The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1859-08-19

young woman, who sat at one corner of the
ample hearth, and who was the only occu-
pant of the apartment besides himself
There was something very peculiar in the
appearance ofthis girl, which riveted Ham
ilton's gaze in spite of himself. She sat
perfectly motionless. excepting for the rap
id movement of her fingers, which she was
employing in knitting; her plaid thrown
back from her head left her pale face ex-
posed to view, which was marked by sin
gularly frigid and yet by no means vacant
expression. This was caused in part, no
doubt, by the fixed stare of her large blue
eyes, which never moved in their sockets
nor frightened with sparkles of life; it was
evident that she was stone blind, while
there lurked certain lines round the thin
compressed lips which seemed to indicate
that she had all the acuteness, amounting
almost to cunning, which often character
ICES persons thus afflicted.
The innkeeper soon returned and broke
the ominous silence which had so oppress-
ed him.
"IIere, Elspeth," said Campbell, address
ing the figure in the broad Scotch of those
days, which we will not attempt to repro
duce, "Here's gentleman, cold and hun
CRY, come and see what YOU can find for
his supper"
Hamilton listened anxiously for the
sound of her voice, feeling as if it would be
a relief to hear her speak, but she never
opened her lips; she rose up, however, at
once, and began to move about in strange
mechanical manner, her blindness becom-
ing more apparent as she guided herself by
the touch, while the staring CLASSY eyes
seemed to him absolutely CHASTITY as she
passed near him. She placed some oat
meal cakes and dried fish on the table
along with jug of whisky, and then re-
turned to her place by the fire, where she
sat immovable as before.
" Is that your daughter'" said Hamil-
ton the innkeeper, as he invited him to
draw near and eat
"My only child and blind from her
BIRTH" was the reply, muttered almost
with sternness, as if the subject were pain
full. "Elspeth's not like other folks, and
you had better take no heed of her."
Kenelm mentioned that he had been at
Holyrood, the day before
"Ye came from Edinboro then" said
the innkeeper, kindling with sudden
ierceness, and clinching his fist, he struck
it on the table with a violent blow, ex-
claiming, courses OH the bloody city,
the city of murderers! and may the fire
from heaven come down upon it.''
"Amen," said deep stern voice, al
most at Kenelm's ear, and he started in
voluntarily as he saw that it had come
from the blind woman's lips.-Something,
too, in the sudden passion of the Camp
bell had stirred the angry blood within
himself, and whilst an involuntary instinct
told him what train of thought had thus
fired the retainer of Argyle, he had much
ado to hide his own antagonistic feelings.
"You speak sharply, Master Campbell" !"
he said, at last. 1.-The capital of Scotland
is beholden to you in truth"
"Ay," said the Highlander, his brow
growing red with suppressed rage; "but
why should 1 curse the senseless stones,
though they were stained with the blood of
the noble Lord Argyle. Rather let me
curse his enemies, who drove him to the
death-his bitter foes, who made his life
dark to him that he was fain to break some
petty law that he might die. Cursed,
then, | say, upon the traitor Hamilton, who
stole his BRIDE"
"Amen," the deep voice answered, but
this time Kenelm heard it not; his fiery
passions were reused beyond CONTROL he
forgot all but that he had been calIeda trait
or, and starting to his feet, he advanced on
the Campbell, SAYING
Man, know you to whom you are
speaking!"
II neither know nor care" said the inn
keeper rising, also. "But l say yet more:
not only curses upon him, the traitor, but
upon her, his lady O love, who would have
brought stain upon Argyle's time-honor-
ed house had she become his bride!"
This was too much. In another mo-
ment Hamilton's dirk was cleaning in his
hand VILLAIN, unsay that word" he
thundered out; she is as pure as driven
snow"
"His lady lightro' love-" repeated the
Campbell, 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 dagger into his
breast up to the very hilt exclaiming: "Die,
then, with the foul lie in your throat"
One deep groan-one strong convulsion
of the stalwart limbs, and Campbell was a
corpse.
Hamilton stood transfxed, while his
boiling blood gradually subsided, and bis
passion cooled in the presence of death
The whole thing had taken place so sud
denly, that he could hardly believe the liv.
ing, breathing man he had been talking to
so amicably but a few moments before, was
lying there murdered by his own hand
But suddenly as he gazed, he felt his flesh
creep with strange horror, as he saw the
soulless eyes of the blind maiden upturned
towards him as she krelt on the ground BY
her dead father, towards whom she hat
crept with step so stealthy that he haG
not heard her. Hamilton drew back
shuddered from the fixed stare, so dreadfu
seemed the expression of hate on her white
CHASTITY face; but as he receded she crep
towards him on her knees and laid he,
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