Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-11-12

lips. She rose up, however, at once, and begaE
to move about in strange, mechanical man
ncr, her blindness becoming more apparent Al
she guided herself by the touch, while the sta
ring ghastly eyes seemed to him absolutely
ghostly, as she passed near him. She placeC
some oatmeal cakes and dried fish on the table
along with a jug Of whisky, and then returned
to her place by the fire, where she sat immo
vable as before. -
"Is that your daughter" 2" said Hamilton 4
the innkeepcr, rs he invited him 70 draw neal
and eat.
my only child, and blind from her birth,
was the reply, uttered almost with sternness
as if the subject were painful. "Elspcth's moi
like other folks, and you had better take nc
heed Of her."
Hamilton took the hint, and said no more
while he applied himself to the rude fare sci
before him with keen set appetite. Nor did
he spare the whisky, which was wonderfully
cheering after his wet ride; and when he had
finished his repast, he felt, as he said, like q
new man altogether. Filling his glass again,
he invited Campbell to join him, and the two
began to converse together on the events Of the
day. Kcnclm sat with his back TO the blind
girl, and as she never moved or spoke, he soon
forgot her presence altogether, and had we'll
nigh forgotten, also, the necessity OF cOncealing
his name and lineage from those retainerS Ol
his foes, when he was startled into sudden
remembrance Of his position. Abiding "a
some political event, lie mentioned that he had
been ut IIolyrOd the day before.
aye come from EdinbrO', tlIen." said the
innkccper, kindling with sudden fierceness
and, clc,ching his fist, he struck Il on the In
ble with violent blow, exclsiming courses
on the bloody city 1.-The city Of lnurders!-
and may the lire II heaven come down upon
il and consume it!"
"Amen I" said deep, stern voice, almost at
Kcncln'S tar; aud he started invOluntaTily aH
he saw that il had come from the blind wOm-
ans lips Something, too, in the sudden paS-
sion Of the Campbrll had Stitr0l the angry
blood within himself, and whist an invOlunta.
nv instinct told him what train Of Thought had
thus fired the retainer Of Argyle. he had much
ado to hide his own antagOnislic feeling.
"YOu speak sharply, Matter Campbell, "he
said at last. "The capital Of Scotland is be-
holden to you, in truth"
"Ay," said the Highlander, his brow grow
ing red with suppressed rage; but why should
curse the scnsclcSS stones, though they we're
stained with the blood Of the noble Argyle.
Rather let me curse his enemies who drove
him to dcath-his bitter foes, who made his
life so dark to him that he was fain to break
some petty law that he might die. Curses,
then, l say. upon the traitor Hamilton, who
stole his bride away"
"Amen!" the deep voice answered, but tn $
time Kcnelm heard it not; his fiery passions
were aroused beyond control; forgot all but
that he had been called traitor, and starting
to his feet, he advanced on the Campbell, say
ing
"Man, know you to whom you are speak
ing ?"
81 neither know nor care" said the inn
'kecper, rising But say yet more not
only curses upon him, the traitor, but upon
her his lady lightO'-lOve, who would have
brought a stain upon Argyles' time-hOnOred
house had she become his bride!"
This was too much. In another moment
HamiltOn'S dirk was cleaning in his hand
william unsay that word, he thundered out /;
"she is as pure as driven SNOW"
"His lady Iight.o'.lOve!" replied the Camp
bell, with mocking smile; at the same time
preparing to defend himself; but the furious
Hamilton had closed with him ere the words
had well passed his lips-one fierce struggle
followed, then the Highlander fell heavily to
the ground, as his assailant plunged the dag
ger into the breast up to the very hilt, cx-
claiming
"Die. then, with the foul lie in your throat"
One deep groan-One strong convulSion Of
the staiwart limbs, and Campbell was a corpse.
Hamilton stood transtixed, while his boiling
blood gradually subsided, and his passion
ceased in the presence of death. The whole
thing had taken place so suddenly that he
could hardly believe the living, breathing man
he hG, jecn talking to SO amicably but few
moments before, was lying there murdered by
his hand. But suddenly, as he gazed, he felt
his flesh creep with strange horror, IS he
saw the sOullcss eyes Of the blind maiden up.
turned toward him, as she knelt on the ground
by her father, towards whom she had crept
with step So stcalthy that he had not heard
her. Hamilton drew back, shnddering, from
the fixed stare, so dreadful seemed the express
ion Of hate on her white ghastly face; but as
he reccdcd, she crept towards him on her
knees, and laid her hand, which she had Steep
I'd in her fathers blood, on his, till it bore the
same red stain, and said in low stified voice
I" You have murdered him and shall die for it.
None saw the murder, for my blind eyes saw
1t not; but think not to escape; the vengeance
Of heaven will track you out one day!" Then
flinging up her arms to heaven, she exclaimfi-
ed: my father! oh, my father!" and fell
upon the corpse with u shliek SO wild and
piercing, that Hamilton felt as If it must have
rung upon the cars of every person in the
town and reached even through the massive
walls of Invrrary Castle.
That cry recalled him to himself. lie must
escape right speedily; another moment would
see him surrounded by those whom it must
rouse; the instinct Of selfprcservatiOn at once
took the place Of every feeling, and with one
bound he darted to the outer door; opened it,
rNshed to the stable, mounted his horse with.
out saddle or bride, and the clatter Of his
horses feet as he gallOped away was oil that
the inhabitants heard Of him as they rushed
to the inn, whence the blind girls shFieks were
still heard rending the air.
Hamilton never slackeDed his pace till hC
had laid 10 miles between him and Inveary
In those days the course Of Justice was stern
as it was summary, and he felt well assured
that the present Marquis Of Argyle, the young
er brother Of the rival, would not rest until hC
had found out the murderer of his retainer
especially when he heard from Elspeth thu
circumstances Of his death; and if he succeed
ed in his search, the services of the maider
would right speedily be called into action fol
Kenelm himself
When at last he ventured, under cover of ,
dark fir wood, to stop him in his furious coars,
he began to consider the best means of avoid
ing discovery; with no small anxiety as to tn,
issue. dis best hope was in the fact that nOnC
had been present during the murder bat th'
blind girl, who could not identify him; and thai
not single iDhabitant Of InveIAry had seer
him, except her dead father himself He VA
mt e. A. L. 49, ~ l..