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'Stay, stay; God of my fathers, be thou the God of the defencelessthe orphan!" Was that prayer unheard? was there none to help, no deliverer? It was heard in heaven, and it was heard on earth. Vernon sprang in at the open window, "Draw, villain! have I met thee again?" and he leaped upon him with the bound of a lion. The conflict was short, for the arm of the desperate coward was weak compared with the courageous might of his foe. Vernon dashed his enemy to the floor.

"Mercy! mercy! for the love of Allah, mercy!" cried the Turk. "I would not dishonor good steel with blood of thine;" and releasing him from his iron grasp, he shook him from him as though he were a reptile. The servants, hearing the noise of the contest, came crowding into the room; as the Turk stood upon the casement, turning upon them with a most malignant scowl, he exclaimed, "Ye shall soon hear from me again, and for thee, proud maiden, death!" He leaped to the ground, and as he passed through the low gateway that opened into the street, there was one who met him. No word was spoken, but he saw in the moon's light the gleam of a dagger, and he felt the gushing of his heart's blood. Mahmoud Ali was a corpse. An old silver-haired Jew, the trustiest servant of Abulafia, was the murderer. Hearing the last words of the Turk, as he stood beneath the casement, he had hastened on to the gate. He thought it no murder-he saw no alternative; the happiness-perchance the life of his young mistress, depended on a blow; and he hesitated not he cared not if he should expiate the offence with his own life, if he could but shield her from harm; and with cool, unshrinking aim, he struck the death blow. Vernon raised the fainting form of Zaida, and heard from her the account concerning her father.

"I fear it is but too true," said he, "and yet it shall be my life or his; I will rescue him, or die in the attempt. But Zaida, you must first find another asylum. He who has so haunted your path, will doubtless soon be here again, perchance with a force to bear you away, and wreak his vergeance on your servants; we have a most cunning and powerful adversary to contend with."

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You have nothing more to fear from him," said the Jew, who had since come in; his body lies cold and dead by the front wall." Zaida shuddered as she heard from him the relation of his act; she wept to think he had died, and that too by the hand of a servant whom she loved and esteemed.

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Nathan, your sin is one of deep and awful dye; I would rather I had died, than that he should have fallen in cold blood by your hand." She gave in sorrow, directions for his secret burial, and turning to Vernon, said, "Dearest, one effort must be made; there is in the outskirts of the city, the house of Joseph Arari; my father once pointed it out to me, and told me if ever separated from him and in extreme danger, to fly there, and I should find an asylum; and he communicated to me the signal without which none can find entrance there." She arrayed herself in a Grecian dress, which Vernon procured from the young Greek who attended him. "And now I am ready; God will surely favor the innocent, and the time may yet come when we shall be happy." Vernon gazed upon her in wonder and admiration; he had never seen the spirit that animated the slight fragile form that leaned on him for protection, aroused before; she was to him more beautiful than ever, and as he tra

versed the streets under her guidance, he felt that she was far dearer to him now than ever. The nature of the gentle maiden, who had been nursed in luxury, seemed to have undergone a great change; so firm and fearless was her step, and so unerring the eye that directed them along the winding streets.

Half an hour brought them to a low, strongly built house of simplest appearance. Zaida knocked at a small door in front, and giving to the inquirer within the necessary signal, they were instantly admitted.

"Joseph Arari, my father is in prison, and I come to seek a refuge for myself and for him who is with me." The old man kindly welcomed them, and led the way to a small, neatly furnished room, lighted by a silver lamp that swung from the ceiling.

"Zaida, you here; and who is that with you?" exclaimed a well known voice, as they entered the apartment.

"Uncle," calmly replied the Jewess, I have not time to tell you all now; my father is in prison; and this is Henry Vernon, who has this night saved me from a doom worse than death. There is no space now for mourning or tears; we have come to plan the deliverance of my father."

"You are mad," said Aaron Levi, the brother-in-law of Abulafia, “You will but rashly throw away your own life and peril the lives of many others. I love my brother, and I risked my life to save him, but he would not listen to me, and quietly gave himself up while I sought safety here."

"Sir," answered the impassioned Vernon, "I love your niece, and here before Him who gave me life and being, I vow to rescue her father, or one dungeon and one grave shall receive our bodies.- Nothing can dissuade me from my purpose;" and he sat down and laid before them the plans which he had formed in his mind as they came there. "My Greek boy has a friend in the prison guard, and through his influence gold may unlock even the dungeons of the pacha."

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Wealth-boundless wealth, is at your command," said Zaida, "use it as though it were dust; and if we can but bring my father here, we shall be free from all pursuit; and yet he may be dead or dying beneath the torture;" and the Jewess wept. She found relief in tears, and there was one by her side who soothed and comforted her, and bid her hope for the best; and yet it was literally "hoping against hope."

Aaron Levi touched Vernon on the shoulder: "Follow me if you would see the asylum of the persecuted Jew;" and taking a lamp, they descended into the lower part of the house. The Jew removing an old cupboard that stood carelessly against the wall, said, "See you any thing there?" and as he spoke he touched a secret spring and revealed a door, entering which, they walked along through a narrow passage that led to a subterranean apartment. "It is now a receptacle for goods and valuables, but it has more than once served as the home of the outcast. you the guards of the pacha could find us here? No! If they burned the house over our heads we would yet be safe;" and he pointed to a door on the opposite side of the room which opened into a similar passage. Long and earnest was their conversation that night, as they planned the deliverance of Haroun Abulafia.

Think

The light of the morning sun shone in the room where the scene of the night had passed, but all was still and silent there; the servants had

dispersed, and the body of the Turk was slumbering in the rude grave where they had laid him. There was none there to drop the tear of sorrowing affection over his resting place.

CHAPTER VI.

`AGAIN it was midnight in front of the prison. It was a most dismal night; not a star shone forth through the thick clouds that covered the sky. The pattering of the rain drops came on the cold night air with a most mournful sound. An individual in a close disguise, which the darkness and gloominess of the night rendered almost unnecessary, cautiously approached the front gate of the prison, against which the sentinel was leaning.

"It is time and all is ready," whispered Vernon.

"All is right; I have disarmed suspicion; and the night is most favorable to us, as we shall not be liable to interruption in the streets," replied the sentinel, as he opened to him the gate which he had previously left unlocked. Leading him through the long dark galleries of the prison, he unbarred the door of the small dungeon, where lay Haroun Abulafia.

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Take care, don't fall down the steps," said the conductor. Having shut the door after they had entered, he revealed, by the gleam of the dark lantern, the interior of the cell. The Jew was lying in a corner

on some straw.

"Have you come at last," said he, in a feeble broken voice, “I have been longing for death; I thank you if you come as my executioners." "We are your friends," answered Vernon, kindly, "I have come to deliver you and restore you to your daughter."

"What said you of my daughter? what of her? where has she gone? I thought she was here a while ago. Have you taken her away?" The old man's mind was wandering: Reason had almost left her throne. He had been the occupant of that cell a few days, but he had undergone the severest agonies of torture. Silently had he suffered; not a groan or a word came from him; all that cruelty could suggest had been tried in vain. And there he lay, scarcely the same being he once was, so wan and emaciated; such deep traces of pain and sorrow on his countenance. They raised him up and administered a refreshing cordial. The old man revived, and as they explained briefly their plan and cheered his sinking spirits, strength seemed to come again. He roused himself, and though the chill of death was upon him and he was in great suffering, still, calling up all his energies, he appeared to have received new life. Yet he was humbled, and he refused not to lean on the arm of a Christian, as with slow and silent step they passed to the outer door, the conductor preceding them to see that all was right.

They have gained the street. "We are free," said the sanguine Vernon, we are free!"

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"Be still! Will you ruin all?" exclaimed the impatient soldier, "we are perceived; I thought we should escape the notice of the sentinel on the other side, but I believe he sees us."

"Who goes there?" and the shrill voice sounded like the death blast to all their hopes.

"On, on!" cried the conductor, "we have ten minutes to advance be

fore they get on the pursuit-ten minutes for life! On; we will beat them yet! I took care to give the soldiers that which should make them sleep till the dawn; and I locked the outer gate, and left the key on the outside; away! they know not who is gone yet!"

They almost bore the Jew in their arms, as they hurried along, till they came to a low shed, where stood three men in readiness bearing a litter. They placed the old man in it, and following the young Greek, who showed himself very skilful in finding the most lone and deserted streets, with rapid step they sprang on,

"Save the old man, and gold shall pour upon you like a stream," exclaimed the frenzied Vernon. Away, away they went, till they had almost reached the outskirts of the city, when the soldier stopped.

"Hark!" said he, "they are coming; it cannot be they have tracked us; it would be impossible this dark night. Down here!" and they darted into a narrow alley, and rested in breathless silence. On came the shout of pursuit, more fearfully near.

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All is lost," said Vernon, "but there is one thing more ; we can fight and die here; I had rather die by the Turkish cimeter, than perish in the prisons of the pacha." "Be still!" rejoined the guide, they know not where we are; or even whether we came this way. They are too fast for themselves;" added he, as they swept by them unheeded.

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"Be quick, and we are safe;" and hope dawned again. A few minutes of anxiety passed by, and the old man was laid upon a couch in the asylum of Joseph Arari, and Zaida was weeping over him. He was restored to perfect consciousness, and though in great agony, he was still happy, for he was once more with his daughter.

"Life is ebbing fast, my daughter, and I shall soon be done with earth; yet before I go, I must hear from you the story of the past." And Zaida, she told him all her love for the Christian!

"Father, I am the betrothed of a Christian," and the cheek of the maiden glowed with fire. "Yes, father, you taught me to hate the Christian, but I cannot do it longer; Henry Vernon is to me dearer than all things of earth, and yet I cannot, I will not disobey you; and father, if you can say it, Zaida will never look upon him again."

"And he has perilled his life for you, and for me;" said the old man, musing. "More than once, father," exclaimed the enthusiastic Zaida. Abulafia turned to Vernon. "I once hated the Christian, but I am dying, and it is no time to hate; you have saved my daughter's life, and you have made me happy, for she shall close my eyes and smooth my dying pillow. She is yours! Cherish her, for she is worthy of your love; but Christian, I charge thee, let her worship the God of her Fathers." The old man rolled back, exhausted; all the help of earth could not save the dying man, and the broken-hearted breathed his last. There was a sweet smile on his lips, as he exclaimed in death, "God of Israel, I come to Thee; the Jew shall find a home with Thee."

The old man was not, and Zaida mourned, as one who would not be com forted.

Time passed on, and Zaida was the wife of Henry Vernon. She found. in the land of the Christian her home; and though the saddening recol

lections of the past were still twined about her heart, she had learned, in the land hallowed with the light of Revelation, of the Christians' And she worshipped, in the God of her fathers, the Saviour of

God.

men.

S.

ELEGIAC STANZAS,

On the death of Lieut. Col. Wood, who was killed in the sortie from Fort Erie, Sept. 17, 1814,

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