Year: 1867

Il ~


of what he had foreSccn, he was driven, as by al
irresistible fate, to act in that exact manner.


For some years, however, before his voyage tt
Virginia, he had been exempt from his former Wis
| ions. They had become source of torture ano
shuddering disgust to him, and he had sought by
travel gay society, the card table, and inter 'e
study, to Danish them from his mind. In this he
had so far succeeded, that as we have said, some
years passed by with total exemption from his
haunting visitations. But suddenly they returned
in form terribly aggravated, and filled with the
darkest tnts of tragedy. He had seen a young
man, and girl-the latter of whom he was to
maryland both of whom were to perish by his
own hand For time the horror of the vision
overwhelmed him, and he secluded himself from
society, shrinking from the face of man or woman
But finally, even this precauton did not appear ad,
equate The scene of the tragedy had appeared
to he Scotland-and to fly the country was now his
first thought. An opportunity soon presented 1t.
SELF His friend, Lord Botetourt, was appointed
Governor of Virginia; and beyond the ocean there
was safety TIe applied for permission to join the
suite of the royal governor readily received it
came to Virginia-and in brief space Of time
met with the accident on Gloucester street, which
introduced him to Edmund Innis, the man Of hi
rision Overcome with horror, he determined t.
return Immediately to Europe, but the difficulty o.
finding vessel ready to sail, prevented his depart
ure, and learning that Innis had left the capital
he yielded to the temptation to remain in the gay
little city Then came his encounter with Homo
ria at the ball. his recognition of her as the cona1
Of his uiSSion-his deeper horror, and his command
to Fergus the old family servant, who had accom-
panied him, to pack his trunks for an immediate
return to Europe.


But new element had now entered into the
drama-a sudden and violent passion for Honoria
So enthraling was this sentiment that it overcome
his resolution. He soothcd his agitatcd mind witt
the thought that his visions were mere visions
that he would put all end to his own life before he
would attempt to shed the blood Of a woman, anc
that woman the peerless girl whom he loved 81
deeply; he faltered with the awful responsibility
and permitted himself to be borne onward by the
current Of fate He offered his hand and was the ac
cepted suitor of Honoria, but there came last ant
more terrible vision. He saw an cxpanse covered
with snow-the figure of himself and Innis contend
ing sword in hand, and the phantom of his adver
sary's fall Then rose on his right dim brlda
chamber, Almighty chest ofdrawcrs and a chair witt
snowy garments-a dark shadow striking with {
pOignard-thcn scream, and the victim OF second
sight, awoke from his slumbcr, lcaped from his bed
seized his sword, and struck at Fergus, who coult


I'M
on himself.


In spite of these repeated and terrible warnings
Lord Ruthven did not give up his design and thu
rest of the paper conveying this narrative, ane
written, as we have seen, in Williamsburg on th'
evening of the day when Innis tore the will, con
tanned the most passionate protestatlons OF hi
love for the young lady, and his resolution rathe
to commit suicide than play the part assigned
to him in the horrible tragedy of his visions. BE
fore he would even admit the thought into hi
mind the unhappy lover declared he woult
suffer thousand Deaths No it was, it must be
only his morbid fancy, though accompanied b!
strange circumstances True, he had seen llono
ria and Innis, before he even met them had re
cognized them instantly y and the very idea VA
torture but this identity Of the figures of hi
dream with the actual beings was the amount o
the whole affair." What possible collision coul'
arise between himself and gentleman so honor
able and noble as Mr.. Innis? Why the contes
sword in hand? And Honoria To dream OF tn
possibility that he could even ever utter harsl
word to her his life, his soul, his thought b.
day and night 1t was absurd, Incredible;
monstrous chimcra, which the devil sent to trigh
him. lie would not regard it but go on in hi
course, and defy the hateful fatality which thus at
tempted to enslave him. The paper Lord Ruth
ven declared in conclusion was written iron
sudden impulse, and to clear his memory iron
STAIN if he was driven to that act Of sclf-dcstruc
ton which he had determined on, if tempted
the greater crime. At least Sir Rein, his worth
and good friend, should know why he had put a
end to himself


This was the substance of the paper, We are in
formed - and tradition only remains for even TIM
much AS We have said, no human eyes but thos
Of Lord Ruthven and the baronet, ever looked up
on it; and if there was secret still behind all this
lit is buried in the unfathomable depths of oblivion


Such was the woful fate, and the woful end G
the young Lord Ruthven. lie had used his high
land dirk in the unhallowcd act against which h
struggled - not upon himself. But he kept hi
word.


Before the wild frenzicd scream had ceased t
ring in his ears, he closed his eyes. and gave up hi
last breath in the freezing surges Of the river.
! NXXF.


CONCLUSION.


I For three months the life of Innis seemed to b
suspended by hair, which the hand of chill
might break with a touch Life and death strug
glcd for the prize, but life conquered.


Slowly his wound healed and in the last brgl
days of May he looked forth upon the world whic


he was now, once more to enter, as it were trol