good-nature a trust of which you cannot for a moment suspect the
magnitude. Tell me, are you willing to assist a poor, defenceless
female in her hour of trial?"

"Indeed, friend," quoth Jonathan, with more vivacity than he
usually exhibited, with a lenity to which he had heretofore in
his lifetime been a stranger--being warmed into such a spirit,
doubtless, by the generous wines of which he had
partaken--"indeed, friend, if I could but see thy face it would
doubtless make my decision in such a matter the more favorable,
since I am inclined to think from the little I can behold of it,
that thy appearance must be extremely comely to the eye."

"Sir," said the lady, exhibiting some amusement at this
unexpected sally, "I am, you must know, as God made me. Sometime,
perhaps, I may be very glad to satisfy your curiosity, and
exhibit to you my poor countenance such as it is. But now"--and
here she reverted to her more serious mood--"I must again put it
to you: are you willing to help an unprotected woman in a period
of very great danger to herself? Should you decline the
assistance which I solicit, my slaves shall conduct you to the
gate through which you entered, and suffer you to depart in
peace. Should you, upon the other hand, accept the trust, you are
to receive no reward therefor, except the gratitude of one who
thus appeals to you in her helplessness."

For a few moments Jonathan fell silent, for here, indeed, was he
entering into an adventure which infinitely surpassed any
anticipation that he could have formed. He was, besides, of a
cautious nature, and was entirely disinclined to embark into any