In both these instances the helmets had dropped without guidance, but in the case of Mr. Thorneycroft, a hand, thrust out of the hole in the ceiling, held the helmet suspended over his head, like the sword of Damocles. While the poor iron-merchant momentarily expected the same doom as his companions, his attention was attracted towards the monkey, which, clinging with one hand to the side of the cabinet, extended the other skinny arm towards him, and exclaimed-" Will you swear to go hence if you are spared ?”

"No, I will not," replied the iron-merchant. He had scarcely spoken when the helmet fell with a jerk, and extinguished him like the others. Ginger alone remained. During the whole of this strange scene, he had stood with the bottle in hand, transfixed with terror and astonishment, and wholly unable to move or cry out. A climax was put to his fright, by the descent of the three chairs, with their occupants, through the floor into a vault beneath; and as the helmets were whisked up again to the ceiling, and the trap-doors closed upon the chairs, he dropped the bottle, and fell with his face upon the table. He was, however, soon roused by a pull at his hair, while a shrill voice called him by his name.

"Who is it?" groaned the dog-fancier.

"Look up!" cried the speaker, again plucking his hair,

Ginger complied, and beheld the monkey seated beside him.

"Vy it can't be, surely," he cried. "And yet I could almost swear it was Old Parr."

"You're near the mark," replied the other, with a shrill laugh. "It is your venerable friend.”

"Vot the deuce are you doing here, and in this dress, or rayther undress?" inquired Ginger. "Ven I see you this mornin', you wos in

the serwice of Mr. Loftus."

"I've got a new master since then," replied the dwarf.

"I'm sorry to hear it," said Ginger, shaking his head. "You havn't sold yourself, like Doctor Forster-eh?"

"Faustus, my dear Ginger-Doctor Faustus," corrected Old Parr, "No, no, I've made no bargain. And to be plain with you, I've no desire, to remain long in my present master's service."

"I don't like to ask the question too directly, wenerable," said Ginger, in a deprecatory tone-" but is your master-hem!-is he -hem-the-the-"

"The devil, you would say," supplied Old Parr.

selves, I'm afraid there's no denying it."

"Between our

"La! wot a horrible idea!" exclaimed Ginger, with a shudder: "it makes the flesh creep on one's bones. Then we're in your master's power?"

"Very like it," replied Old Parr.

"And there aint no chance o' deliverance?"

"None that occurs to me."

"Oh lord! oh lord!" groaned Ginger; "I'll repent. I'll become

a reformed character. I'll never steal dogs no more.'

"In that case, there may be some chance for you," said Old Parr. "I think I could help you to escape. Come with me, and I'll try and get you out."

"But wot is to become of the others ?" demanded Ginger.

"Oh; leave them to their fate," replied Old Parr.

"No, that'll never do," cried Ginger. "Ve're all in the same boat, and must row out together the best vay ve can. I tell you wot it is, wenerable," he added, seizing him by the throat; "your master may be the devil, but you're mortal, and if you don't help me to deliver my companions, I'll squeege your windpipe for you."

"That's not the way to induce me to help you," said Old Parr, twisting himself like an eel out of the other's gripe. "Now get out if you can."

"Don't be angry," cried Ginger, seeing the mistake he had committed, and trying to conciliate him; "I only meant to frighten you a

bit. Can you tell me if Mr. Auriol Darcy is here."

"Yes, he is, and a close prisoner," replied Old Parr. "And the girl,-Miss Ebber, wot of her ?"

"I can't say," rejoined Old Parr. "I can only speak to the living."

"Then she's dead!" cried Ginger, with a look of horror.

"That's a secret," replied the dwarf mysteriously; " and I'm bound by a terrible oath not to disclose it."

"I'll have it out of you notvithstandin'," muttered Ginger. "I wish you would lend me a knock on the head, old feller. I can't help thinkin' I've got a terrible fit o' the nightmare."

"Let this waken you, then," said Old Parr, giving him a sound buffet on the ear.

"Halloa, wenerable! not so hard!" cried Ginger.

"Ha ha! ha!" screamed the dwarf. "You know what you're about now."

"Not exactly," said Ginger. "I wish I wos fairly out o' this cursed place!"

"You shouldn't have ventured into the lion's den," said Old Parr, in a taunting tone. "But come with me, and perhaps I may be able to do something towards your liberation."

So saying, he drew aside the tapestry, and opened a panel behind it through which he passed, and beckoned Ginger to follow him. Taking a pistol from his pocket, the latter complied.

III.

GERARD PASTON.

BEFORE the chair, in which Mr. Thorneycroft was fixed, reached the ground, terror had taken away his senses. A bottle of salts, placed to his nose, revived him after a time; but he had nearly relapsed into insensibility on seeing two strange figures, in hideous masks and sable cloaks, standing on either side of him, while at a little distance was a third, who carried a strangely-fashioned lantern. He looked round for his companions in misfortune, but though the chairs were there, they were unoccupied.

The masked attendants paid no attention to the iron-merchant's cries and entreaties; but as soon as they thought him able to move, they touched a spring, which freed his arms and legs from their bondage, and raising him, dragged him out of the vault, and along a narrow

passage, till they came to a large sepulchral-looking chamber, cased with black marble, in the midst of which, on a velvet fauteuil of the same hue as the walls, sat Cyprian Rougemont. It was, in fact, the chamber where Ebba had been subject to her terrible trial.

Bewildered with terror, the poor iron-merchant threw himself at the feet of Rougemont, who, eyeing him with a look of malignant triumph, cried,

"You have come to seek your daughter. Behold her!"

And at the words, the large black curtains at the further end of the room were suddenly withdrawn, and discovered the figure of Ebba Thorneycroft standing at the foot of the marble staircase. Her features were as pale as death; her limbs rigid and motionless; but her eyes blazed with preternatural light. On beholding her, Mr. Thorneycroft uttered a loud cry, and, springing to his feet, would have rushed towards her, but he was held back by the two masked attendants, who seized each arm, and detained him by main force.

"Ebba!" he cried—“ Ebba !"

But she appeared wholly insensible to his cries, and remained in the same attitude, with her eyes turned away from him. "What ails her?" cried the agonised father.

"Ebba! Ebba !"

"Call louder," said Rougemont, with a jeering laugh.

"Do you not know me? do you not hear me ?" shrieked Mr. Thorneycroft.

Still the figure remained immovable.

"I told you you should see her," replied Rougemont, in a taunting tone; but she is beyond your reach."

"Not so, not so!" cried Thorneycroft. "Come to me, Ebba! come to your father. Oh, Heaven! she hears me not! she heeds me not! Her senses are gone."

"She is fast bound by a spell," said Rougemont. "Take a last look of her. You will see her no more."

And, stretching out his hand, the curtains slowly descended, and shrouded the figure from view.

Thorneycroft groaned aloud.

"Are you not content?" cried Rougemont. "Will you depart in peace, and swear never to come here more. If so, I will liberate you and your companions."

"So far from complying with your request, I swear never to rest till I have rescued my child from you, accursed being!" cried Thorneycroft, energetically.

"You have sealed your doom, then," replied Rougemont. "But before you are yourself immured, you shall see how Auriol Darcy is circumstanced. Bring him along."

And, followed by the attendants, who dragged Mr. Thorneycroft after him, he plunged into an opening on the right. A few steps brought him to the entrance of the cell. Touching the heavy iron door, it instantly swung open, and disclosed Auriol chained to a stone at the farther corner of the narrow chamber.

Not a word was spoken for some minutes, but the captives regarded each other piteously.

"Oh, Mr. Thorneycroft," cried Auriol, at length. "I beseech you forgive me. I have destroyed your daughter."

July.-VOL. LXXIV. NO. CCXCV.

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"You!" exclaimed the iron-merchant, in astonishment. "It is true," said Rougemont.

"I would have saved her if it had been possible!" cried Auriol. "I warned her that to love me would be fatal to her. I told her I was linked to an inexorable destiny, which would involve her in its meshes -but in vain."

"Oh!" ejaculated Thorneycroft.

"You see you ought to blame him, not me," said Rougemont, with derisive laugh.

"I would have given my life, my soul, to preserve her, had it been possible!" cried Auriol.

"Horrors crowd so thick upon me that my brain reels," cried Thorneycroft. Merciless wretch!" he added to Rougemont, " fiend-whatever you are! complete your work of ruin by my destruction. I have nothing left to tie me to life."

with a diaboBut you have Bid a lasting

"I would have the miserable live," said Rougemont, lical laugh. "It is only the happy I seek to destroy. to thank your own obstinacy for your present distress. farewell to Auriol. You will see him no more." "Hold!" exclaimed Auriol. "A word before we part-" "Ay, hold!" echoed a loud and imperious voice, from the depths of the passage.

"Ha! who speaks?" demanded Rougemont, a shade passing over his countenance.

"I-Gerard Paston!" exclaimed Reeks, stepping forward.

The crape was gone from his brow, and in its place were seen the handsome and resolute features of a man of middle life. He held a pistol in either hand.

"Is it you, Gerard Paston ?" cried Auriol, regarding him; "the brother of Clara, my second victim?”

"It is," replied the other. "Your deliverance is at hand, Auriol." "And you have dared to penetrate here, Gerard?" cried Rougemont, stamping the ground with rage. "Recollect you are bound to me by the same ties as Auriol, and you shall share his fate."

"I am not to be intimidated by threats," replied Paston, with a scornful laugh. "You have employed your arts too long. Deliver up Auriol and this gentleman at once, or " And he levelled the pistols

at him.

"Fire!" cried Rougemont, drawing himself up to his towering height. "No earthly bullets can injure me.'

"We'll try that!" cried Ginger, coming up at the moment behind Paston.

And he discharged a pistol, with a deliberate aim, at the breast of Rougemont. The latter remained erect, and apparently uninjured. "You see how ineffectual your weapons are," said Rougemont, with a derisive laugh.

"It must be the devil!" cried Ginger, running off.

"I will try mine," said Vernon.

But before he could draw the triggers, the pistols were wrested from his grasp by the two attendants, who had quitted Thorneycroft, and stolen upon him unperceived, and who next pinioned his arms.

THE

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

EXTRACTS FROM THE LOG OF A PRIVATEER'S-MAN A HUNDRED YEARS AGO.

BY CAPTAIN MARRYAT, R.N.

FIRST EXTRACT.

We Cruise off Hispaniola-Capture a French Ship-Continue our Cruise -Make a Nocturnal Attack upon a Rich Planter's Dwelling-Are repulsed with Loss.

To Mrs. Williams, of Dol-y-Mynynlyn.

RESPECTED MADAM,

In compliance with your request I shall now transcribe from the journal of my younger days some portions of my adventurous life. When I wrote, I painted the feelings of my heart without reserve, and I shall not alter one word. As I know you wish to learn what passed then, and not what my thoughts are now, I shall no longer preface, but commence with a narrative of a cruise off Hispaniola, in the Revenge priva

teer.

The Revenge mounted fourteen guns, and was commanded by a Captain Weatherall, a very noted privateer's-man. One morning at daybreak we discovered a vessel from the mast-head, and immediately made all sail in chase, crowding every stitch of canvas. As we neared her we made her out to be a large ship, deeply laden, and we imagined that she would be an easy prize, but as we saw her hull more out of the water she proved to be well armed, having a full tier of guns fore and aft. As it was proved, she was a vessel of 600 tons burden, and mounted twentyfour guns, from St. Domingo, bound to France.

She had been chartered by a French gentleman, and a most gallant fellow we found him, who had acquired a large fortune in the West Indies, and was then going home, having embarked on board his whole property, as well as his wife and his only son, a youth of about seventeen. As soon as he discovered what we were, and the impossibility of escape from so fast a sailing vessel as the Revenge, he resolved to fight us to the last. Indeed, he had every thing to fight for; his whole property, his wife and his only child, his own liberty, and perhaps life, were all at stake, and he had every motive that could stimulate a man. we subsequently learnt, he had great difficulty in inspiring the crew with an equal resolution, and it was not until he had engaged to pay them Aug.-VOL. LXXIV. No. CCXCVI.

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As