The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1854-06-15

oae 'ho loohh' ohc WAS lying upon r1ehs
crimson sofa, and a shawl of rare material,
brilliantly wrought, enveloped her slender
folm whatever might have beenher doubts
as to, her situation, she was not long left in
suspense; for suddenly a door opened, and
De Casts stood before her. etf
He was richly dressed, and evidently had
made his toilet with much care. Had
Eleanor. met him stranger, elsewhere. she
might have thought him, at least, good look
ing, but the last evenings tragedy was vet
fresh in her remembrance and she looked
upon him with utter hatred and contenpt,
not altogether unmixed with fear. As soon
as he entered, she sprang from her recum-
bent position, and thus addressed him:
"Oh, Don Pedro if one spark of human
ity yet fingers in your hardened heart, be not
all stone by that love You once said YOU
bore me, | conjure you, take me to my faith
er, if he. be yet spared from death by your
bloody hand.n .,,., [,~ .s. - 80
Fair Eleanor, henceforth call De Caste,
if you please, for that is my rights name ;
your father is living, and safe, in his far-off
home; but you, fair one, cannot go to him.
once said loved you; did, but my love
was rejected, and / swore revenge YOU are
now wholly in my power, so much so, that
no. hand on earth can free you from me !,
Listen, consent to be my bride" .%
"Never Never !" cried Eleanor, twill be
the bride of DE Casto.D She drew up her
slender from to its utmost height, and wild
fire flashed from her sparkling eyes, beneath
whose glance even De Casio quailed. He
threw upon her a look of min gled passion
and admiration, love and hatred, and left
the room, saying, as he did So . s..-.
i give you two days in which to decide
your fate consider ~
Eleanor firmly resolved never to Weld to
his design; and failing upon her knees, she
implored her Heavenly Father to give her
strength to resist each temptation, and her
deliverance from this living tomb. -
Time flew quickly, far too quickly for the
wretched Eleanor, who dreaded the expira-
tion of the two days in which she was com!
manded to consider AT length the third
morning came, bright and beautiful, though
no rays of its light or beauty entered the
dreary cave of the robber. The taper's gleam
still fell upon the pale features of Eleanor,
and as she rose from her morning devotions,
she seemed like a stray angel rather than an
| imprisoned child of earth-land
With one fair hand she swept back the
heavy tresses of dark, wavy hair from her
marble brow, and calmly sat her down to
await her fate. An hour had not ELAPSED
when the massive door opened, and De
Casio stood before here
AS he entered he paused midway of the a.
partment, and gazed imploringly upon her.
She, too, arose, and fixed her sparkling eyes
full upon him, met his gaze of admira-
tion unmoyed, while there flashed over her
features look of determination, that told
him he had not a feeble, frightened woman
merely, before him. A moment passed thus
and the better feelings of his heart were stir
red but those feelings soon gave way and
the demon of revenge again rankled in his
bosom. He thus addressed her:
! Beautiful Eleanor, listen the time has ar
| rived that must decide your fate. 4 love you
truly, and will gladly make you my bride
think well ere you reply"
Eeanor's pale features seemed lighted up
with more than angelic radiance, as claspine
her thin, white hands, and raising her dark
eyes heayenward, she firmly said
"As Heaven is my witness, l will die, ere
become yours " 4- ~.
Frantic with rage De Casio sprang toward
her, and clasping her slender form, he was
about to pollute those pure lips with a kiss
OF passion, when suddenly the sound ofrnany
voices fell upon his ear, and Immediately the
door was thrown open, and large number
of armed men entered the room.
Eleanor gave one wild scream, and fell
faintng in the arms of Sir Charles Dalton
On the first alarm De Casio had fled through
q secret door he was immediately pursued
by Dalton who, left Eleanor in the care oi
her delighted father. De Caste took refuge
in a small private room of the cave, from
which there was no outlet except the one by
which he entered, but he little dreamed that
his retreat would be discovered. = Dalton
soon found him, and commanded him to
draw his sword; he did so, and dread
ful contest ensued. The one fought for his
afiianced bride and the protection of inno-
cenco, the other was spurTed on by the de-
mon Revenge. e. 4grss -sag,
i But the former was fated to be the victor,
and by skillful thrust of his sword, lie
brought De Casio to the earth bleeding
corpse. His last words were a curse upon
Dalton and the victorious Eleanor.
I a deadly contest had meanwhile been car.
ried on between Dalton's men and DE Casto's
n - ~.