Captain Ratlin, and also that he had good grounds of
suspecting his successful rival of being either directly or indirectly
engaged in the illegal trade of the coast, and, determined, if possible,
to discover his secret, he again became a frequent visitor of Don
Leonardo's house, where he was sure to meet him constantly.

There were two spirits whom we have introduced to the reader in this
connection, who were fitting companions for each other; but they had not
as yet been brought together by any chance so as to understand one
another. We refer to Captain Bramble and Maud the Quadroon. Both now
hated Captain Ratlin, and would gladly have been revenged in any way for
the gratification of their feelings upon her whom he so fondly loved.
With this similarity of sentiment it was not singular that they should
ere long discover themselves and feelings to each other. Indeed Maud,
who had been a secret witness of the deed, already realized that Captain
Bramble was the enemy of him whom she had once loved, and whom she now
so bitterly despised.

Untutored in the ways of the world and fashionable intrigue, yet the
Quadroon saw very clearly that through Captain Bramble she might
consummate that revenge which she had so signally failed in doing by the
agency of the hostile negro tribes she had treacherously brought to her
father's doors. He had not been long at the factory, therefore, on
landing after the duel, before Maud sought a private interview with him,
on pretext of communicating to him some information that should be of
value to him in connection with his official duty. To this, of course,
the English officer responded at once, shrewdly suspecting at least a
portion of the truth, and he therefore met Maud at an appointed spot in
the jungle hard by her father's house.

"You will speak truly in what you tell me, my good girl?" he said
sagaciously, as he looked into her dark spirited eyes with admiration he
could not avoid.

"Have I anything to gain by a lie?" responded M