“That is all very well,” thought our hero; “but although they may very properly wish to prevent the marriage, I do not much like the cold steel which the young Israelite had in his hand. If I do meet with the party, at all events I will give him warning;” and Joey, having made this resolution, turned away from the orchestra and went down the covered way, which led to what are usually termed the dark walks he had just arrived at the commencement of them, when he perceived coming towards him two dominoes, the shorter hanging on the arm of the taller so as to assure him that they were male and female. When they came to within ten yards of the lighted walk, they turned abruptly, and then Joey perceived that the taller had white slashed sleeves to his domino.
“There they are,” thought our hero; “well, it’s not safe for them to walk here, for a murder might be committed without much chance of the party being found out. I will give them a hint, at all events;” and Joey followed the couple so as to overtake them by degrees. As he walked softly, and they were in earnest conversation, his approach was not heeded until within a few feet of them, when the taller domino turned impatiently round, as if to inquire what the intruder meant.
“You are watched, and in danger, sir, if you are the party I think you are,” said Joey, going up to him, and speaking in a low voice.
“Who are you,” replied the domino, “that gives this notice?”
“A perfect stranger to you, even if your mask was removed, sir; but I happened to overhear a conversation relative to a person in a domino such as you wear. I may be mistaken, and if so, there is no harm done;” and our hero turned away.
“Stop him, dear Henry,” said a soft female voice. “I fear that there is danger: he can have told you but from kindness.”
The person in the domino immediately followed Joey, and accosted him, apologising for his apparent rudeness at receiving his communication, which he ascribed to the suddenness with which it was given, and requested, as a favour, that our hero would inform him why he had thought it necessary.
“I will tell you, certainly; not that I interfere with other people’s concerns; but when I saw that one of them had a poniard—”
“A poniard!” exclaimed the female, who had now joined them.
“Yes,” replied Joey; “and appeared determined to use it. In one word, madam, is your name, Miriam? If so, what I heard concerns you; if not, it does not, and I need say no more.”