His brow darkened for a moment at some passing thought, then he replied:
“Never mind; it serves the purpose, and it’s the only one I believe I ever had a right to. I am afraid you find the solitude here rather irksome—do you not?”
“Well, Captain Reginald, to be candid with you, it’s not to say a place where a body would like to spend their lives. There’s no danger of one’s growing dissipated here, or anything that way, you know—which is, of course, an advantage. And now, might I ask who the gentleman is who has put himself to the very unnecessary trouble of having me carried off? All the rest seem to be dumb on the subject, from some cause.”
“I fear I will have to be dumb, too, my dear young lady; the gentleman who has shown his good taste by falling in love with you does not wish to be known at present. Can you not guess yourself?”
“Haven’t the remotest idea, unless it be Rozzel Garnet, or Orlando Toosypegs?”
“No—neither! Garnet, of course, brought you here, but he was paid to do it by another—we outlaws do anything, from murder down, for money. As for Toosypegs, or whatever the name may be, I haven’t the pleasure of knowing him; but I can assure you it is not he.”
“Well, then, I give it up. I never was good at guessing, so I’ll not bother my brain about it. Is it high treason to ask how long I am to be cooped up here in this under-ground hole?”
“Perhaps a fortnight, perhaps longer.”
“Vipers and rattlesnakes!—two whole blessed weeks!—whew! Well, Mr. Captain, all I have to say is that I’ll be a melancholy case of ‘accidental death’ before half the time, and then I wish your patron, whoever he may be, joy of his bargain.”
“We will hope for better things, my dear young lady. By the way, I have not heard your name yet—what is it?”