0 £ OJLLAR P£S AMNJM, INVARIABLY IN ADVANCE.
TOWANDA :
jlprsban XUoritmn, Noocmbcr 20. 15515.
Ik Tragedy of Ilairstoii.
| n ]s _ I was traveling in Accomac—the
f. r awav " Eastern shore" of Virginia.
Have yon ever visited this singular and mys
nrious land —measured with attentive eyes the
.* islands, and the level reaches of white
J •• r sa;,d. whereon tlic surges of the At
lanta' moan forever like some spirit of the vast
wild on'.:u, whispering the secret of the sea ?
]j ,v v->ii traversal the long, low peninsula*—
I'r,:;] ji.e coves of On a acock to the sedgv
. of i'aroir.ores —from the hazy isle of
:>: to where Cape Charles, crowned
• , v • ' ci'oe hke an "eye of the ocean,"
jij .si- into the crawling foam, or the angry
waves its low cutwater, in pursuit of the op
._- .re Have left behind you t?le toils
■asttrcs of our prosaic age—its im.xo
* : i irs. and annihilating materialism—
v !>r .itlie for a time the airs of poesy and ro
. in a land where the sea moans dreami
h ; ti; • shore, and where Caliban, perhaps,
- - __y and scowling, among the rushes
J g-. while Ariel soars aloft against the
i:'\ i have not seen this land of legends
.mis, yon have only to follow nie !
i x ! The mellow mnrmurs of the waves iu
■i. ti. water-flags nod to you. and with
- . v,-s hold out to you a welcome.—
I world will disappear as you ad
i you wall cuter, free and uncucum
/ i, ti.* remote domain of nature, where no
. - . ..rd but the voices of the winds,
ijcct movis, but the foliage of the
•or ' li-tant sail disappearing on the hori
the restless I iliovs of the sea.
1 ai \ .r. yoti have made this journey
> 'I aijou this spectacle, you w ill agree
here is the appr ipriate stage of
i drama—the proper scene of one of
tragedies, which, banished from the
:}■ _at id our " rational" age, have ta
me ;u the dim shadows of the chimuey
;e uiemorit s. pel haps, of old w riukl
- v. bo at times utter ti.ciu briefly, to
- : r n:n into the silence of age and mel
1' - ■ •* of tliese dramas which I am about
..ot with the artistic and i. ffuse
Tail of the mode rn romance, but in all its ua
- . :. l simplicity.
My • . \ ling companion. D , resided up
t rn si.ore, and in his company I
• r< uit of the old province, coll eting
se traditions vfaicfa pomcss.so strange
■ .v'• related upon ?lie spot where
is a tun My occurred. We came 111:s,
_ a' out sunset, to an old ruin—mere
.* k;".' d w .iiis and overthrowii stones,
. '! i :u a rough hilloek out upon
• , -of tlie itcciin.
|vii( '.mu d on Toot, through brand les
> , vines, to tlie great arcln 1 doorway
:n, and lu re -at down to r <t.
re should be soui.' legend connected
- old mass of stones," 1 said ; " am I
N • a the least," was the reply of my
; " not Oltly is there sueli a legend, but
' umy power to relate it. Tuis is
A . we!!, is it tragedy or comedy ? Yon
omnivorous, but I should prefer a
) not l>e disappointed,"said IV ,
_ - :ow up-on his baud, aiid thonght
gazing out Upon tin ocean " 'lhc chief
menu was an ancestor of my
■ r;. l.era connection, and perhaps 1
' erson tiring wlio could gratify I
anion paused for a moment, and
vs tiasi to reflect
jj.tr. listening," I said.
-tread what I offer you," said my
A . ;?s he spoke. D dn w from
\ t .. s;i all volume, bound in black lcn
' .ractl over the leaves. He found
; which he was seeking and
! vi. ime to me.
U .' is that ?" I said.
A i uof tue letters of Ixird .
i - v. no ..ttanied some notoriety. The
yo . i-. lates to the hero of my dra
i\ad the following letter, of
tl > g 1 1 s i.i*-| ...tLac' iUU-1
•• accurate copy.
I' • Sir.—l obey yonr commands
<n it ce. in relating the story of
v L aid <o much, and to which
pp-ars to be so broad awake,
a giy. because such histories de
i- e:. the manner in which they are
*!• t ti: w h 1 have told with such j
tin. I.i dnight terrors of so ma
-1 - wiil make but a sorry figure
• irratiou. However, yon shall j
- early part of "slifc. that )
a .Tiling club at their sport, when '
|
'...sc. ud irts oUsrrred
. '• a give of courage and address
"t tlie utmost astonishment of
- it. Ti.e beast be r.wle was of
. ' 1 - r- : : iing stopped them : the
i • ver e-eape them; aud the j
• •- left far beliind. swore that j
- horse were drril* /'met krtl.— i
•" \ was over, the company invited |
p to dinner : lie arcoje
and astonished the com |a
powers of hi—conversation. :
, - • t'f bis manners, as by his {
He w as an orator, a |>oet.
- :v isii*, a lawyer, a divine :in
-••• ry ihing ; and the magic of
t ;iu- drowsy sjiornsmcn awake
- i.ii bow. At length, how
;' ure couhi be charmed to more,
~.u to steal awav bv de-
grees to their repose. On his observing the
society diminish, he discovered manifest signs
of uneasiness ; he therefore gave new force to
his spirits, and new charms to his conversation,
in order to detain the remaining few sometime
longer. This had some little effect ; bnt the
period could not be long delayed when he was
to be conducted to his chamber. The remains
of tlie company retired also ; but they had
i scarce closed their eyes, when tlie house was
! alarmed by the most terrible shrieks that were
ever heard. Several persons were awakened
■ by the noise, but its continuance being short,
they concluded it to proceed from a dog who
might be accidentally confined in some part of
j the house : they very soon, therefore, couipos
j ed themselves to sleep, and were very soon
: awakened by shrieks and cries of still greater
terror than the former. Alarmed at what they
heard, several of them rung their bells, anil
when the servants came, they declared that the
| horrid sounds proceeded from the stranger's
chamber. Some of the gentlemen immediate
ly arose to inquire into this extraordinary dis
turbance ; and while they were dressing them
selves for that purjjose, deeper groans of des
pair, and shriller shrieks of agony, again as
tonished and terrified them. After knocking
: some time at the stranger's chamber-door, he
answered them as one awakened from sleep,
declared he had heard no noise, and, rather in
: an angry tone, desired that he might uot again
be disturbed. Upon this they returned to one
of the chambers, and had scarce begun to com
municate their sentiments to each other, w hen
their conversation was interrupted by a re
newal of yells, screams, and shrieks, which,
from the horror of them, seemed to issue from
the throats of damned and tortured spirits.— !
They immediately followed the sounds and
traced them to the stranger's chamber, the
door of which they instantly l>;ir.-t open, and
found him upon his knees in bed, in the act of
scourging himself with the ma<t unrelenting'
severity, his body streaming with blood. On
their seizing his hand to stop the strokes, ho ,
begged them in the most, wringing tone of
voice, as an act <>f mercy, that they would re
tire, assuring them that the cause of their dis
turbance was over, and that in the morning be
would acquaint them with the reason of tlie
t-rrihle cries thev had heard, and the melan
choly sight they saw. After a repetition of
his entreaties, tiiey retired ; and in tlie morn
ing some of theiu went to his chamber, but he
was uot there ; and, on examining the bed,
thev found it to be one gore of blood. Unou
further inquiry, the groom said that as soon as
it was light, the gentleman came to the stab!*-,
booti d and spurred, desired his horse might be
immediately saddled, and appeared to be ex
tremely impatient till it was done, when lie 1
vaulted instantly into his saddle, and rode out
of the yard ou full speed, Servants were im
mediately dispatched into every part of the
surrounding country, but not a single trace of
him could Ik' found : sneh a perxui had not
been seen by any cue, nor has lie been since
heard t>f.
" Tie circumstances of this strange storv
wer immediately committed to writing, and
signed by every one who wt-re witnesses to
theui, that tlie future credibility of any one,
who should think proper to relate them, might
be duly supported. Among the subscribers to
the truth of history, are some of the first
names of this century. It would now, I be
iieve, be impertinent to add anything more,
than that I am " Yours, etc."
lit. 9
I handed the volume back to ntv compan
ion. ar.d for au instant both preserved sil- nce,
gazing, as before, upon tlie restless waves,
breaking upon tlie low margin of the ocean.
" \ our narrative, I said, at length, " relates
to this singular being
" \ e-s ; to the eyes of all but myself, tlie
identity of this cavalier is steej>ed in oblivion. ,
I alone know the whole ; gathered in part
from old family documents. You wiilfiatc*to
the story ?"
The question was quite snperflnons. as niv
eager expression nmst have proved to the tiar
rati>—and so I heard the story, w iiieh I here
set down as nearly a.- po.--ibic in the words of I
my informant.
IV.
Arthur Iletherington was the son of a Cu- j
:h* ho gentleman, whose grandfather had o'>-'
taiiual from his personal friend. Calvert, Lord
Baltimore, a grant of thirty thousand acres c>f
land in the rie est port on -f the eastern shore ;
of Maryland. Iu the course of four or five
gent rations, how ever, this magnificent estate
had gradually decreased, under the effect of
high living, so that tlie Arthur Hctherington
ot the present found himself the pos
sessor of only about ouc™;ird of the original
estate.
This, however, was a princely property, and .
a sufficiently dangerous possesion for a young 1
man of twenty-one. without near relatives, and
with no one to restrain him.
Arthur was tlie e'dest of two sons, and, by
the law of primogeniture, succeeded to the es- j
tut-. George, the younger of the two. receiving
simply a sum of money, with which to com
mence the world. There had never been much
love between the brothers, and, on the day
when Arthur Hctherington took possession, a
-• cue of violence cecumd, the details of which j
were not accurately known, although it is easy
to guess at tjie matter. Certain it is. that an
hour after the entrance of the two brothers iu- 1
to the library of the mausiou, a struggle was
heard, then a heavy fall, and George issued
forth, silent and pale, mounted his horse, and
so disappeared.
Arthur was found extended on the floor with
a deep wound in his temple, from w :uch the
blood flowed profusely. He was immediately
i-arrh d to hi- chandler, by the old black major
domo, his fa'h r\- steward, nm! now his own :
and be did no! issue from his sack-room for a j
month. When he again appeared, he said uo- >
thing of the s*-ene which hao passed in the li- '
hrarv ; r. r, indeed, did he ever allude to it ,
afterward*.
The ycut-ger brother, a-" I have said, had
d.-appeared, nini it was soon discovered that
Le ltad contracted cuormoiis debt-, both debts
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY AT TOWAXDA, BRADFORD COUNTY, PA., BY E. O'MEARA GOODRICH.
" EESARDLESS OF DENUNCIATION FROM ANY QUARTER."
"of honor" and others, in the neighborhood,
none of which had been discharged. He had
apparently fled the country to avoid tho*e ob
ligations ; and it was soon known that he had
gone to Euroj>e. A year passed, and his bro
ther, then at William and Mary College in
Virginia, received one morning an English
journal, which gave him intelligence of George
Hetherington's death. He had been killed In
a drutikeu brawl, in a low London tavern.
Let me now speak briefly of the character
of Arthur Iletherington. From his earlv
childhood, he had never known the tender in
fluences of paternal or maternal affection, and
his brother had uever felt for him. in spite of
every exertion upon his own part, the least
good feeling even. Jealousy of his birthright
had dried up any emotions of affection in the
younger brother, ami Arthur was thus left
alone. The consequence of this isolation was
a sombre and silent reserve, and an assiduous
cultivation of the powers of his intellect, rather
than those of his heart. At
whither he went about the middle of the cen
tury, he became the intimate associate of Go
vernor Fauquier, who was a conscientious in
fidel ; and from this nobleman, and afterwards
from the writers of the KncyclopieJia, young
Iletherington Required a profound contempt
for that ertdulifit whieh believes without the
aid of mathematical reason, as well as for evo
ry species of j>hd . >i.'hr<>py. Buried in iiis re
mote apartment of Ocean View, with closed
shutters, ami wax lights, he spent the long
hours of the day, ami often the whole of the
night, in those dangerous and forbidden studies
which have so deleterious on influence upon
the character of a young and unformed mind.
He never saw company, the neighbors having
grown tired of being refused admittance : and
thus, at the age yf twenty-eight, the voting
man had become a confirmed niisantlirojK\ ami
a finished infidel. He despised men most
heartily, especially the the " canting knaves of
the church," as lie called them ; as to women,
he did not deign to bestow a thought upon
them. He regarded tlietn a sensuous play
things, w hk.ii some great men had had the fol
ly to be ruined by ; he congratulated himself
upon Laving never so much as looked upon
them.
Siich was the state "f the young man's mind,
and such his mode of life, when, one evening,
a coach with four horses, driven by a black
coachman, drove up to the door ; and from
this vehicle descended au elderly lady, who was
immediately followed by a tali and queenlv girl,
clad in the rich fashion of the period, with a
long slender waist, auburn curls, sprinkled with
jiowder, and blue eyes which gazed forth se
renely from beneath her snowy chip hat, se
cured beneath the chin by a blue scarf pas
sing over the crown. They entered the mau
siou, bowed in by the lofty old steward, and
the chariot drove to the stables.
Young Iletliiriiigton could scarcely believe
his eyes. Old Calvert, as the stewa: 1 wu
calh'd, had exprc.-s orders to deny his mast r
to all visitors, and this order he had hitherto
scrupulously obeyed, never permitting any one
to do so much a- cross tiie thre-hoid of the
mansion. What could be Tlie meaning of Li.-
action now f The young man retired from the
window, and sat down, sternly resolving to
await the explanation of this strange intrusion
ar.d disobedience.
The explanation came in a form which lie
was not prepared for. He had scarcely re
sumed his seat, when a light step was heard
upon the corridor, the door of the apartment
was opened, and the young lady whom he had
seen outer the front door stood upou the ll.rish
oid.
As her eyes met those of the young man,
she blushed slightly and drew back. Then, as
though mastered by a sudden impulse, she ad
vanced three steps, end. with a frank smile in
her blue eyes, held out her hand. The young
man rose, and bowing stiffly, without so much
as extending Ids hand, requested the toung la
dy to lie seated She colored and said :
" Then you do not know me, eou-in Arthur,
and will uot take my band. I am Kl u.or
Hair-ton, and mamma c. me with me "
The young man understood in a rooaent
BOW. Mrs. Hairston was vhe fir>t cousiu of
his father, and lived lower down upon the Vir
ginia side, as he had often heard, lie, there
fore, made the young l.uly a low and formal
bow. bestowed an icy shake of the hand, and
said he was pleased to see them—wiii. h ex
pression of pleasure was a'* rnd.intly contra
dicted by bis cold and tiisfmit demeanor.
Mb- liair.-tou's beautiful lip assume.! some
thing closely resembling a pout of oi.-ple; -.ire,
and she raised her hue i; ad proqdlj. There
was something in the action which attracted
the sombre thinker'- attention, ami he felt, r.l!
at once, that he stood in the presence of a na
ture quite as haughty a- his own. The con
viction produced a feeling of resect iu hl?
uiitul, and. with a courtly aud fonnaHy-resjiect
ful bow. he led the young lady to the door of
the chamber to which she had been directed—
liis study having been entered by mistake. He
then descended to welcome Mrs Hair-ton.
which be accompli-;.ed with -tiff formality.—
They had been to the city of Baltic. *re, Mrs
Hairston said ; and fiuding themselves benight
ed on the road, or n airly, had bethought them
of Ocean View, and so, n.u-t trespass upon it
owuer fur a uight's cntertaii aient. The young
man bowed again, Mr- llairstou Ji-apjK'ared
under convoy of a in lid. and the master of the
domain retired t< his dc:i to reflect upon this
novel and unplcadng incident
I have narrated this scene in detail, beeanse
it was the initiatory event in the series which
ended with what I aui going to relate. lu
stead of a night, Mrs. Hairston remained for
a week, owing to a severe accident which haj
pencd to her coachman ; and wliea she depart
ed with her daughter, she received a promise
from Arthur Hctherington that he would *}>et.-d
--i!v a.ake a vis.t to the fatnilr mansioa of Hairs
ton.
This extraordinary action, ujvou the part of
the young uiau, can be explained apon e;.!y
one brpothesis. He was in love with M; -
Eleanor Hairston. In truth, the yoang girl
had entered tiie sombre wihh mes> of hi> life
like a sunbeam. As her stiffuesc and reserve
melted beneath the continually increasing cour
tesy and attentions of their entertainer, she
had become more and more winning and cor
dial, and, at the end of tlie week, the young
man found himself following her witn his eyes
when she left the apartment, and looking, with
his stern, abstracted gaze, for her return. All
the hidden fires of his passionate nature kin
dhd and began to blaze—the long-controlled
current- of his soul began to tremble, and move,
and -urge against the barriers lie had erected
to curb them. He no longer found solace in
Voltaire and D'Alembert ; and the choicest
hours for study were sjieat by the side of the
harpsichord at which sat Miss Hair-ton sing
ing. To the pleasure which ho took iu gazing
1 ufion the rare beauty of her countenance, and
listening to the exquisite warblingsof her sym
pathetic voice, was, ere long, added tlie de
lightful and hitherto unknown emotion of grati
fied vanity. As his cold nature gradually
thawed beneath her sinfles, all those treasures
of thought which he had spent long years iu
ama-sing began to reveal themselves, and, to
his astonishment ami delight, he found that
she followed his abstrusest views, and appre
ciated him. To a man of his character, a more
exquisite incense could not have been offered
—and after ouc of these conversations, he found
himself pitying the fatuity of his former views
of womeu. He never shocked the young girl
with liis infi lcl opinions, however—natural in
stinct. and. soon, a lover's fear of injuring him- ;
self, prevented that.
I need not further enlarge npon the proces
ses by which the -tern and sombre misauthrop !
became the anxious and devoted gallant. In
one week, the change was complete—a phen-;
omenou not unusual with men of powerful but
restrained feelings—ami ten days after the de
parture of the 11 air-tons, the young man had
rejoined them at their own home.
Here he pnsecuted his courtship of Miss
Hair-ton without concealment. lie .surround
ed her with tlri-c tasteful and beautiful gifts
which a refined nature and unlimited wealth
alone can -upjiy to the object of the affections. ;
It does not semi that Eleanor was affected iu |
any considerable negree by tlic-e presents.— :
Arthur Hctherington had made a strong im- I
pre-sion upon her from their first meeting, and !
she knew ]•■•■rfecily well how to appreciate the '
treasure.-; !■;' his vigorously cultivated intellect, i
and determined character. There i- something j
in the rugged traits of the masculine charac j
ter which attracts woman more powerfully even :
than the graces and elegance—and a few fe- !
male mind- can r* >i-t a daring and determined !
lover. These traits captivate them, a- gentle- !
lies- and - .vcetne-- enchain the regard of men
w hen found in the opposite sex. Arthur Hcth
erington po-sc--e*l thi- vigorous and powerful
nature, and, in addition, a face am! form oE i
great attraction, lie was tail, erect, with a
lofty brow, clear, brilliant eyes, and lips curved
like a si: tut '-. It may thus easily be under
stood that Mis- Hair-ton might love him for
himself : though, doubtie-s, his wealth, Lis
pivud pu- to i. a- the sole head of an ancient
house, and hi- wordly advantages generally,
had the influence which they never !nil to ex- ]
eft upon :he minds of young ladies beginning
to re!i ct upon the holy e-tate of matrimony.
Let me now pass over the space of a year,
during which time Arthur ILtheringtoa con- '
tinued to uay assiduous court to tile proud
young girl, who demanded, in accordance with
the views of the jieriod, a thorough siege be
fore she would surrender. At last she gave
signs of yielding.
It wa- ou an evening of May, a- I find frora
an old letter, written to my father, that young :
Iletherington. having spent Lours in the great
sail-boat on the bo-oin of the ocean, with the
young lady, at last advanced to the attack,
ami found the fortress unable to re-i-t Lino.—
llis address was pa --innate, but collect 1, too.
He told Eleanor that she mu-t necessarily have
seen the state of Ins feelings—that there wa
no ; .--IWe obstacle to prevent ti. Ir marriage I
—that li- i.ctilcJ a mis're-s for Ocean View—
that if she would not consent to !ii! that posi
tion, no other lady cit would : ltd then with
ills proud u.vier lip between hi- teeth, hi- dark
eyes fixed unwaveringly upon her flashtug face '
he calmly await- i her reply. The r ply was
a c Id a:, i tremulous hand placed in his own
out.-treteL d jcilm—and they were lietrothed.
.Mrs. ILcr-toa readily assented to what die
lie.'! w -l.it; : tor -he was an auibit.ou
ncuria, and p; -ably would have c< •- -.d
her daugiitir to the very coar-o which her own •
fe-L'._- induced |mt to take, fnus everything ;
was weliso far. and Arthur Hetberington, with
a grave ami decorous salute " tqaui the lip
o his motheria law to lie, and his intended j
ri*i . Id: H fir-ton house, to return to tt-ai.
i-- • i
v tew, where it was ueces-ary to make great
changes and many arrangements, iu ronton- ;
platioa of the alteration iu his mode of life,
v.
There was one per-on at Ocean View who
held a morse iui{x<-::i_' place iu the life of that '
domain than e\eii ohi Calvert, the steward.— 1
This wa- an old ingro woman named Hilsy.
who .au ban the young man's nurse, and who
now livevi. at the age of nearly four score, in
iicr priv.i _ u ca'fiu across the wide lawn, iu '
front ot' lite edifice.
To Aunt IhL-y the young man at once com- i
wnicnled tin inteMigence of lu- intended mar-'
riage. What was Lis a-tonishineM to find the
old ne-gress start as he r j>eated the name of
Hair- ton, and tSiea io..uu.iK*eu wringing her
hands and groaning.
It was a long time before her me. ter, or son
I should rather say, could induce her to speak;
and noting bat his deeproottsd affection for the
oM woman prevented the haughty yong man
from breaking out into words indicating his
displeasure and anger. The old woman's
groans were succeed by exclamations, her cx
clamati;:.s i-y broken words, and these in tarn
by Ik-c i:.g appeals that " Massa Arthur"
wu ml imU'-diatrly iroak off the match, ai.d
give up all thoughts of a union with any one
of the family of Iliir-ton.
At first, the young man wa* too angry, and,
indeed, too much astoni>hed to reply :o the
ohi woman. .He soou reflecteil, however, that
Aunt lb -v !ia i takeu • odd notion inl.l' -
head, after a fashion not uncommon with old
Tirgresscs ; and the result of these reflections
was, a calm request that the aged woman
wonld inform him why it was ill advised in him
to marry one of the Hairston family. After
a plentiful addition of exclamations, groans,
and exhibitions of grief, the old woman pro
ceeded to account for her emotion and those
mysterious exclamations which had excited so
much astonishment in her auditor.
It is not necessary to dwell npon the family
legend which the old woman related with many
palsied shakes of the head and evidences of no
common agitation. The result will exhibit the
nature of her communication. It is enough to
say in this place, that an hour after his en
trance into the cabin young Hctherington is
sued from the low doorway, pale and silent,
but with a sarcastic sneer upon his firm lip.
" Blond ?" lie muttered, disdainfully smiling,
"a drop of blood 1 Absurd ? and yet I mu-t
be about to grow crazy like this old woman ;
for I know not what demon whispers to
me, there is truth in this irarnivg ! Blood !
the Jntr of all the Hetheringtons .' Why, it is
absolutely silly ! and silliest of all is it, that I,
a man of trained mind incredulous, no child to
be frighted by bugbears of the imagination,
should for an instant entertain this foolish
thought ! A drop of blood to me !
Bah ! I'll go cover my head with a blanket
and cry myself asleep."
As the voting man finished his brief soliloquy
lie entered the doorway of the hall, and pass
ed into the great dining-room.
As he placed his foot upon the threshold,
he saw old Calvert disappear hastily through a
side door, and at the same instant his quick
eye discovered a vibration in the frame of his
grand-father's portrait, hanging near the east
ern window.
" What's this !" lie cried, " Calvert ! Come
back ! what is this ?"
Old Calvert appeared at the door, solemu
and grave. His master demanded the reason
of his abrupt withdrawal from the apartment.
The old negro cosily replied that he had just
finished putting the silver iu the closet by the
chimney.
"By the chimney ? The closet ?" refloated
the young man gloomily. " You were the
length of the whole apartment from the chim
in I }*, and in the second place, here is the key of
the silver closet."
The oM n gro looked confused for a moment
then this exi.r* --ion was replaced by one of
dogged and <nllen silence, so to speak His
only reply, when young Hetberington again
demanded no explanation of his extraordinary
haste, was an intimation that if " Massa Ar-
tliiir" thought old Calvert was dishonest it
tt*as " tuorc'n ald massa ever had," —and then
the white-haired steward calmly withdrew.
'i'ae yonng man followed him with his eyes,
bnt -ai I nothing. He saw that lie could ex
tra: •: no further communication from the negro
He determined in-tead of attempting an exae
tion of authority, to investigate for himself.
He accordingly went and turned the keys iu
the locks of both doors, then he proceeded
toward tlie ea-t window, aud. mounting upon a
tali chair, stood beneath the protrait of his
grandfather. It represented the frieud of
Lord Baltimore in mature age, clad in steel
armlet*, ov.-r which fell a profusion of lace, a
vievd purpoint, and gold flowered waistcoat.
The hair was long, curling, and powdered,
most probably a peruke : and the countenance
wore au expression of sternness au 1 g'oo.n,
strikingly in accordance w.th the distinguishing
trait of the Young man himseif."
Yonng Iletherington scarcely bestowed r.
second look unoi the portrait, but raised the
heavy frame from the wall ; and was reward
ed by d -covering a small panel in the carved
oik The steel spring, by which this hidden
closet opened, still vibrated faintly, with a low
sii.giug i.oi.-e, showing that the door hud been
recently closed.
The ardcut and burning eyes of the young
gentleman -ought long and vainly for the o|>eii
iiig spring, llis eager fingers traversed every
iarh of the woodwork without discovering the
clue. He mounted apoa the projection iu the
wa: - oting, sustaining the backs of the great
eh sirs, aud -ought again, pushing the great
juirtrait aside until it hung iu position nearly
horizontal. It was all in vain, an l with his
t .i'-ov now red by a cold s\v at. the young nun
le med his shoulder heavily again -t the door.
A - lu- did so, lie felt tlie pane! move beneath
his :;rm—he started back, and a squire piece
of the carved wainscot fie v ojmmi It reveal
ed a small or.ii e iu the wall ;*and. at tile
mouth, so to speak, of this orifice lay au aa
tiqc.e poniard with an ivory handle
Ytiling Iletherington clutched it, ami. lean
ing to the floor, held it up and gazed at it.
" • The ' t the lid ft n _ he mut
tered. turning as pale as death, " the very
weajxjn described the old nurse ! What devil
has been trifling with me, for God there is
none that I believe in."
ile looked, then, more attentively ct the
weapon. It was richly set in gold, encrusted
with gems—and the damascened blade was
clotted with blood. Hetheringtou stood for
some moments looking with wide eyes at the
poinard : and then, a quick tarn of his head
toward the western door indicated his thought.
" What had Calvert to do with this !" h
muttered g'ooinilv ; " could it have been—did
it—!"
And, pausing suddenly, he stooj>e-d au l ex
amined the floor.
Immediately Irenenth the jwrtrait a triangu
lar inci>iou iu the oaken timber of the flooring
r*..imed iiis search. He inserted the point oi
the weapon in the cut. It fittcl perfectly.
Hctherington rise, replaced the poniard in
the hidden eh>-et, closed the door, ami ar:... j
ed the portrait as before. Then he removed
the chair by means of which he had moautcai
brushed away some grains of dan left by his
boot ujon the wainscot, and then began jsicing
the with feverish >u-;>s.
'• Yes," be muttered hoarsely, " yes ! this u
the direct ageacy of the dwii", if tin-re is a
devil ! That poniard, in some mysterious way
fc'.i to the floor ; old Calvert, to whom uothii.g
cooneeted with the family is a secret, placed it
: racsoteole again, uot w - ... g i
VOL. XVII. —NO. 24.
to see it. He was right, for the devil of |er
versitv am] defiance has possession of me.—
Mln or devil, heaven or hell !"cried the young
man, clenching his hand wrathfully, and shak
ing it above his head, " I ROW challenge yon ?
I go on my way, tliongh hell stood in niy path!'
As he uttered tiiese furious words, the por
trait of his grandfather, which had, doubtless
been loosened bv his efforts to open the closet,
parted from the huge hook which held it aloft'
and fell with a crash to the tloor.
The startled echoes fled shrieking through
the gloomy mansion ; and Ilelheriugtoa look
ed round like n conspirator, deperute but de
fiant to the last. At the same moment, the
knob of the western door was turned, ami the
voice of old Calvert was heard like a moan,
apjieuling for entrance.
His master opened the door, and laying his
hand upon the shoulder of the trembling oid
man, said :
" I understand all—not a word to any one.
Replace the tearing thr cUtt as it is "
Hetlierington then, with slow and measured
steps, sought his private apartments.
Three days afterwards, he set out ior llairs
ton. The poniard was in his bosom.
VI.
The young man reached I lairs ton just as the
last lights of evening dec-ended upon the level
landscape, and died aw ay upon the vast ocean.
He sainted, with formal courtesy, his intend
ed bride and her mother, and, then, for the
hrst time, ]>erceived that thev were not alone.
The fourth occupant of the apartment was a
peddler, cue of a class then better known
than at the present time ; and beside the way
farer lay the ordinary pack, in which they ear
ned their miscellaneous articles of traffic.
The jedd!er was shown to a room on the
ground floor, when the hour for retiring carne;
and then the inmates of Ilairston, one and all
were very scon asleep.
No c ooner had the sounds of life died awav
than the peddler rose from his couch, placed
his feet stealthily upon the floor, and, walking
with the silent step of a tiger stealing upon
its prey, proceeded toward the apartment oc
cupied by Miss Ilairston.
Opening the door of the young lady's cham
ber with tlie -ante caution, he entered, and ap
proached the bed. A stream of moonlight
fell upon the face of the beantiful sleeper, and
the regular undulations of her slender figure,
beneath the snowy night-dress, scarcely raised
the downy edges of tne light counterpane.—
One bare white arm was placed benaath her
curling hair, and the other lay half extended
from the couch, in an attitude of care-less aban
don which was the perfection of grace.
The intruder stool completely motionless
for a moment, gazing upon the lovely sleeper;
and then, with a movement rapid L-it cautions
knelt and pressed Lis dark mustachioed lip to
the eutended arm. A slieht tremor in the
form of the girl betrayed the magnetic effect
produced upon her, even in sleep, by the auda-
clous kiss, a till she slowly opened her eyes.—
Tiie moon, howev r, was --udtlonljr over-clond
c i : ami wi.eu itagiin streamed out, and M >s
Iluir.-tou, with n -tarthd expression, ro<e up
i i qi'd, sii: :or ted upon one arm, the intruder
—or of her dream, as she imagined—
had di- appeared.
j The nocturnal ii.trader listened for an in
! s-ant in the corridor, anJ, catching - with his
! quick ear the low sigh of the young lady, as
j she again relapsed into slumber, seeme d dis
| po-e 1 to renew li s inroad ujioa the privacy of
her dumber. Turning his eyes aeddentdlj,
however, toward the apartment in which Heth
eriugton slept, his intent:on was evidently
aha:, lon- d. The rail 1 and -railing expression
of the bo!! features yielded to one of irloomy
hatred ; the heavy dark brows were knit to
gether in a threatening frown : ami laying his
t hand upon a tonecale t knife, : u> 1 e-tided at his
wui>t, tlie stranger crept toward the apart
raciit of 11-.tlieriugton.
lie foand no dli Tic ilty in affecting an cr
tranee ; a::.I. standing by the bedside of the
i; ale sleeper, whose haughty features had not
r laxed their predominant expression even in
, <!u:ub>.T, the -'ranger el*.;* •h-.-.i hi- knife with a
il *>h of hatred in his dark eyes, which wa al
; most appalling in its intensity. He remaYed
th is mot.oi.less and lent for one moai-nts,
j and then, as cautiously as he had entered it,
left the apartment. As he returned to L - own
i couch again, his rov:c_r and tahßigcnl eves
took ia at a glance the position of all the
I chambers ; and having thus sari fled himself
J of the possibility of save ulterior dials a, a it
s enied, the uight walker disappeared within
his owu apartment.
Oil the next morning. Mis.- 11 rrston related
her singular :fe and it was the of
inacyj'.ts: as to the peddler, the servant*
: sail he bad departed at daylight. first craving
a mouthful of bread and a draught of ra.lk to
stay hi- hunger.
O.i toe same evening, a man, carrying a ped
:di/s ]• -k. : w the j-. )id aad
erect gait of an; ratainer-r, approached one
; "f those coves in the bay aide of the
1 1, wY: h are -o U". n-rous a'o ir this shore.—-
I-suiag from the 1. ivy ! u-hwocii of the mar
. ■ : ' a- " . irys of *'••• capp-1 the
waves of the Cacsrqe ike with fire, he gave a
!• w whL-tie, ar.d then waste 1. In a few mo
rn nits a - a .ii -ki:T del c!iv i itself l.ke a dine
i:i_r leaf fr-1 n the heavy boughs, drooping a'o lg
the opposit >! re, and propelled by a single
paddle, dart 1 over the crim-on waves. It
- >:i read 1 th stranger. He enten.il it.
. ad it instantly returned toward its original
ha:'• or—the two men exchanging animated
conversation in a low and cautions tone.
Finally the little boat }>a--ed lucneath the
swaying sroughs, gfided iat > th- -'di wat. rs of
i a small lagoo:.-hke basin, and brought up le
-->;Ue a long jnrogae, filled with sa.lors, armed
and waitiog
The peddler t'-.re d wa hi- pack, and "with
a brief gesture of torn maud, .-aid :
| u To your oars !"'
"Cood, Qajpiain PWI the general reply,
as She u fcH into their places ; " AUVt.i. rg
; on hand ''
"To your oars !" cams as briefly and ra re
j -temlv from the lifts of the -tran-_ r
• •• Go.il r all right Vw ■ the rwrfv - in, I