Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1892-05-19

Will me for years I've watched vol
growing into womanhood. od.-waiting t,
complete my revenge. Now my time ha
come and there you must abide hereafter
an inmate Of the specters cave"
Mabel's heart stood still; she could no
have uttered q word had her life depend
ed on it. Now, through the blackness OF
the night she could see those piercing
black eyes, and she knew not whether She
was pinioned in the grasp OF man or devil
Gathering all her courage to her aid, sh,
endeavored to snatch herself away from
his grasp, but he held her as in wise OF
steel.
"Oh, no, my fine lady" he exultingly
said in hollow voice, Il haven't waited
twenty years for my revenge to have you
escape me now. Well, IL you won,
come along willingly, l suppose shall
have to assist you" So taking the strug
CLING girl in his long gaunt arms. he bore
her along through the underbrush with the
swiftness Of deer.
Mabel could not tell In what direction
she was being carried. She only knew
that she was not exposed to the storm
and from the echoing OF the footballs
she knew that the floor was OF stone
Down, down she was borne until sudden.
and Mabel found herself in a room where
the glaring light blinded her for a brief
time TO the scenes about her
As her eyes became accustomed TO the
the specter had taken her Was she
dreaming or We're her eyes deceiying her
! Could this be paradise? The scene that
presented itself TO her aStonished gaze
held her spell-bound with amszement. The
furnishings and the grandeur of the room
were utterly beyond this simple gill's com
prehension, and rspidly her eyes took 10
every detail.
! The ceiling of the room was hung with
canopy of azure, studded with silvery
stars, which CLEANED and scin,illa,ed in
the ever changing light Of huge chande-
lier suspended from the center. The walls
}
wh,eness festooned by garlands Of flow
ers as fresh a. when plucked from the
I dewy vine. A soft carpet of lovely de-
sign covered the floor. and about the room
were luxurious sofas and dvans. while the
! tables were heaped with gold and silver
ornaments of every description. While
Mabel was still in the midst of her en-
| chantment the silken draperies were swept
aside and man stepped forth and con
! fronted her. Was this the specter this
! gentleman. as he seemed to be. arrayed in
/ such costly attire! Her eyes wandered to
his face. All. there were those piercing
I black eyes, fiery as n serpcnts, she would
/ know them in the farthest part Of the
earth
| Springing to her feet she fearlessly de-
manded Man or devil. whichever you
/ may be- why have you brought me TO this
! placer Release me instantly"
! Hold. my fne lady" the specter replied
with that hollow laugh that echoed and re
echoed through the silent cavern. DO
you think would allow you TO escape me
/ now? Sit down on wonder divan while
/ tell you the story of my life and why
| brought yon to this place"
Mabel, finding tha, II was useless to re-
! sist, sank down upon the velvet cushions
of divsn, the interest gathering on her
face as the story advanced.
Eighteen years ago" went on the spec
\ ter, keeping those glittering eyes on the
/ young giil's face, eighteen years ago
was young man. educated, talented, rich,
I and, In fact. had nothing more to wish for
While wandering in a little country town
/ IN Vermont, fell desperately in love with
beautiful young girl. now your mother
I She returned my love and everything pro
/ gres.ed pleasantly for awhile. We had
! made our plans for the future and were
soon to have been married. Our voyage
/ through life seemed as cain and pleasant
| summers day. 1t seemed, just then
that no cloud, however dark and gloomy
could shut out the sunlight from our lives
/ that no power on earth could sever human
| hearts as loving as ours. Even then there
| crept serpent into our Eden. Your faith
er, Mark Standish, came with his winning
ways and sought to win your mothers
| love. When he found she had no heart to
give him, then he determined to make her
! his wife by fair means or foul. Being her
fathers creditor to large amount, he told
the girl, privately. that II she did not con-
sent to become his wife, and at once, he
would demand payment, and her father
would be ruined and disgrsced. At first
| she Indignantly refused, but with his soft
words he convinced her that 1t was her
duty, and that very night they were mar
ried in little village church.
never suspected the villains treachery
until the wedding was over and he had fed
| with the unwilling bride. cannot tell Of
the anguish, the heart breaking that en-
dured through the succeeding day and
| night, but at last came forth with a mad
desire for revenge. Upon my knees, un-
der the stars of midnight, with the wind
cooling my fevered brow, / solemnlv
vowed that Mark Standish should suffer as
l was then suffering-would beg for mercy
at nv feet. would have followed and
killed him then, but the most horrible bod
lily suffering could not atone for one tithe
of the grief was then enduring Caring
not what became of me, shipped on
board smuggling vessel, and at the cap
tain's death l became commander We
secured the seas for years, transporting
our treasure into this cave, where is accu
mulated almost countless wealth from
every sea.
One stormy night, as l stood outside
upon the boulder watching for one of oul
vessels, saw Mark S:andish passing In
the very path you travelled tonight.
cannot tell you the iDexpressible joy tha,
l felt at my discovery. sprung dowr
from my perch as silently and swiftly as
panther would spring upon its prey. caugh,
and bound your father, and brought hin
here. In yOnder cell thrust him, and
there he has remained to this very day
the last three years raving maniac. and
the victim Of my severest torture. All
my lady, do not cry out yet, for have
more to tell you.
To further my revenge, determined tc
kill you before your fathers eyes, to slow
ly torture you to death, but waited toe