tone, 'and I must condescend to sue for mercy at your feet.--Mercy, not
for myself, but for him who is far dearer to me than life.'

'He is almost too dangerous a character to receive clemency at my
hands,' answered the pirate, 'for his capture and that of his servant,
has cost one of the bravest of my crew his life, therefore, according to
our code of laws, which require blood for blood, he is answerable to
immediate death. But the pardoning power still remains in my hands, and
I am willing to spare him upon one condition.'

'Name, oh name it,' exclaimed Mary, eagerly.

'It is this,' continued the pirate. 'You must consent to marry Captain
Rowland.'

As these dread words fell into accents cold and calm upon her ears, the
self possession which had distinguished her throughout the foregoing
conversation, suddenly passed away, and poor Mary Hamilton sunk utterly
bereft of consciousness upon one of the richly cushioned seats which
ornamented the apartment, while sweet Ellen Armstrong almost as
terrified as her companion, looked vacantly around, and as if not
comprehending the import of the pirate's significant speech.

After gazing fixedly for a few moments upon the forms of the two fair
creatures before him, Blackbeard stepped softly to the door from which
he had made his ingress into the apartment, and in a low but distinct
voice uttered the following words:

'Violette, come hither.'