The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-05-05

the murder were carefully recorded by the
court ofjustice, and the Lord of Argyle de-
clared that, if ever in his lifetime the assassin
was discovered, he would bring him to the
scaffold, be the interval ever so long. Els
peth found home in the Marquis house
hold, after the good old fashion of these
times, which recognized a claim on the part
Of the clan to find refuge with the family
OF their chief, and Kenelm had, to all appear
ance, escaped with perfect irhpunity.
Yet he, gay and reckless as he seemed
was secretly haunted by one dark foreboding
which never left him night or day. Camp
bell was not the first man he had slain in
the course ofhis stormy career; but he was
the first he had murdered-the first whose
life he had taken otherwise than in honora-
bic warfare; and already the unfailing retri-
button Of actual crime had commenced in the
deep secret of his heart. Wherever he went
alone or in crowds, from the hour when the
low, solemn warning of the blind girl came
to him, as he stood with his feet dabbling in
the blood of her father, he heard that voice
ringing in his ear, and telling him that ven-
gence would surely find him yet, and the
sleepless justice of the Invisible track him
the joy-bells, on his wedding morning, could
drown the ominous whisper in his soul, fior
the sweet tones of the gentle Lady Ellen,
while she murmured her bridal vows. Still
was it sounding there, when the feeble cry of
his first born spoke of new ties to make life
sweet; and, later still, he heard it through the
firing ofth salutes that greeted him as am
bassador on foreign shore. Years passed
on, most (which were spent at one of the
continental courts; and when, at last, he re-
turned, with his wife and family to Edin-
burgh, the murder of the innkeeper had not
been thought of by auy one for long time
past. .
One day, about month after his arrival
in the Scottish capital, Hamilton was walk
ing along the most fashionable part of the
old town, where the houses of the nobility
were chiefly to be found, when his attention
was attracted by fray which was going on
in the streets between two young men. Such
a sight was by no means uncommon in those
days; but the fury of the lads was so great
that it was evident some serious mischief
would ensue if they were not Separated
Hamilton, whose rank in the city entitled
him to interfere, at once rushed in between
them, calling to them in loud voice to de-
sist Immediately from further quarrelling,
and, with firm grasp of his strong hands
on the shoulder of each, he sent them reeling
to the opposite sides of the street.
The affair had collected considerable of a
crowd, and Hamiltons rank and position
was well known as he turned to resume his
walk. One nom mt he stood there in all his
proud prosperity, receiving the homage of
the people as his right, and scarce bending
his lofty head in acknowledgment of 1.-THE
sunshine ola bright summer sky, streaming
down upon his noble and commanding form,
seemed but to typify the brilliancy of his
worldly prospects. One moment he stood
thus, and the next the vengeance that had so
long tracked his steps unseen laid hold upon
him with deadly grasp, and the sun of
Hamilton's career sunk down to set in blood
A shrek, SO thrilling and intense that it SEEM
ed to pierce his very heart, suddenly rang
through the air, and all eyes, as well as his
own, were turned to the spot from whence it
appeared to have arisen, and there sight
presented itself which caused the stately
Hamilton to grow pale and tremble like
child
On the highest step of the stone stair that
led to the door of the Marquis of Argyle's
town residence, a tall haggard-looking wom-
an was standing: her arms were outstretched
towards Hamilton; and her eyes, whose
CLASSY vacancy showed that they were sight
less, seemed to glare upon him with a horri-
bic triumph as she shrieked out in tones that
were heard far and near "Seize him, seize
that man, whosoever he may be; he is the
murderer of my father--I know him by his
voicei" Many Of Argyle's retainers We're
amongst the crowd, and the Marquis himself
had been drawn to the window by the noise
of the quarrel. All knew Elspeth Campbell,
the blind woman, and remembered her faith
er's mysterious murder--all could testify to
the acuteness other sense of hearing, and to
the repeated expression of her longing desire
that she might hear the voice of the assassin
so long sought in vain, for she remembered
the full, rich tones that had called on her
father to unsay his worls one instant ere he
fsll corpse, and she. felt cert lin she should
know them again if she could but once hear
the murderer speak, and now, after the lapse
of all these years, the well-known voice had
struck her ear, and again and again she
screamed out: "Seize him seize him! l
know he is my fathers murderer !" In an
other moment Argyle was confronting Ham
ilton, too thankful to have such charge es-
tablished against his ancient enemy. The
people crowded round, and if any had been
disposed to doubt the blind woman's recogni-
ton, lIamlton's own awe struck conscience