“Cannot your uncles protect you from a fate like this?” he at length asked. “They would if they dared; but you doubtless realize that they, too, are in his power. He has but to say the word and they die, and in that case my lot would be a hundred-fold worse.” “Cowardly wretch! Let me but regain my liberty, and I swear before Heaven I will put to rout this miserable gang of thieves!” said Robert, passionately. “You would do a noble act, for others suffer as well as myself. I am in no immediate danger, for my uncles have made the chief take an oath that he will not press his attentions until I am of age. But I pray Heaven that I may die before that time. I will die! for I will never, never be that bad man’s wife!” she exclaimed, clasping her hands, and in a voice of agony. “You shall not, my dear friend—my sister, let me call you, for I have none of my own. I promise you that it shall never be.” She shook her head sadly, and heaved a deep sigh. “I thank you, but I fear your efforts will prove unavailing. I thank you, too, for giving me the sweet name of sister. You forget that I am the daughter of the man whom you say has wronged you deeply, do you not?” “I do forget it, as I trust you yourself do. For no such brute has a right to claim so pure a being for his child.” She smiled archly as she replied: “Silence, flatterer, though your words are very sweet to me, and I am only too proud to regard you by so dear a tie.” “Do you never feel lonely here with no companions of your own age and sex?” asked Robert, eager to turn her thoughts into a different channel. “Oh, no! I have plenty of company. Come and you shall see.” She bounded lightly from her seat, and moving quickly to a curtain of purple velvet, and sweeping it aside, revealed a glass door. She motioned Robert to conceal himself among the folds of the drapery and glance within the room beyond. He obeyed, and saw six lovely girls almost as lovely as his companion, elegantly dressed, and seated in different parts of the room, and laughing and chatting pleasantly, though upon every face he could trace lines of sorrow. “They are my companions and my charges,” she said, gazing fondly upon them. “I am, as it were, their ‘mother abbess.’ For I protect them from all harm and unpleasant attentions from the band. My word is law here, and no person can enter their presence without my permission. It is my compact with the chief that I will remain here cheerfully so long as he allows these innocent girls to remain innocent and unmolested. So you see that this must be my home, and that I have my duties here, and I assure you that I am happy in being allowed to do even this much good. Come away now, please, for I would not have you discovered by my friends.” She led him back to his seat, first carefully drawing the curtains over the door. “How came these beautiful girls in this place?” he asked, more and more surprised with what he saw.