Having received the above orders, Blackbeard departed upon his errand, and soon after, Pepper entered Rowland’s presence, followed by Henry Huntington and his faithful servant, Mr. Patrick O’Leary.

After surveying the two prisoners for some moments in silence, Rowland spoke to Huntingdon in the following manner: 

’You are undoubtedly much surprised at meeting me in this place, are you not, Mr. Huntington?’

’Since the mysterious events of this morning I have ceased to be surprised at anything,’ answered Henry.

This reply was apparently unheeded by Rowland, who thus continued: 

’I have sent for you here in order to inform you that to-morrow will be the last day of your existence.  You have forfeited your life in two several and different ways to the laws of the free sons of the ocean.’

Here Rowland paused for a reply; but as Henry did not choose to make any, he continued: 

’When you considered me to be nothing but the master of a paltry Indiaman, you treated me with haughtiness, contempt, and scorn that I never did forgive, and never shall.’

‘You was treated by me, as in my estimation, you deserved to be,’ replied Henry, boldly.

‘Very well,’ answered Rowland, as a sardonic grin illuminated his flexible countenance, ’as you are self-condemned on that charge, there is no occasion for me to bring forward the others, so to-morrow morning you die!’

‘Oh! say not so, but recall your cruel words!’ exclaimed Mary Hamilton, as she rushed into Rowland’s presence from the inner apartment.

‘Ha! who have we here?’ exclaimed Rowland, as the wild tones of Mary’s voice fell upon his ear.

‘You see before you, sir,’ replied Miss Hamilton, ’a poor unfortunate girl who only claims from you the boon of her friend’s life.’

‘You plead in vain, Miss Hamilton,’ answered Rowland, coldly, ’his life has been twice forfeited, and were an angel from Heaven to ask it, it would avail nothing—­he must and shall die.’

‘Then will I die with him!’

‘Ha! sits the wind in that quarter,’ muttered Rowland in a low tone, then raising his voice, and addressing Mary, he said: 

’I suppose then, I am to infer that you are in love with this Mr. Huntington.’

‘You must infer what you please, sir,’ replied Mary, ’I shall say no more.’

‘I must speak myself, then,’ replied Rowland.  ’Now Miss Hamilton, hear me.  Some ten years have elapsed since I first become acquainted with your father in Rio, where I had landed to dispose of a cargo of negroes.  I also soon became acquainted with the vast extent of his wealth, with the fact that, upon the event of his death, it would fall into your hands, and from that hour I resolved that you should marry my son.  To bring about this result I have practised every art which my inventive genius could suggest in order to get you in my power, and after finding out where and with whom you resided,