man whose craft he had hired, to take an early | ardor, and was away a couple of days. The opportunity of murdering him and seizing his cutter did not return alone. With her came a property. long light boat, with a single lateen sail, such as are frequent in these island-sprinkled seas. Vivian descended to the shore to see what had happened. To his amazement, Walsh proceed

Vivian was not the man to take this sort of thing calmly, so he planned with Walsh how to checkmate these fellows, and, thanks to his indomitable pluck and superior supply of fire-ed to help ashore a beautiful Greek girl, appararms, the plan succeeded. They had run past ently about fifteen years old, with no apparel Sicily at this time. Vivian fastened a couple save a single short-sleeved saffron vest reaching of the ringleaders into the bottom of the boat, just to her knees. and held right on to one of the smallest of the Greek islets, north of Crete, where Walsh assured him there was safe anchorage, plenty of food, and no inhahitants. It was quite a gem of an island.

"What the devil does this mean, Mark ?" he asked.

"Well, your honor, I suppose you'll blow me up, but I couldn't help it. I tried for toOn its southern shore was a beau-bacco at Santorin and Anaphi, but there was none to be got. Then we overhauled this craft; there were three Greeks on board and this little girl. They didn't want to have any thing to say to us, but I saw there were provisions in the boat, so I boarded them. The cowards jumped into the sea, and swam off as if they were fish. So I considered their boat a fair prize; and I'm glad to say, your honor, there are two or three casks of prime Turkish tobacco, and a lot of other things, which I've not yet examined."

tiful land-locked harbor of calm deep water, accessible by one entrance only, and that entrance half-hidden by olives growing to the water's edge, and trailing plants that had grown into an impenetrable fringe over the porphyry cliffs. Stairs cut in the rock led to a natural cavern, which human ingenuity had made perfectly habitable. There were the coolest of chambers, where one might sleep within pleasant sound of the washing waves. Moreover, there was a satisfactory stock of the wine of the country, in a cellar which Dionysius himself might have chosen for coolness and secrecy. This, Vivian learnt from Walsh, had been there for some years, being the remainder stock of some piratical islanders who had fallen victims to the Turks.

"But how about the girl?" asked Vivian.

"I think they stole her, your honor. Jack Randal talks a little Greek, and that's what he manages to make out. Anyhow, she was delighted to get away from them and come with us."

Vivian's promptitude and courage had won All this time she had been standing in a perthe respect and admiration of Mark Walsh, fect attitude, unconscious of her beauty, with a who became his absolute slave. It was deter-long arched foot, white as the marble beneath mined to remain in this quiet retreat for a it. Her eyes, of a wondrous blue, like that of while; there were plenty of goats on the island, deep sea-water, were fixed on Vivian's face. and birds of many kinds, and wine enough to Her hair, full of light and lustre, was knotted last till there came another vintage-probably behind her shapely head, and fastened with a much longer. Vivian, having his recollections silver arrow. The thin vest of crocus silk reof the Odyssey, his visions of the days when vealed every curve of her ripening form. VivAriadne was a vintager, was delighted with his ian, perhaps for the first time in his life, was discovery. He called his crew together, and scarcely up to the situation. told them his intention, assuring them, in the plainest possible language, that they would have to obey him if they valued their lives. He had the two leading scoundrels captain and mate, they called themselves-tied up and soundly flogged, which bit of determined discipline struck terror into the rest.

Very luxuriously Vivian passed his time for some weeks, his gun always providing him with capital dinners. Besides, there was an ample supply of fish in the bay-such red mullet as were never seen in the mouth of the Arun were to be caught by hundreds. By-and-by, however, he got to the end of his tobacco, and asked Mark what was to be done.

"Shall I take the cutter, with two or three hands, and see if I can buy some on one of the larger islands ?"

"By all the gods of Greece!" he said to himself, "this is a pretty state of affairs! What am I to do with this nymph of the Ægean? Walsh, bring me some of your piratical tobacco and a flask of the yellow wine, and I'll consider the difficult problem."

He stretched himself on a couch of rugs to smoke and think. The young Greek silently seated herself at his feet, and watched him gravely.

Of course the result of his deliberation was that she remained in the island. And, as his followers were thorough ruffians, and as he doubted that even Mark Walsh could scarcely be trusted with a pretty girl, he kept her carefully within his own private dwelling-place. And here be it noticed that, though Vivian was a fast man, and had seen adventure, he was not "I think that's the best plan," replied Vivian. that scoundrel of the deepest dye who deems "And if you meet with any thing fresh in the every woman a fair object of pursuit. He had a way of eating or drinking, bring it in, for a poetic reverence for this waif of the wave—this change." perfect creature who seemed a gift from Greece Walsh started on his expedition with great to him, inheritrix of all the beauty and delight

which rings through musical Greek verse, and
sumptuously shines in silent marble. 'Twas of
her he wrote:

"Eros a boy! The poets Greek,
A very pleasant airy clique,
Might fancy so. We look oblique
At such a fancy.

'Twas some sweet girl with passionate heart
First taught the fairy fount to start-
First practised that delicious art,

Erotomancy."

ing over a kind of terrace-wall, leisurely smoking, while Earine, with a pitcher on her head, descended the marble stair to a well of pure water which was hollowed in the rock. The girl tripped downward, singing. As she came to the well, one of Vivian's ruffian crew sprang suddenly upon her and caught her in his muscular arms. Lithe as a serpent, she escaped his grasp, and, without a moment's hesitation, sprang into the sea, at least twenty feet below. The ruffian stared at her in amazement for a

Her name, he discovered, was Earine-daugh- moment. ter of spring:

"Nomen cum violis rosisque natum." Having a marvellous aptitude for languages, he soon recalled from the caverns of memory half-forgotten echoes of his Eton Greek, and contrived to conquer the softened consonants and narrowed vowels of the modern speech. He found that even quantity had changed with time, and that his little friend had heard of Homeros. He learned that Toupέki means a gun, and πνрókoviç gunpowder, and άτμóпλоv a steamer; and reflected that if wary Odysseus had possessed similar knowledge, he would have made a fearful example of the Cyclops, and thought very little indeed of Scylla and Charybdis.

Further, he taught Earine English. She was an apt scholar, and soon made music of our guttural sibilant speech. And a very pleasant companion this child-woman became to him. She would wander with him over the hills when he went on his shooting-expeditions, and lie in the stern of his boat when he made a periplus of the island. To sit upon the brow of a hill forest-crowned, and look down upon that sapphire sea which was the earliest home of poetic beauty, was a complete delight; equally delightful the swift cruise upon its laughing waters, where the free foam far away might well be mistaken for the white forms of swimming nymphs. Vivian was entirely happy, and he and Earine might have lived this lotos-life for a far longer time, but for one incident.

For only a moment. Then his soul was in the next world. Vivian, who had seen it all, snatched up a rifle that lay at hand, and a conical bullet went right through Jack Randal's brain. His corpse toppled heavily over into the water. And when Earine, dripping like Aphrodite, climbed the stairs again, she found her master lying insensible.

Again he recovered, yet not aright. There was some warp in the brain. He was seized with a strange passion for piracy. His light skiff struck terror into the navigators of these waters. There was no great gain by such depredations, for the small vessels which he seized were generally freighted with fruit-sometimes with oil and wine; but Vivian adhered to his vocation, careless of results, and just for the fun of pursuit and capture. He shed no blood all the while, neither did he seize any slaves.

At

This lasted a few months, during which time poor little Earine got no English lessons-received, indeed, slight notice from her lord. home, Vivian was morose and silent; only when upon the sea, chasing some flying barque, did he seem to possess any spirit or energy. In time the Turkish authorities deemed it necessary to inquire into the acts of piracy which were reported to them; and receiving due warning hereof, Vivian determined to break up his establishment.

Not without regret. Life on an island in those magical seas-a lonely life, beyond the reach of the great worldly triumph-is a thing enjoyable. Early in the morning to see the rosy fingers of the Lady of Light withdrawing her eastern curtains, while every island of the archipelago and every wave of that delicious sea laughed welcome - at noontide to watch the cloud-films perish in the hot zenith, while the zephyrs seemed to swoon upon the breathless

For it happened that on the hottest of summer days they had been wandering over the hills. And upon Vivian came Apollo's anger; when he returned home his brain was stricken with confusion, and he lay down in a dark inner chamber, powerless and lethargic.water-at eventide to mark the royal sunset grow Earine knew the meaning of this. She had seen others in like manner stricken down. Admitting none except Mark Walsh, she tended Vivian assiduously, and gradually his brain recovered strength, yet not without intervals of delirious phantasy, wherein he imagined himself back in England, in the beautiful home of his boyhood.

In time his intellect regained its power, yet was less clear and calm than heretofore. And, just as he seemed almost himself again, an incident which aroused his anger caused his relapse. For, about noontide, he was lean

dim, while the cool breeze suddenly awoke the foam: such delights as these had become a part of Vivian's life. He had enjoyed the mountain rambles, the careless cruises, the luxury of coming home late to abundant dinners of fish and game and goats' flesh, with amber Greek wine, alive with sparkling specks of vivid violet, and then the fragrant coffee and tobacco of Asia. However, the Turks would be upon him unless he fled into more civilized regions. So he acted with his customary promptitude.

Mark Walsh wanted him to disband his ruffianly followers, and leave them to their fate.

He would not hear of it. A wild fancy had fixed upon him, and he determined to follow up his piracy in the Ægean by a course of highway robbery in England. Nothing could turn him from this delirious decision. He sent Mark forward with the rest of the gang: he himself took Earine into France, and left her at a convent at Rouen, to finish her education. Considering what the little Greek girl's education had been, I fancy the ladies of the establishment must have had some difficulty in knowing how to finish it.

an impression that he might manage the captain of this extraordinary gang of robbers, but one glance of Vivian's eye was sufficient to show him that of this there was no chance. Mark Walsh attempted to dissuade his master from his ridiculous follies, but Vivian turned upon him as savagely as a tiger-cat, and Mark never ventured to say another word to him on the subject.

The capture of Mary Ashow made a strong impression on Vivian's mind, and brought him almost back to his senses for the moment. Had there been any one to give him some guidance, he might probably have recovered himself. But Mark Walsh was afraid of him, and there was no other human being who guessed his condition.

CHAPTER VIII.

PARSON, POLICEMAN, AND poet.

Hence arose the amazing series of highway robberies and burglaries which carried terror through the Riverdale district. Vivian organized, Mark Walsh carried out his instructions. Now, Mark Walsh was a Riverdale man. The Ægean ruffians did as they were ordered. That town produces a large proportion of ad- But, as we have seen, they grew mutinous now venturers it hath no equal in cricketers and and then, and acted on their own impulses, and prize-fighters, and in Mark it had produced a received condign punishment. singularly respectable pirate. Mark's early life had not been quite devoid of peculiarities which are deemed objectionable by the social majority; and among his sworn brethren in juvenile rascality was a Jew called Boss, whom he remembered with a quite sentimental recollection. | Walsh, with his ruffians in charge, made his way naturally to his native town, and took up his quarters in a small public-house, not too public in position. Then he took to vicambulation, and lo! over the most magnificent shop in Riverdale-a shop brilliant with gold and silver plate, and blazing with superb gems-he perceived the name of Boss. Mark guessed at once that this was his old schoolfellow, and having knowledge of certain curious incidents of SQUIRE REDFERN, delighted with the recovthat Hebrew's boyhood, he recalled himself to ery of Farmer Ashow's daughter Mary, gave a his memory. Boss, who was doing a brilliant great dinner in honor thereof. He invited the business of mixed honesty and dishonesty, part- farmer and his daughter, and of course a good ly as seller of plate and jewelry, partly as re- many other tenants of his, to keep them comceiver of stolen goods, was a trifle amazed at pany; he invited the Mayor of Riverdale and first; but when he heard that there was a gen- other dignitaries of the Corporation, and of tleman of high position concerned in the affair, course Chief Constable Severne; and he invited it at once occurred to him that he might make a few country gentlemen of his own set to meet a good thing of this unexpected incident. The them. It was, as Vivian remarked, rather a small public-house in which Walsh and his gang menagerie than otherwise. But it was not an had taken up their quarters happened to be the unpleasant evening which they spent-indeed, it Jew's property-a convenient house for the re- was on the whole rather original. ception of stolen goods, with a subterranean way into Boss's cellar. Here there was at once a fortunate arrangement for head-quarters. Walsh got his ruffians underground as soon as possible, and kept them there, well supplied with strong food and stronger liquors, except when they were wanted for some wild expedition.

"Your money or your life."

When the ladies had retired, and the male guests took seriously to their wine, there was a decided tendency to tell terrible tales of robbery in all its forms. Every body was voluble and garrulous on the subject with the exception of Severne and Vivian, neither of whom said a word, though they were Past Masters in the arts which respectively they professed and practised. Old, old stories were ventilated afresh: robbers under beds, robbers concealed in cupboards and up chimneys, had their turn. Turpin and Jack Sheppard were honorably mentioned. The conversation took a fine picturesque turn, and by the time the short hours ar

Dick

Valentine Vivian, living in apparent quietude at Broadoak Avon, directed these expeditions. In the curious madness which had taken possession of him, he really rejoiced in these absurd aberrations. Boss encouraged him; he made marvellous profit at the moment, and he calculated that when the inevitable time of discovery arrived, he should be safe with such a tremen-rived it seemed to be generally considered that dous "swell" concerned. Walsh, on the other hand, was anxious to put an end to the perilous enterprise. He was a thorough rascal, but he loved his master, and he was terribly afraid of what might happen. But both these men found that Vivian, with all his obvious intellectual irregularity, was too much for them. Boss had

a dashing highwayman on a thorough-bred mare ought to be a perfectly happy man, and to be grateful to Providence for the position which he felicitously occupied.

There was but one dissentient-Lionel Wray, parson of the parish. He told both Squire and farmer, in set terms, that their talk was lewd

and lax; he moreover said, sternly, as if he | our amateur highwayman left him to his fate, were preaching a sermon, that, with the utmost and rode home at a gallop. horror of bloodshed, he would instantly shoot any man who ventured to attack him.

All this time a wild and desperate devil was fretting Vivian's mobile uncontrollable brain. He had sat quietly watching and listening. He liked to see the stolid faces of the country gentlemen and farmers moved a little by the idea of robbery. He liked even more to watch Mr. Sev-stable should be one of the victims, caused greaterne, who sat with a slight smile upon amused lips, hearing the ridiculous stories gravely told by these queer old fogies.

He was right in his calculation. He had reined up the mare beneath a big oak-tree, entirely in shadow, and she stood like a rock. Knowing that Severne was a stronger man than himself, likely to be at least as prompt, and very sure to be armed, he took quick aim at the head bookseller's. Clothed though he was in broadof the cob and shot the unlucky animal. erne came to the ground heavily; Vivian also leaped to the ground, and discovered that the Chief Constable was scarcely sensible. It took but a minute to get possession of his watch, purse, pocket-book, and pistols; which done,

Sev-brimmed headgear, with knee-breeches and gaiters on his shapely legs, the Archdeacon looked more martial than half the officers in Her Majesty's service. At the aforesaid bookseller's, which, you are doubtless aware, is also the of fice of that excellent Tory and High-Church

journal, the "Riverdale Guardian," he heard an accurate account of the transactions, and chuckled over the discomfiture of his reverend brother, Lionel Wray. He was mightily amused by the panic in Riverdale, and not greatly displeased by the ill-luck of poor Severne, whom, as a Cambridge man turned constable, this Ox-fore they go he advises you to make them block ford dignitary somewhat despised.

Of course, as Riverdale this morning hummed through all its streets and shops with gossip, as a lime avenue hums with bees when the blossom is sweetest, there had been plenty of such colloquy at Boss's emporium of jewelry. At about noon the wily Hebrew received an intimation that Mark Walsh wanted to see him, so he descended to the cellar, and they held private conference beyond all earshot. "This is the captain's doing-eh, Mark?" outside the door! He uttered an exclamationsaid the Jew.