Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-11-20


| versIty and defiance has possession of me-
Man or devil, heaven or hell y cried the young
man, clenching his hand wrathfully, and shak-
| ing 1t above his head, - | BOW challenge Won ?
go on my way, though hell stood in my path ?
AS he uttered these furious words, the por-
trait OF his grandfather which had, doubtless
been ioosened by his efforts to open the closet,
parted from the huge hook which held it aloft
and fell with a crash to the floor.
The startled echoes fed shrieking through
the gloomy mansion aad Ietherington look
ed round like conSprat0r, deperate but de-
liant to the last. At the same moment. the
Knob of the western door was turned, and the
voice of old Calvert was heard like moan,
appealing for entrance
Ills master opened the door, and laying his
hand upon the shoulder of the trembling old
man. said
8 / understand al-uot word to anv one
Replace the portrait. ieqriag tie closet as IL is.''
Hetherington then, with slow and measured
steps, sought his private apartments
Three days afterwards, he set out for Hairs
ton. The poniard was in his bosom.
VI.
The young man reached Hairston just as the
last lights of evening decended upon the level
landscape, and died away upon the vast ocean.
lie saluted, with formal courtesy, his intend
ed bride and her mother, and, then. for the
first time, perceived that they were not alone.
The fourth occupant of the apartment was a
peddier, one of a class then better known
than at the present time and beside the way
farer lay the ordinary pack, in which they car
rled their miscellaneous articles of traffic
The peddIer was shown to room on the
ground floor, when the hour for retiring came:
and then the inmates Of Hairston. oae and all
were very scon asleep
No sooner had the sounds of life died away
than the peddler rose from his COUCH placed
his feet stealthily upon the foer and, walking
with the silent step of a tiger stealing upon
its prey, proceeded toward the apartment oc.
cUpied by Miss Hairston.
Opening the door of the young lady's cham
Der with the same caution, he entered, and ap-
preached the bed 4 stream of moonlight
fell upon the face of the beautiful sleeper, and
the regular undglations of her slender figure,
beneath the snowy night-drcSS, scarcely raised
the downy edges Of the light counterpane.-
One bare white arm was placed beneath her
curling hair, and the other lay half extended
from the couch, in an attitude of careless aban-
don which was the perfection of grace.
The intruder stood completely InOtionless
for q moment, gazing upon the lovely sleeper;
and then, with a movement rapid b1t cautious
knelt and pressed his dark in,stachioed lip TO
the entended arm. \ slight tremor in the
form Of the girl betrayed the magnetic effect
produced upon her, even in sleep by the auda-
ciOus Mss and she slowly opened her eyes
The MOON however, was suddenly OVer-clOud-
el : and when il again Streamed oGt, and Miss
Haigston, with q startled expression, rose up
in qed, supported upon one arm, the intruder
or figure Of her dream, as she imagined
had disappeared
The nocturnal intruder listened for an in
slant in the corridor, and, catching with his
quick ear the low sigh Of the young lady as
she again relapsed into slumber, seemed dis
posed to renew h.s inroad upon the privacy of
her chamber. Turning his eyes accidentally,
however, toward the apartment in which Heth-
erngton slept, his intention was evidently
abandoned. The mild and smiling expression
OF the bold features yie.dcl to one Of gloomy
hatred the heavy dark brows were knit to-
gether in a threatening fr0wn and laying his
hand upon concealed kuife, suspended at his
waist, the stranger crept toward the apart
ment Of Hethcrington.
He fonnd 10 difficulty in affecting an CT
trance and, standing by the bedside Of the
pale sleeper, whose naughty features had not
relaxed their predominant expression even in
sum5er, the stranger cluccled his knife with
fl>L Of hatred in his dark eyes, which was al
most appalling in its intensity He remained
thus mot.ol.ltSs and silent for some moments,
and then, as cautiously as he had entered IT,
left the apartment As he returned to his own
coach again, his rowing and Intelligent ewes
took IN at glance the position Of all the
chambers and having thus satisfied himself
Of the possibility Of SOM. ulIeriOr design. as il
seemed, the night walker disappeared within
his own apartment
On the next morning Miss HlIrston related
her singular dream, and ii was the subject oE
many jestS a. 10 the pcddler. the servants
said lie ha! departed at daylight. first craving
d mouthfG! Cf bread and d-auyi,t of mix to
stay Us hunger
Oa the same evening, a man, carving ped
d.er'S pack, bu. waik.a- with the proud and
erect gait Ot 4 moHatajaeer, approached one
Of those coyeS IN the bag side Of the psninsu-
IN, which are 50 numerous along this shore
IsSuin. from the heavy busiwooi Of the mar
g'n just as the last rays Of tie sun capped the
waves Of the Chesapeake with fire, he gave a
low whistle. ard then waited In few mo-
menis small skiif detached itself Ike DANG
ing leaf from the heavy boayhs, dropping along
the opposite shore, aud propelled by single
paddle, dartci over the crimson waves. IL
soon reached the stranger. He entered il.
and L instantly returned toward its original
haEJor-the two men exchanging animated
conversation in a low aEi cautions tOae
Finally the Little boat passed beneath the
swayinz. b0IshS gIide3 into the st.Il waters Of
q small lagOo;-Like basin, aul brought up be-
side lols piEogue, filed With sailors, armed
and wa;l;4g
TIE gesl.iier th-eg d9wa bis pack, and with
a brief gps:are OF command, said:
. To yogr oars =