“What is the matter?—­would you strangle me, you murderous harridan?” he cried.

“Ay, that I would,” replied Judith, preparing to renew the attack.

“Stand off!” rejoined Chowles, springing back, and snatching up a spade, “or I will dash out your brains.  Are you mad?” he continued, gazing fearfully at her.

“I am angry enough to make me so,” she replied, shaking her clenched fists at him.  “But I will be revenged—­revenged, I tell you.”

“Revenged!” cried Chowles, in astonishment—­“for what!  What have I done!”

“You do well to affect ignorance,” rejoined Judith, “but you cannot deceive me.  No one but you can have done it.”

“Done what!” exclaimed Chowles, in increased astonishment.  “Has our hoard been discovered?”

“Ay, and been carried off—­by you—­you!” screamed Judith, with a look worthy of a fury.

“By my soul, you are wrong,” cried Chowles.  “I have never touched it,—­never even approached the hiding-place, except in your presence.”

“Liar!” returned Judith, “the whole hoard is gone;—­the plunder I obtained in Newgate,—­the Earl of Rochester’s plate,—­all the rings, trinkets, and rich apparel I have picked up since,—­everything is gone;—­and who but you can be the robber?”

“It is difficult to say,” rejoined Chowles.  “But I swear to you, you suspect me wrongfully.”

“Restore it,” replied Judith, “or tell me where it is hidden.  If not, I will be the death of you?”

“Let us go to the hiding-place,” replied Chowles, whose uneasiness was not diminished by the menace.  “You may be mistaken, and I hope you are.”

Though he uttered the latter part of his speech with seeming confidence, his heart misgave him.  To conceal his trepidation, he snatched up a lamp, and passing through the secret door, hurried along the narrow stone passage.  He was about to open the cell, when he perceived near it the tall figure of the enthusiast.

“There is the robber,” he cried to Judith.  “I have found him.  It is Solomon Eagle.  Villain! you have purloined our hoard!”

“I have done so,” replied Solomon Eagle, “and I will carry off all other spoil you may obtain.  Think not to hide it from me.  I can watch you when you see me not, and track you when you suppose me afar off.”

“Indeed!” exclaimed Chowles, trembling.  “I begin to think he is possessed of supernatural power,” he added, in an undertone to Judith.

“Go on,” pursued Solomon Eagle, “continue to plunder and destroy.  Pursue your guilty career, and see what reward you will reap.”

“Restore what you have robbed us of,” cried Judith in a menacing tone, “or dread the consequences.”

“Woman, you threaten idly,” returned Solomon Eagle.  “Your ill-gotten treasure is gone—­whither, you will never know.  Get hence!” he added, in a terrible tone, “or I will rid the earth of you both.”

So awed were they by his voice and gestures, that they slunk away with a discomfited air, and returned to the crypt.