"Awaiting your sentence," answered Theodosia. "Whatever it may be, I am prepared to meet it."

"If you are not a Frenchwoman," said Captain Thaddeus, with a look of admiration in his face, "I think you ought to be. I have come to a decision."

"And it is?" cried Theodosia, as she rose to her feet and looked up into his face.

"I have decided," said Captain Thaddeus, "that I cannot allow you to meet the fate that befell your fellow-passengers. It is the rule of the ship, I know, but I made the rules and I can set them aside; of course, with the consent of my followers. If they object to my decision, I shall have to fight them all and the chances are that they would win-in the end." "Have you asked them?"

"Not yet," said the captain.

"But why," asked Theodosia, "why should you set aside your rules in my favor? What have I done that I should be favored? M. Drebat told you truly, it was I who fired the cannon; it was I who killed, or caused the death of his brother; and I will tell you what he did not know, that it was I who induced the passengers to resist you in the first place. Now what reason can there be why the same fate that was accorded to my fellow-passengers should not fall to me?'

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Because," said the captain, standing up and looking full into Theodosia's face, "because, and you force me to say it, because, Theodosia," and he spoke her name, for the first time, "I love you and have loved you ever since you stood by my side on the day we met."

At these words, Theodosia recoiled and she involuntarily placed her hand upon the dagger in her bosom to be sure it was there. Yes, the time was fast approaching when she would be forced to use it; perhaps it was now at hand.

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You do not love me," said Captain Thaddeus. “I

did not expect it. I am not so unreasonable, but that does not keep me from loving you."

"No!" cried Theodosia. "You surely could not expect me to love you, knowing what I do of your life and your deeds. The only good thing that I know about you is that you were kind to my father and for that I can forgive you much, but not the cruel deeds, the wanton murders of which you have been the cause. I acknowledge that your sufferings were great, that it was base of the English to kill your parents and your brothers and sisters as they did, but your cup of vengeance is full and running over. No, I could not love you, Captain Thaddeus, but-" and she stopped. But what?" asked the Captain. give up my life as a pirate; supposing I past deeds and promise to do ill no more? will you teach me to be a good man?

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Supposing I repent all my If I do this,

Theodosia saw behind this speech and read its hidden. purpose. What should she say? Should she bind. herself in any way to this man; and, if so, should she ever escape from the thraldom into which she might fall? She closed her eyes. Then she saw a picture of her beloved husband from whom she had been parted so short a time and who was to meet her in New York. Then she thought of that dearly-beloved father from whom she had been separated for so many years and who was now in New York awaiting her coming. Should she refuse to accept the captain's proposal, she knew that she should never see either husband or fathe again. Her fate might yet be death. Within he bosom she carried that, which, at the last extremity, could save her from dishonor. Opening her eyes and looking up into the captain's face, she said: “If you will give up this life and promise never to return to it I will do what little I can to help you."

He extended his hand but, again, she recoiled. “You ought not to ask me to do that," she said. “I can

never touch your hand nor let your hand touch me while we are on this ship."

"You are right," said the captain. "I will think the matter over and see how it can best be carried out. I will see you again."

Several days had passed and once more Captain Thaddeus was in the little cabin. "I have decided upon my course," said he. "The men have had considerable to say about your presence on the ship. They have not dared to express this openly until yesterday when they deputed the first mate, Rollin, to express their feelings to me. I received him pleasantly, much to his surprise, and told him that I had only been waiting for a convenient opportunity to put you ashore. I have changed the course of the ship and we are now rapidly approaching the coast of Cuba. There is a little harbor or inlet with which I am well acquainted. When once you have entered the little bay you are shaded from outside view so that, after we have landed, it will be sometime before they will suspect that I have left them for good. From time to time, I have turned my share of the booty into letters of credit on Paris. I shall take with me only enough gold for our immediate needs. After landing, we will endeavor to reach some village in Cuba where we will secrete ourselves for a time. This will be absolutely necessary, for they will surely hunt for me. You must keep your name of Marie Vaillant. I will adopt that of Achille Vaillant. I always liked my father's name. I will be-." Theodosia looked up into his face, inquiringly. "I will be your brother, Achille Vaillant, and you will be my sister Marie. I always loved the name Marie for it was my mother's."

The captain rang the little silver bell upon the table and the mild-mannered young pirate appeared. "Bring us a bottle of champagne and glasses," said the captain. When the young man had left the room, the