The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1857-04-23


fastening from the church to tell US that
Mr.. Vaughn was waiting for the bridegroom,
and laughingly to reproach him for one mo.
Denrs absence on such an OCCASION OIL
course the dreadful news had 20 he told to
then and 1t was needless to describe the
scene that followed. One only person re.
tanned the smallest self possession, and that
was Anne Vaughn. She made no bolster
GUS declarations of her belief in her lovers
innocence-no melodramatic ranting or
swooning, but, after the first shock was over
she walked up to his side- and, placing her
hand in his, said Hugh, know YOU are
not guilty of this wickedness, and I know
that you will be proved innocent. We will
bide our time"
Tile catastrophe was, of course, the finale
of my visit to Plenmouth. AS soon as !
found that could be no use to the Vaughns,
| returned to London, and, six weeks
afterwards, was in the Central Criminal
Court when Hugh Elvyn was found guilty
of forgery, and sentenced to transportation
for life. The principal witness against him
was young woman who after having been
the repository Of all his secrets, was deserted
b!v him and left TO starve. Ofthe Vaughns
could learn nothing, beyond chat, immedi-
ately after the trial, Mr.. Vaughn had exchaag.
ed livings with clergyman in the farthest
part of Lancanshire, and that Anne was
supposed, by the Plenmouth doctor, to be in
a rapid decline.
This man then on Bytown wharf, this
lumberer, this mysterious parsonage, the re.
cognition of whose identity had so perplex-
ed me, was Hugh Elvyn He must have
escaped from the place Of his punishment,
and found home among hundreds of 9th,
ers similarly circumstanced. As the notion
grew upon me, all the old recollectons
came flowing through my mind. saw the
little fishing town and the market redolent
of Shrimps and herrings the jolly little ale.
house where l lodged, with its sanded floor,
and those perpetual choruses on Saturday
nights. / saw the worm.eaten, sea- -besoak
ed jetty; the huge, hard drinking, hard.
handed, soft-hearted fishermen the church.
with its worn, grey tower, its wooden tomb
stones and quaint epitaphs; the parsonage
with its smiling garden, the delicious smell
of flowers always hanging around its porch
and its simple minded, hospitable owner.
thought of Anne, and-but that is no mat
ter! In the calm reflection of after years.
often fancy that had other causes of dis.
like to Hugh Elvyn beyond those | have
here mentioned. Revolving all these mat
ters i'll my mind, arrived at Calumet Is.
land and walked into the public room of
the hotel. At the further eud of the apart.
ment was large counter or bar, ut which
several people were drinking; among them.
and recognizable at onece by his height and
manner, was Hugh Elvyn. l had scarcely
get foot in the room when he saw me our
eyes met, and hastily tossing off his liquor,
he hurried out through door opposite to
that by which had entered.
was how convinced of the accuracy of
my conjecture, and of Elvyn's determination
to avoid me; but / determined not to be
batfied at my attempts to learn something
more Of his history. l accordingly mixed
with the lumberers still surrounding the bar,
and endeavored TO draw them into converse.
ton. In this attempt | am bound to say !
signally failed so far, al least, as my obj ject
WAS concerned. They talked freely of the
weather, Of the prospects of the ice breaking
up, and that of grand topic in which all
dwellers in Canada are interested, the an
ncyaton question; but of themselves, or Of
their recent companion, whose name casu.
ally mentioned, they would say nothing
One by one they dropped out Of the room.
At last drew table to the window, pulled
out my travelling case and commenced writ.
ing business dispatch. had been at work
abont half an hour, when shadow FILLING
across the paper caused me to raise my head,
and, looking up, | saw an Indian squaw,
who, after glancing cautiously around, threw
a letter upon The table, pressed her finger
upon her lip, and retired as mysteriously as
she had arrived. Immediately on her de-
parture | took up the letter, broke the seal
and read as follows:
" thought | had escaped pursuit, and
that | might linger ont the remainder of my
life alone, unsupported and unknown
When, having eluded the vigilance of those
to whom my crimes have consigned me,
managed, after enduring the greatest hard.
ships, to reach these solitudes, | fanced that
the over-hanging sword Of the avenging an
gel had at length been turned aside, and that
| might be allowed to die without ever oil.
countering face which had seen before,
or hearing name which | had borne in
happier times. 1t seems, however that this
Is not to be, and that you have discovered
my retreat. ] saw you yesterday on BY.
town wharf; tonight find you have traced
me further. What your intentions NAV be
| know not You have come. perbaps. to