Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-24

with the day when the Splttlre was said to
have gone down; and so now there seemed no
hope at all, and so poor Ellen seemed to think
at la for she got paler and weaker every day,
and moved about like one who had nothing TO
live for. To make matters worse. the captain
had got into debt and difficulties got bigger
and bigger. Well, one day, all on a sudden,
the doctor goes to him and offers to marry
Ellen out of hand, promising to discharge all
the captain obligations, and stating his long
and strong attachment had induced him to
make the proposal. The captain, as you NAV
believe, didn't much fancy Paul for son-in-
law, but at last he r6lented, and, pressed by
his debts and his troubles, urged Ellen to
accept him. The poor lass refused for long
time; but when she found her fathers welfare
and liberty depended on it, and besides had
lost all hope of ever seeing William Randall
again, at last she consented
but you don't mean to say that they were
married at last?" | interrupted.
in two or three months they were, and
pretty couple they must have made: she with
her tall figure and pale face, and he with his
red head and bow legs stumbling along by her
side They were married at Milbrook Church,
Ton the hill, sir,) and VIII RandalFs old
master read the service. They said Ellen
didn't cry or faint, or have any nonsense of
that kind, but went through her share quietly
and calmly enough, while the doctor seemed
all abroad. Now, it seems this very evening,
just about dusk, when the captain had gone
out to smoke his pipe, that Paul, who had
gone up stairs, heard a terribly loud scream,
and rushing back into the room where he had
left Ellen, finds her tainted dead away on the
floor, and William Randall himself kneelng
by her side.
civilian used to say afterwards that he
could not forget Paul S face when they saw one
another for the first time; he used to dream of
1t, he said; and he had many and many time
seen the faces of strong men who had been
struck down in the heat and passion of battle,
or who had died violent deaths in various
| ways but Paul's face, he said, reminded him
| Of picture he had once seen, when quite a
| little lad, Of the Devil, which he remembered
| had frightened him then, but which he had
| forgotten till their eyes met that night. When
| Paul had recovered his surprise he said not a
! word about the marriage: but when William
| said he had but just left Plymouth and hadn't
| seen soul in the village yet he suddenly
seemed delighted at meeting him again, and
| insisted on their drinking together. He led
| Ellen into another room, where, he told Will,
| his mother would attend to her, and shortly
| after returned with two glasses of stiff grog,
which he put on the table between them.
"Now, Bill, old mate" he says. 'But what
| about Nelly, my poor girl?' says VIII.
| "Never mind her, Paul, mother will soon
| bring her round, and meanwhile let's drink
| the grog but first of all let's shut the door
| and be snug, eh?'
So Paul shut the door, and coming back to
the table says, "Now Bill he says, 'here' s
your jolly good health and no heel-taps!" and
they both emptied their glasses. civilian, !"
says Paul, after while, show do you feel? ''
''Quite well, Paul my hearty, thankye," says
| VIII. Do you,' says Paul, grinniug, 'then
| you won't for long, William Randall" says
| he, getting white and trembling: "we'ye a
| long account to settle, and now it's done"
"What dye mean?' asks VIII in surprise, as
| you may be sure. ''IYe never injured you -
YES you haveu says Paul. Didn't you
step in between me and the girl | had set my
heart on? Didn't the neighbOrs jeer and
| mock me and drive me almost mad? And
| didn't | swear to be even with you come what
| might? And / am! | am! When you were
| pressed, y says he, getting worse and worse,
Il put the gang on you brought the account
| that made them think you were dead and,
| now that you have returned alive, you find the
| woman you loved the wife of the man you
| both despised - ''lt's shameful lie cries
| WILL ''and l can't believe it," OTIS true, :"
| says Paul, ''for we were married this morning ;
but true or false it's all the same to you, for |
| tell you, VIII Randall, " and Paul turns very
| pale, and rubs his hands, ''you are poisoned.
You drank the brandy, and in an hours time
| you are a dead man "Paul Penhryn,"
says VIII, speaking calm and low, "you We
played u deep game, but you've made one
mistake heard of your trick with the press
gang, and | knew you to be rival of mine.
and you've owned to other treachery. But
| when a man that knew hated me, and who
| looked as you did when we met Just now,
suddenly became my friend and asked me to
| drink, | grew suspicious, and while you closed
the door, changed the glasses"
"Wheu Ellen heard the fearful cry that Paul
| gave, she ran in, pale and weak as she was,
| and found him all twisted together like with
rage or pain, and foaming at the mouth from
| the poison he had swallowed"
"Aconite u | asked.
81 don't know rightly what it was called"
| said the cOast-guardsman, "but it was very
strong, for Paul, they say, died within the
hour, and before the two he had tried to keep
| asunder.n
GA strange tale said, rising to go. 'Its
as good as play"
OTIS better than most of en- said he,
knocking the ashes out of his pipe, "for this is
true" Good night, sir.