Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-06-20
CHAP. VII CoueIuded.

CHAP VIII Concluded.
As he spoke, he ripped open the left breast
of his coat, aud from between the cloth ana
the lining drew out small packet OF papers,
from which he selected one This he spread
out carefully on the marble slab of the table
There's your bold hand Marx, /" no cont'n-
ued dated -
II don't want to know the date" exclaimed
Aveiing, hnrriedly.
"WelI | amt no ways particular about it"
rstorted Zach; q but it's money down, this time,
Mr. Aveling,
Ayeling got up and went to his bureau, his
every movement closely watched by Grit.
Opening an inner drawer, he took out . bundle
of French hank notes, which he deposited on
the table He then proceeded to count out the
sum demanded by Grit.
There's your money said he, twisting up
the notes, and tossing them across to Zach.
"You' 70 happened to hit Your time. Had we
met Yesterday morning, could not have &C
commodated you. Wowill cry quits now, Mr..
Grit
The party addressed nodded his head, and,
in turn, deliberately counted the notes, but
seemed puzzled in his attempts to perform the
arithmetical process requisite for him to ascer-
tain the correctness Of the amount.
z You needn't give yourself all that trouble,
NllbL6T tTIN, TtuihTkta htCiIiS, tuVy uiO OH
twenty-five dollar notes. ! have no desire TO
cheat you
Well, I'll Jest take en- on your recon-
mendation,n said Zach, folding them up, and
putting them away with the other papers
There's your promise to pay, which settles
our old bargain"
Avaling snatohed at the paper. which he in
stantly tore into Fragments scattering them
about the floor
What bargained to do III do said Zach,
again with perceptible emphasis; /" won't do
no more, nor no less
aWhat do You mean ~ exclaimed Aveling.
well, amt going for to be bound tor
them as knows u most as much as do, that's
all" said the other. More eyes than mine
seen you that night Mister Aveling that's a
fact
The deadly pallor which had overspread
Marks countenance on seeing the knife, be-
came even more CHASTITY, and his bright eye
quailed under the steady determined gaze that
met it, His strong frame suddenly began to
tremble SO violently, as though it were con-
yulsed His lips too, turned white whilst the
perepiration rolled down his face in heavy
drops He passed his unnerved hand across
his damp brow, and groaned deeply. The pic
ture Of dark deed has risen wildly before
him, in all the detail Of its fearful reality.
young man, elatcd with JOY, is returning
home ON horseback He has just quilted the
object of his affections She has that night
promised to link her fate with his and as he
proceeds on his journey, he dreams Of the years
Of happiness 10 store for him. His rival has
been rejected with haughtines, and il probably
brooding over his disappointment The young
man is 30 happy that the misery Of his rival
of which no draws no unreal picture-creates
10 al I'm IN aov, of
Il passes away, however, presently. He comes
TO turn in the highway, and hesitates a mo
ment lie has yet some eight miles TO travel !;
by turning of hore and cutting across his rivals
estate, some three miles may be saved. The
path lies through dense wood, in the midst
of which is o swamp, extending thence for
many miles He kno~s the track well for he
has often used it before Ii is moonlight which
encourages him to plunge boldly into the dark
avenue He is we'll in the wood, near the swamp,
when all at once his horse stops. The young
man plies whip and spur in vain. Something
surely scares the animal. 1t is only the glim-
mer Of the moon through the trees; and the
dark shadow that fitted across the path, just
then, was probably only wildcat. So he pats
his horse On the mock, and encourages him with
his voice. Still the sagacous beast rosolntely
refuses 10 proceed, and twista around on his
hsunches making desperate efforts 10 avoid
some concealed danger But tho young man
persists, the horse struggling and plunging in
opposition, presently uttering shrek Of agony
a. bis master falls backwards, and rolls out Of
tho saddle, suddenly struck to the heart by a
hand unseen The assassin catches at the rein
and secures the aHrighted stccd TO tree, lest
he should make for home, and raise an alarm
In the attempt, no drops the weapon that in
fiioted the deadly blow, but soon becomes 80
intent upon dragging the warm corpse to the
borders of the swamp, where alligators and OBJ
scene beasts Of prey resort that he does not
observe his loss until too late Then he retnrns
to the fatal spot, and, guided by a faint streak
Of moonlight, gropc- about on the green sward
bat finds not what he Is seeking. Now and
then his hands come into slippery contact with
something oozy and soft that makes his blood
cardle as they tcnsh u, but which 10 dabbes
in, nevertheless, so earnest il no 10 the search
after the one damuing piece Of evidence which,
ii found there, will assuredly fix the guilt OF
that foul murder upon the real perpetrator. Heis
not aware that there has been living witness
10 that deed--an individual who, providing In
the wood by night setting traps for game,
chances TO BIO within ear-shot Of the dying
mans last heavy grosn, but comes up just too
late ~ render him any service. The blow was
TOO sharp and sure However, he sees the
corpse dragged TO the swamp and whilst the
murderer j. engaged in dispcsing Of it, turns
the eye u his dark. lantern, downwards, and
stealthiIy commences q careful search after
some token which may serve "a clue TO ono
Of the parties, of both. His sight is keen and
the glare d his lamp presently falls upon
shining object which he picksup. IL IL long
bowie knife, ON the haft Of which he detects, in.
laid IN silver letters n name well known TO him,
and not ~ good repote even in Charleston. He
has stont heart, but II sckens at the sight Of
dark stain upon that shining blade Never.
theless, he draws Il through the long, rank
grass, and thrnsts ID into his game pouch.
-Shsn he release the plunging horse 2 No. he
viii conceal himself and await the last act 81
the tragedy
plash How distinctly that sound breaks on
kha uillna<s of tina piOhr The turh,d- vUateya