Year: 1867

cause OF dlsquletude since he awoke from
his sleep of fever and exhaustion. Had
she the least knowledge of reading, with
the aid of her proverbial sagacity, she
would, no doubt, have known the true
nature of the change wrought within him,
and have found means to Illustrate much
of the suffering that awaited him.


Yet she bad that day laid the first snare
to enthrall his life in danger, and, per-
haps, sever the secret tie which bound
her so faithful to his service. Far better
had he pershed in battle, yielding up his
blood for the cause he had espoused, than
to be tanned with the whip and the stripe
that ever pursued him - in battle, or on
the march, the same secret and implaca-
bic rod was ever present to chastise him,
aud make him regret the bitter hour
when he first gazed upon the fatal sword
point.


1t was now night. The grey twilight
deepened into darkness, and the stars
spanged in the sky, Slaughter Mountain
was scarcely visible. Along the summit,
the night cloud had rested with a dark
and indented outline, covering the rug
ged site with impenetrable gloom. 1t
was beautiful in the valley A hazy
light rested on the summer atmosphere,
and at times the moon from her cloud
laden chariot" illuminated the deserted
battle field. Silent, and yet grand, were
the solitudes around, and every thing in
nature was beautiful. Nature and heaven
mourn not DER the sad reverses Of human
warfare. The grass upon the valley was
ploughed under the mirery soil after the
flight and defeat of an insulted army; the
huge mound of fresh earth plainly indi-
Gated the soldiers last resting place, free
from the tumult of the camp and the ag-
oniziug shrieks of the dying; yet the
heavens bore no blot upon its clear azure
in token of the divine dispeasure.


The farmhouse. Nance Holk had re-
tired to rest. The weight of bodily IA
tigue had overcome her, and she now
slept dreamless sleep. Austin, fever
ish and sckly, slumbered uneasily, his
brain heated by the determinate issue of
the events which happened that evening.
Coolly did he appear in his words and de-
meanor, but a loaded conscience had
usmped the quiet and humane tenure of
his disposition. Filially reared, and ed
ucated with care and watchfulness, the
young soldier might have courage enough
to withstand the evil genius that haunted
him but too fond regard for his own pc
culiar ambition now hurried him into an
ger and desire of revenge. He had that day
laid the snare for his own future misery
and unhappiness with as much deliberation
as if it was a circumstance of his daily
life, and fully satisfied with the result,
however evil, he laid himself down with
beating heart.


1t was now past midnight when he
started from his pillow at the sound of
footsteps in his room, and looking va
cantly around him, perceived the shadow
of a man crossing the apartment, and as
he advanced, something heavy fell upon
the floor, so as to occasion much noise
Then there were sounds at the back door,
as if caused by the insertion of key in
the look !; after that load slam which
rang like an earthquake in the distance,
then all was quitet again. He staggered
!eebly from his bed and made in the di-
rection of the spot whence the noise pro-
ceeded, but found nothing to convince
him that any mortal being was there. He
examined the door but found it securely
locked, and having paused few miu-
utes, his heart beating audibly he return
ed to his own apartment. There Nance
had just arisen, and speechless with ter
tor ran forward. The faithful slave
coached at his feet, her hair standing
erect, her lips wide open, as if to ask pro-
lection, aud her whole frame quivering
with alarm.


His first idea on recovering from his
excitement was to search upon the floor
for that which fell from the hand of his
unwelcome intruder, and soon found a
small casket, or rose colored box, care
fully wrapped in faded silk and again
covered over with strong morocco. Ev-
cry tie did he unloose, one after another,
till at last he came to the actual treasure
A small miniature beautifully set in gold
Of a young girl, angelic in feature, and ell
egent and comely in form, was the first OBJ
ject that met his gaze; a crimpled letter,
bearing no date, or official mark, tied
WIN llUDOu, duu luSluC NOIC SOuC
flowers, a lock of raven hair, and check
on a Philadelphia merchant for eight
hundred dollars. The letter ran thus: -


"NEw ORLEANS, Friday.


"Dear Austin, = Return TO me no more
Trouble awaits you, awful and Vindlctive.
Beneath my chamber there is in process of
construction a dark, deep dungeon, either
for you or me. Father has the same forbo-
hng frown upon hls face yet, and is seldom
home at night. Strange men, apparently
soldiers, come TO our house every day, and
commUpe with him for hours. You are safer
far n the battlefield than here am mis-
erable in spirit. Until death yours,


"CAMILLIA."


And he retained the letter in his hand
for some minutes, then turned over the
faded and scentless flowers, and examined