CHAPTER XVII.
THE NUBIAN SLAVE AND ELLEN HARMER.
THE NUBIAN SLAVE AND ELLEN HARMER.
It must be confessed that no man living ever felt less remorse for crime of any kind than did Colonel Blood.
He had been in several wars, and was a rough-handed, cold-hearted villain.
But with all his knavery, he possessed a sort of gentlemanly bearing that admitted him into almost any society of the loose-living period in which he lived, namely, that of the lascivious Charles the Second, whom people are wont to call “the merry monarch.”
John Blood had ridden some twenty miles or more; he hired a light and fast four-wheeled vehicle, in order to reach London all the sooner.
Ellen Harmer, almost distracted at thus being forcibly borne away from her father’s home, wept and bewailed her cruel fate.
But, had she shed tears of gore, they would have had no effect upon the mind or conscience of her rude, rough-handed captor.
In order to quiet the beautiful Ellen, he administered to her a glass of wine, in which he had placed a noxious drug.
This had the effect of producing sound sleep; nor was she aware of whither the fast-going vehicle was going.
All she knew was, that when she awoke on the following morning, she found herself in a sumptuously-decorated chamber.
Around her were furniture and articles of beautiful design, and evidently of great price.
She rushed out of bed towards the window in great surprise.
It was barred.
But she could see below her splendid gardens, with fountains playing.
Fruit trees and flowers met her astonished gaze on every hand.
All was silent.
“Am I dreaming?” she thought. “Has all that I have passed through been nought but a cruel excruciating nightmare?”
Beside a splendid mirror, in which she could see herself from head to foot, she perceived a massive bell-pull, with fine bullion tassel.
This she mechanically touched.
A soft, sweet sound responded to her touch, like the harmonious tinkling of a silver bell.
The more she looked about her the more she was astonished and confounded at the brilliance, beauty and elegance of all things.
She heard no one approach, but turning suddenly beheld a tall servant, splendidly attired, but his face and bare arms were as black as ebony.
Ellen started.
The servant bowed lowly and smiled.
“Where am I?” the startled girl inquired, with a flushed face and flashing eyes. “Who has brought me hither, and for what?”
The tall Nubian smiled again.
He bowed more lowly than ever, but spoke not.
He motioned to her that he was both deaf and dumb.
“Set me at liberty!” gasped the captive girl, for the first time realizing her true position, “set me free; I cannot breath the atmosphere of this gilded prison. Oh! let me once more flee to my poor old father, or my heart will break!”
So speaking, she sank on her knees before the tall Nubian, and burst into tears.
For a moment the black gazed at the beautiful young creature, and his eyes rolled in wild delight.
He lifted her up from her prostrate position on the floor, and kissed her snowy hand with every token of affection.
This act surprised and startled Ellen more than ever, for the strange intruder was a fierce, tall man, and one who seemed to possess, when he willed it, both the strength of a lion, or the gentleness of a lamb.