Daily globe., 1880-03-28
CONTINUED
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SPANISH ASSASSIN.

THE SPANISH ASSASSIN.
The noise of several loud, clamorous
voices and hoarse peals of laughter sounded
upon the ears of Miss Ovington as she
descended 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.
lne luor WAS ol ned cautiously, and
wien, WIN kled face peeped out of the Iai
TOW aper:ure.
In the obscurity of .Ae place it was impos-
si5le discover whether this face belonged
10 4 nl'.n o-a woGlan.A
.WAo is IL II ssled cracked treble voice.
.Dillr' answered William Gorton, in a
louder key.
A burst Of hcarse laughter from within
greeted this announcement.
Let him in cried deep voice-a voice
which, once heard. was 10; easily forgotten.
LET him III, Well see Bill Let him in,
Mother Ma"
The door was opened to its full width,
revealing narrow passage. the brick floor
of which was sandr,i. Several doors, all
low and narrow, opened into Ills passage.
William Gorton crossed tie threshold,
followed by Maud Ovington. 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 6Ir. Owing
ton.
"Stop a Litw she exclaimed This
wont 60: Bill isn't alone
''Its only my sister said the coachman,
carelessly. ''You can't have any objection
to my giving my sister drop OF brandy to
keep the cold out. She's chilled to the
bone, poor thing, for we've been out all the
evening
''on the lay:" asked the old woman,
eagerly.
The nag was dressed in garments of the
fashion of some thirty years before the
period of which we write; but these gar
ments, though outnndish in make, were
costly in texture; and it was to be observed
that a double eye-slass, which hung from a
massive gold chain round the withered
throat of the old woman, was set with bril-
liants.
''Tll take my sister into Number Four, if
you've 10 objection, Mother Mag" said
William Gorton; s'she's little bit of lady
in her way, and she won't relish your rough
customers"
He led the way into one of the further
rooms opening out of the passage, Miss
Ovington following him.
'Merciful Heaven, what a horrible denr'
she exclaimed, looking around the room
with shudder.
Her servant smiled strange, sardonic
smile.
SIT is by no means q superb apartment,
certainly madam" he said; ''but George
Kicker cften comes here, and your brother
George is man of refined tastes. It was in
this room that"
Miss Ovington clasped her two small
hands over her face, as if she would have
shut out both sight and hearing
s'Shall | tell you what was done in the
next room?" asked William Gorton.
She made no reply.
"You will hear him presently" said the
servant; ''you are slow of belief, and you
might doubt me, but think you will be-
lieve himp'
Miss Ovington shuddered
"Come what may" she said, 81 must be
satisfied l cannot endure this wretched
suspense! I must know that I have not
been tricked."
''You shall know it from his own lips,
madam" answered William Gorton. ''You
will wait here, madam" he said, with that
strange intermixture of respect and COM
mand 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 o
glass of some steaming liquor in her hand.
Here, my DEAR" said the old woman,
addressing Maud, ''here's jorum of brandy
land water, hot and strong, as we ladies
always like it, my love-" added the hag, in
an insinuating tone. "Toss it off, my
beauty; it will do you good"
Miss Ovington with difficulty repressed
the shiver of horror which ran through her
veins as the landlady of the place ap-
preached her.
81 will try to drink it" she said.
''Of course you will, my DEAR" answered
old Mag; land 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 fellowmen. 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-
versation.
He was man OF about forty years of age,
tall and slender and possessed of that Won
derful tlexibility of limb which is seldom
seen in an 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
We're small and closely chiseled as the fea-
lures of statue; but handsome as was the
tout ensemble of his face, there was hid
den something in his aspect from which
those who looked upon him involuntarily
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 callincs:
the burglars freely conversed about their
various adventures and escape but not so
the Spaniard Levinto
Upon his own affairs this man was rs
silent as the grave.