"Look you there," she exclaimed," and see another victim of your duplicity and cowardice."

"Epicides!" he exclaimed, "is he among the slain? How, fair lady, am I accountable for his fate?"

This brief allusion, however, had thrown Helen off her guard, and Euephnus, snatching the sword from her hand, left her completely unprotected. Finding herself in the power of the man whom she had so much reason to detest, she uttered a scream of intense agony; but it was all in vain, the hand that would have defended her, was lifeless, and the eye that would have kindled in anger, was now fixed in a cold unmeaning stare upon the unprotected and desolate child of his chieftain. All resistance was in vain, Euephnus again mounted his horse and carried before him the struggling maiden.

"To resist is useless, lady," said the villain, "it

will but hasten your fate. You are my lawful prize, and as such I claim you for my own. You have taunted me with the past, the future is in your hands; accept my love, and Aristomenes shall be proclaimed king of Messenia by the Spartan senate, and the country shall be at peace."

"Detestable wretch!" Helen exclaimed, attempting to free herself from his power, "shall I be the bride of him who murdered my brother and my father, and who has brought war upon my unhappy country? No, I would rather die in a Spartan prison.”

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Nay, lady," said Euephnus, "when that event comes, it will be in a Spartan palace."

The recollection of the danger in which she was now placed, and her detestation of the hollow and unprincipled man into whose hands she had fallen, gave an energy and even a physical strength to the Messenian maiden, far beyond her natural power. The violence of her struggles, and her attempts to throw herself from the horse, greatly retarded the flight of her captor, and by suddenly seizing the horse's bridle and turning its head, she more than once almost brought them both to the ground. But when her hope of escape had almost passed, she observed a troop of Messenian soldiers pursuing with all the speed of their fleet coursers. Euephnus also saw them, and spurred his horse forward, and might have easily escaped, had not Helen renewed her attempts to impede his pro

gress. The Messenians still pursued, and were evidently gaining upon the Spartan, for Helen was able to distinguish the Messenian general as the leader.

"Peace woman, I say," Euephnus exclaimed, "all Messenia shall not take you from me; and I will plunge my dirk into your bosom, rather than Aristomenes shall ever again obtain your person."

This threat was scarcely observed by Helen, who, as the Messenians approached, was still more violent in her attempts to impede Euephnus, and by her cries to urge on Aristomenes. Every moment now, was one of intense anxiety, but her countrymen seemed to be nearer every step that was taken, and at last Aristomenes, enraged and maddened by the insolence of Euephnus, and yet almost terrified with the danger of his betrothed bride, was even by her side. One blow would have hurled the Spartan from his horse, but the prize he carried was a better defence than helmet or buckler. Closely pursued, however, by the Messenian soldiers, and almost exhausted by the incessant struggles of his captive, he could but feel the impossibility of his escape. Aristomenes,

too, determined to liberate Helen, even at the danger of her life; and, bringing his steed close to the Spartan's, he seized her with one arm, and struck his antagonist a blow which caused him to reel on his seat. The efforts of Helen also were against him, and he was compelled to relinquish his prize, who fell almost senseless from his arms but was preserved from any serious injury by the diminution of speed during the short contest.

Aristomenes, now thoughtful alone for the welfare of Helen, instantly dismounted to her assistance, while Euephnus, conscious of his danger, urged his fleet courser forward, and, although closely pursued by the Messenian soldiers, succeeded in making his escape, and in joining the remnant of the defeated army.

CHAPTER IV.

"How ill this taper burns!-Ha, who comes here?

I think it is the weakness of mine eyes

That shapes this monstrous apparition.

It comes upon me: -Art thou any thing?"

JULIUS CESAR.

THE decided victory gained over the Spartans was not more pleasing to the Messenians than the singular escape of Helen from the power of Euephnus. Ampheia being sufficiently garrisoned, Aristomenes conducted the largest part of his troops back to Andania, and by them Helen, and many other females of rank, were escorted to the capital. Here, as

in all other places, the noble youth was received by his countrymen as King of Messenia.

This