"Merciful heavens!" cried Eva, with a shudder. "To think that we should have harboured such a wretch!" "And to think that I should have devoted my skill to resuscitate such a demon!" exclaimed Aischa. "The vengeance of the Zingarees will yet overtake him," said the King calmly. "Wherever I meet him, there will I punish him with the stoutest cudgel that I can find ready to hand," cried Morcar, with a fierce air. "Have you then cause to complain against him?" asked Richard. "The wretch, sir," answered Morcar, "remained nearly a month in our company, until his wound was completely healed by the skill of my mother. We treated him with as much kindness as if he had been our near and dear relative. One morning, when he was totally recovered, he disappeared, carrying away my father's gold with him." "The ungrateful villain!" ejaculated Richard. "And he was indebted to your kindness for his life?" "He was," returned Morcar." Fortunately there was but little in the treasury at the time—very little;—nevertheless, it was all we had—and he took our all." "And you have no trace of him?" said Richard, eagerly. "Not yet," replied Morcar. "But we have adopted measures to discover him. The King my father has sent a description of his person and the history of his treachery to every chief of our race in the kingdom; and thousands of sharp eyes are on the look-out for him through the length and breadth of the land." "Heaven be thanked!" exclaimed Markham. "But when you discover him, hand him over to the grasp of justice, and instantly acquaint me with the fact." "The Zingarees recognise no justice save their own," said the King, in a dignified manner. "But this much I promise you, that the moment we obtain a trace of his whereabouts, we will communicate it to you, and you may act as seemeth good to yourself. We have no sympathy in common with a cowardly murderer." "None," added Morcar, emphatically. "I thank you for this promise," said Richard, addressing himself to the King. "Here is my card; and remember that as anxious as I am to bring a miscreant to justice, so ready shall I be to reward those who are instrumental in his capture." "You may rely upon us, young gentleman," said Zingary. "We will not shield a man who belongs to the miscreant gang of _Burkers_. To-morrow morning I will issue fresh instructions to the various district chiefs, but especially to our friends in London." "And is it possible that, with no compulsory means to enforce obedience, you can dispose of thousands individuals at will?" exclaimed Markham.