Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1855-07-13
NJ AIIFR 2S

had wep, till her once bright eyes We're
c.,loricss, and her cheeks pale saliow.-
In an evil hour had she Conserved to be
the accomplice Of a villa n in crime.
which to her was not crime; aud ah
how dearly had she aioned for that ore
false step As she sat aud nused, the
tear drops trickcd be,veer. her fingers :,
and fell upon the book before her.
But bark she hears wel.known
step, and dtying her tears. she rises to
meet him. He comes not there, how
ever, but turns tl,rcugha a narrow passage;
.he hears door crate upon its rusty
hinges, lcering "ila! ha !" and 1t
again closes and she hears the key turn
| in the lock Its meaning She knew full
well! for before had she heard that sound
and before had she heard that helksh
laugh A moment after the Dracooa en.
tered called for food, aud after hastily
eating II, threw himself upon the carpet
and was soon in a sound sleep. AS she
sat ard aazcd on him. she resolved that
the poor unfortunate, iinmurcd in that
damp cell, should, ere the sleeper should
awake, once more breathe the free air of
Heaven Moving cautious y towards
hI,n, she piuckei the key from, his clrdle
aud taking the lamp, silently opened the
prisoners S door. As the first rays fell
upan his face, the recognition was muiu-
al and Edward claspcd her, whom he
had been taught to call mother, to his
bosom. Hastily she inquired why he
had been brought thi!her lie told the
story-she could not forbcar one mo-
ment's conversation with hiin, but ii was
short, aud when endcd ste bade him
follow her. She led HIM along gloomy
passage, and having nearly reached ii>
end, she pointed to small aperture
through which the daylight streamed,
bade HIM God speed lsnd retire. Ed
ward, elated hy the pr, spect Of a speedy
escape, crept cautiously onward. lie
had almost reached the entrance of the
cave, when a pair Of sralwart arms
claspcd hlm, and notW'iihsta nding his
struggi $, bore HIM back to bis cell, aud
again he heard the lock bolts shoot TO
their sockets; and again he found him.
self a prisoner, with his last hope Of re-
lease aispei,ed.
Sitting down upon the ona y stool in the
room he tried to conlcctgre why he had
thus been shu, up ~ one whom he had
never injured, and one who seemed bent
upon tur,nenllng, if not ON further iniur-
ing him and lis. And, too, now he
knew that he was the one whom he had
sworn. by the bedside Of him WHO had
been more than father, to bring to an ac-
count for his misdeeis. And in the
sane abode was she whom he had iovod
IN his Infancy, aud whose !i|,s ad often
pressed apon his delicate check; and as
he unused he thoun nht Of her whom he
loved, now liable, at any moment, to be
the victim of the reckless man who thas
strangely seemed to have Limited pow.
or over the destinies Of all around -
While he yet unused he resolved to exaia-
in;e the cell in which lie was confined.
and irIG il possible some cgfess. H.
searched each nook and corner, and was
just giving up in despair, when he saw
The rays OF lamp creeping through a
narrow crevice between the stones that
composed TIM wall: placin. his hand
upon one Of them, he pressed in sevcrai
places; at last it yielded, and revolving
as II upon a pivot, diaclosed Ia h,n, a
scene of rare lovel.ne>a O.te Of the
iairest beings he had ever seen in the
form o Il woman sat befare him hy the
side OF table. 5, nniScless haJ iean
his movements that he had not disturbed
her and long be gazeh up ~ The fair
one before him. Could She like himself
b. tae prisoner OF the stiacgc uan.
Taking the iarp IN her hand the
maiden rose to depart. but casting her
eyes in he direction OF Edw,ta, she saw
liim and thbueh a blush ~ uaai,!suly
o,odesty overspread her check, she ad.
yanced aud spoke
My mother has told me yeN.r sad
story, aad her vain attempts 20 .rcc you
from Your imprisonment and she told
me that If could make nv voice ierrd
TO you, and ,n you aloac, 10 tell YOU tha,
no eXer,ion should be spar ed TO a:d ,onr
escape from the clutches of INV C,f,ier."
"Ani can it b." asked Edward ",ia,
YOU are The child Of the Draueoa of the
Black Plume, who is so vic, and whose
name is a tcrrer to al o.
THAT he is a stcrn man, will not de-
ny" she replied "Lut that he i. vie can
"ol hr, 'or an ever kiud parent lac has
been io NE; still he is overpear,ng tn
my mo''rer at times, and saws harsh
Mords-but yet at other times he Is a(.
'cct,eaate aud pleasant"
Whatever he is" again said Edward,
there Is a mYSlpry in lIs ,na,e,n,,,ts that
is utterly beyond my co,nprrl,' nsiou."
As much as Edward loved Amelia
Huntington, he felt a strange sei,satin,,
At the heart when IN ron.t r,atlon with
the Dragoou daughter. ti.at lie never
before iett. Can i, lt HAT g It e,Aa,th
Iul TO his afsi si7,ced Time viii .Low.--
Like fldstr 'I iicht ,lt,e li.,, lis dart.
el thsons!. his mind; ai4t he agaiu re-
suraed DE couycrsation---wh hen auecity
over has shou der, he ienrd o,ce mere
the Wild "a la ~ Of the Dracoon vi