Yarhud felt he must commence operations without losing an hour. His plans were all laid; he must try strategy first, and force after, if his ruse did not succeed. hut it was necessary that Amasia should be allured on board the Guiaare that very day; thus, before the alarm could be given and pursuit made, the felucca, he hoped, would be well on her way, running before the stiff nor'-wester.
Such abductions as Yarhud contemplated were by no means infrequent upon the coast—more frequent than one would imagine; nor are they altogether limited to Turkish territory. It is not very many years ago since Odessa was thrown into consternation by a series of abductions, the authors of which could not be traced. A number of young girls belonging to the highest grade of society disappeared, and it was only too certain that they had been carried away into slavery and sold in the markets of Asia Minor.
Now what had been done in the capital of southern Russia, Yarhud hoped to repeat for the benefit of Seigneur Saffar. This was not the first time either that the Guidare had been employed in such traffic, and the captain valued his profits on the transaction at more than ten per cent.!
Yarhud's plan was as follows:—to allure the young lady on board the Guidare under the pretence of showing her and selling to her many rich stuffs which he had bought from the principal markets on the coast. Ahmet would most likely accompany Amasia on her first visit, but he trusted she would return again with Nedjeb. It would then be possible to put to sea before assistance could be given. If, however, Amasia could not be tempted on board, then Yarhud intended to use force. The banker's house was in a manner isolated at the curve of the bay, and his domestics were no match for the crew of the felucca; but there might be fighting, and in that case people would quickly ascertain the circumstances under which the abduction had been carried out. So it was much the better policy, in the interest of the abductors, that the affair should be accomplished without any disturbance.
"Seigneur Ahmet?" said the captain, interrogatively, as
