The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-05-20
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SPANISH ASSASSIN,


voices and hoarse peals of laughter sounded
u,pn the ears of Miss Ovington as she
de scended the rugged stone steps leading
down to the sunken doorway.
At the door William Gorton paused and
gave five raps, each distinct and separate
from the others.
lac uoor vas op, ned cautiously, and a
wien, wrinkled face peeped out OF the mar
COW aperture.
In the obscurity Of the place it was impos-
1ible t. discover whether this face belonged
Ia man or a woman.
"Who is it?" asked cracked treble voice.
"Bilw answered William Gorton, in o
louder key.
A burst of hoarse laughter from within
greeted this announcement.
'Let him in" cried deep voice-a voice
which, once heard. was not easily forgotten.
Let him in! Well see Bill. Let him in,
Mother Mag"
The door was opened to its full width,
revealing narrow passage, the brick floor
of which was Sanded. Several doors, all
low and narrow, opened into this passage.
William Gorton crossed the threshold,
followed by Maud Ovlngton, but the old
hag, who stood within the shadow of the
open door, stretched out her skinny and
claw-like hand and grasped the slender
wrist of the elegant daughter of Mr.. Owing
ton.
stop bit" she exclaimed. "This
won't do; Bill isn't alone'
'ltS only nay sister, said the coachman,
carelessly "fou can't have any objection
to my giving my sister drop OF brandy to
keep the cold out. She's chilled to tho
bone, poor thing, for we've been out all the
evening"
"On the lay2" asked the old woman,
eagerly.
The hag was dressed in garments of the
fashion OF some thirty years before the
period of which we write; but these gar
Duents, though outlandish in make, were
costly in texture; and it was to be observed
that double eye-g glass, which hung from
massive gold chain round the wi hered
throat Of the old woman, was set with bril-
llauts.
"lll take my sister into Number Four, if
you've no objection, Mother Mag" said
William Gorton she's little bit of lady
u her way and she won't relish your rough
customers.
He led the way into one of ne further
tooms opening out of the passage, Miss
)vIngton following him.
"Alerciiul Heaven, what a horrible den!''
she exclaimed looking around the room
with q shudder.
Her servant smiled strange, sardonic
mile.
at is by no means a superb apartment
erttiuly. madam" he SAID; but George
d, tit.I.a 1i har nd L.-r
feorge is man OF refined tastes. 1t was in
his room that-"
Miss Oyington clasped her two small
hands over her face, as if she would have
shut out both sight and hea ing.
"SAaIl | tell you what was done in the
next room?" asked William Gorton.
She made no reply.
"You Will hear hin, presently" said the
servant; 'you are slow OF belief and you
might doubt me, but think you will be-
lleve HIM"
Miss Ovlngton shuddered
"Come what may" she said, II must be
/ cannot endure this wretched
must know that / have not
been trcked."
"You shall know it from his own lips,
answered William Gorton. you
will wait here, madam" he said, with that
strange iutermixture of respect and COM
ulaud with which he always addressed his
mistress-'you will wait here till you hear
footsteps in the adjoining apartment; when
you do, listen"
He opened the door and left the room.
Miss Ovington seated herself near the
table, with her head resting upon her hand,
and her elbow on the rough wooden arm OF
the clumsy chair in which she sat.
Mother Mag entered the apartment with d
glass OF some steaming liquor i'll her hand.
Here, my DEAR" said the old woman,
Maud, heres jorum of brandy
and water, hot and strong, as we dies
always like it, my love-" added the hag. in
an insinuatng tone. "Toss it of, my
beauty; it will do you good"
Miss Ovington with difficulty repressed
the shiyer of horror which ran through her
veins as the landlady of the place ap-
preached her.
~ will try to drink it" she said.
"Of course you will, my dear" answered
old Mag; "and you won't have to try very
hard neither, dare say. Why, bless your
dear heart it's the best French brandy, and
mild as mothers milk"
The old woman set down the glass upon
the table and hurried from the room.
The customers of old Mag were by no
means an agreeable-looking set of gentle
men. One was man whose blood. shot
eyes glanced from beneath dark and lower
ing brows, and seemed to flash defiance at
his iellowmen. Another sported pair of
black eyes and hideous cash across the
mouth. But remarkable as was every crea-
ture in that strange assembly, the most
peculiar of all was the man whom William
Gorton had addressed as Levinto, and with
whom he was now closely engaged in con-
1erSation.
He was man Of about forty years of age,
tall and slender, and possessed of that Won
derlul hexibility of limb which is seldom
seen in nn American. His hair was of raven
black, smooth, silky and lustrous. His
eyes were OF that piercingly vivid hue which
gives to the shining black pupil the appear
ance Of some flashing gem. His features
were small and closely chiseled as the fea-
lures of statue; but handsome as was the
tout ensemble of his face, there was a hid
den something in his aspect from which
those who looked upon him inyoluntarily
recoiled.
None knew the calling Of this man. The
reckless wretches who nightly assembled at
this den scarcely cared to conceal from each
other the secrets of their various callings
the burglars freely conversed about their
various adventures and escape, but not SO
the Spaniard Leyinto,
Upon his own affairs this man was as
silent as the grave
II want to say few words in private,
Levinto, whispered William Gorton.
"What do you want to speak aboutl"
"The old business"
"What can you have to say about that?'
he exclaimed. 'It is done, and it is paid
for; that is enough"
''Not quite enough" answered William