The third prisoner was a woman, and was seated on the ground, with her apron thrown over her head.
While Justin was still looking at the group, and trying to remember who the tall man might be, the latter stooped and whispered to the woman, who then suddenly threw her apron down and turned her head.
Justin was standing where the faint light of the candle in the sconce fell upon him, and, though he could not distinctly see the other prisoners in their obscure corner, they could see him quite plainly.
So, the instant after the woman had turned her head towards him, she leaped up and sprang past her guards before they could prevent her, and almost threw herself into Justin’s arms, exclaiming frantically:
“Och, glory be to the Lord! is it yourself, Mr. Rosenthal, dear?—And how is Miss Conyers, sure?”
“Judith!” cried Justin, in unbounded astonishment.
“Och, yis; it’s meself, sure, Lorrd kape me!”
“I am glad and sorry to see you, my girl. How came you here?” inquired Justin.
“And is it how came I here? Sure didn’t thim bastes iv gorrillas—divil burn thim, for they’re worse nor the pirates thimselves—didn’t they saize our wagon, and rob us iv every blessed thing we possessed in the world, and thin bring us here? That the Lorrd may smite thim!” exclaimed Judith, fervently.
“Then you belonged to that sutler’s wagon which was captured?” inquired Justin.