where, as she had previously mentioned, a dumb slave awaited her. Here I lost sight of her, having pledged my word of honour neither to follow nor to make inquiries after her.

My heart sank as she left me; and the idea of this delicate and beautiful woman being bought and sold in a market-place, and being now the wedded slave of a sensual Moslem, made me writhe and ponder deeply, as I walked along the dark and muddy streets of Rodosdchig. The town was now sunk in silence, and not a sound was heard, save the occasional howling of wild and wandering dogs-the faithful but unclean beasts,' of the ungrateful Koran.

'Love begetteth love,' so my heart was sorely troubled. I could no longer doubt that this beautiful Oriental loved me. Her dark but brilliant eyes were

full of it.

Her sighs but half suppressed as she had hung upon my shoulder; her cheek alternately pale and flushed, were also full of it.

Her tremulous voice-her conversation and manner -her very silence spoke of it-this deep fount of passion opened up within her ardent heart for the first time, and yet-pardon me for the chilling close to my sentence-she had been some years married.

For two evenings I went to the ruins, but she did not come again. I was well nigh my wit's end, and more than once narrowly escaped a stab from a handjiar, or a shot from a pistol, as I rambled about the bazaars and bezestiens, running after every woman whose figure resembled Iola's, and poking my nose closer to their yashmacks than Oriental propriety permits; so close, indeed, that I was once nearly having my heels turned up by the ferashes of a mufti, despite my red coat and claymore.

Restless, thoughtful, anxious and abstracted— haunted by a pair of beautiful eyes that were the object of my waking thoughts in the morning, the

last at night, and the source of many a lonely hour of reverie between, I was deeply in love with her before I knew the whole truth, or saw the full danger of our position; and even when cold reason displayed both, I was more charmed than startled by the novelty of this new passion.

And she loved me, the possessor of those beautiful eyes!

Oh, there was something delicious in the thought that this attractive woman, so bright, so brilliant, so happy in spirit-she who unconsciously attracted me to her, as in a better sphere she would have attracted all-even as the sun in his glory is said to absorb the atoms in the air-should love me!

Who was she? Where was she?

Oh, for Aladdin's lamp, or the ring of the Genii! A thousand dazzling and daring schemes of elopement suggested themselves to me, for Laura's loss and desertion had made me reckless of consequences; but first I had to discover Iola among the closelyveiled hundreds of Rodosdchig; a task about as vain as the proverbial one, of attempting to find a needle in a haystack.

CHAPTER XLI.

A STRANGE TASK.

RETURNING one evening, dispirited and provoked after a second unsuccessful visit to the Ruined Hermitage, on entering the castle of Rodosdchig, I was informed by Callum that the Yuze Bashi had been inquiring for me everywhere, urgently and angrily. Surprised to hear this, I repaired at once to his quarters, and was introduced without ceremony; for the unfortunate captain of Bombardiers was considerably perturbed, and in great tribulation.

I found him seated on a carpet, in a corner of an apartment, the walls of which were, as usual, covered with pious sentences from the Koran. He was

smoking a narguillah, through a crystal vase of rosewater, and the window, through which he usually watched the sun dip behind the hills, was open, to admit the sea-breeze, for he was flushed and feverish. An urgent despatch had come from the Seraskier and Kiaja Kiatibi, summoning him to appear without a moment's delay at Constantinople, on peril alike of his military button and his head.

'Beard of Ali!' he exclaimed, 'is not this alarming?'

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Rather,' said I, remembering that the first-named official was generalissimo of the Sultan's forces, and that the second was minister for the Home Department; and now the memory of a thousand peculations, local oppressions, extortions, and tyrannies came appallingly before Hussein, who, in his administration at Rodosdchig, had been about as tender hearted as a Madras collector. Besides, he knew that he had ever been savagely severe with his men; for that obedience which is simple subordination in the European soldier, degenerates into mere slavery in the Turk.

Poor Hadjee Hussein Ebn al Ajuz felt his respected head wag somewhat loosely on his shoulders; but while he prepared to depart at once for Stamboul, in his selfish alarm for himself, the actual interest of his wife and household were nearly forgotten.

His wife; here was a devil of a dilemma! What was to be done? The question would have puzzled the seven wiseacres of the East, had they been with us.

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'And now,' said Hussein, relinquishing his narguillah with a sigh, and belting his sabre about his portly person;' I look to you for a great service.' 'If I can serve you in anything, command me.' 'I shall not be gone many days.'

'Take care, Hussein; I would bet a month's pay, or a quarter's field allowance, against the chances of your ever coming back again.'

Bismillah! don't say so, pray-I shall come back!' 'And this service?' said I.

Is to take charge of my wife in my absence.'

I beg pardon-did I hear you aright? to take charge of

My wife,' continued Hussein, grinding his teeth; 'there is none other here to whom I can apply. The Moolah Moustapha, curses on him! is-I know not where ; and there is no Turkish officer in the castle, save myself. You are a beyzadeh (gentleman's son) as well as a soldier. I can trust you.'

But your wife, Yuze Bashi-'tis a perilous trust, especially in Turkey.'

I have no resource,' said he, stamping his feet with rage; 6 none- -I must leave this in ten minutes, and cannot apply to my soldiers, and still less to yours, to act for me in this delicate matter.'

Excuse my plainness-but I do not like the duty.'

I like you the better for this sincerity, and trust you the more.'

'But me no buts! You are like Sadd Ebn Kais, who said to the Prophet on his march to Tabuc, “Give me leave to stay behind, and expose me not unto temptation;" because, as the Koran hints, he dared not trust himself among the black-eyed girls of Greece. Your scruples are just; but remember, they who do good shall obtain good, even in this world.'

I have never seen the lady,' said I, doubtfully; is she beautiful?'

The Yuze Bashi knit his brows, for this was approaching forbidden ground; but he answered,

Beautiful as a Houri, and young-so young that I

might be her father; so you must watch over her and guard her as if she was concealed by the seven blessed doors of the Prophet Zacharias.'

So I am to be the guardian of a Turkish harem— what next? thought I.

You have still doubts,' said Hussein, with increasing irritation. Listen to me; when I was in the castle of Selyvria, my subaltern, afterwards the Cole-agassi Mohammed Saïd, was suddenly ordered to join the train of artillery then embarking for the Crimea, and it was on peril of his head that he loitered for a moment, after receiving the summons of the Seraskier. Here was just such a dilemma as mine; but he came to me, saying,

Hussein, you must be unto me as my brother; my purse, my wife, and my household, I leave in your safe keeping.'

'You have my word of honour,' said I.

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'It is unnecessary,' said he, for I believe in you.' And so he sailed for the Euxine.

For three months I had charge of his young and pretty wife. I never saw her; but my servants by turns watched the house, allowing none to enter— none at least but Ali Pasha, who paid me a hundred piastres for every visit; so you see I was very strict, and daily sent my grandfather, who was a decrepit old man, to ask if she required anything.'

' And the subaltern Mohammed Saïd?'

"Came back no more.'

• How?'

'He died a major at the passage of the Alma.' And his wife?'

'When her jewels were sold, married Hussein Aga (the steward of Ali Pasha), who paid me fifty piastres each time he left his slippers at the door. But you are an Ingleez-I can trust you to guard my wife better than I guarded the wife of Saïd-so watch her well, though she is pure as the daughter of Imraun,