OS 
 
 U-i 
 
 
 II 
 
 QC *4H 
 
 CO
 
 THE 
 
 
 CONSPIRATOR 
 
 BY 
 
 A. E. DUPUY. 
 
 The secrets of that association, and the names of those who compose it, are in 
 scrutable as the grave : we only know that it has taken deep root, and spread its 
 branches wide. 
 
 This is the truth, his spirit wholly turned 
 To stern ambition's dream to that fierce strife 
 Which leads to life's high places, and reck'd not 
 That lovely flowers might perish in his path. 
 
 L. E. L. 
 
 NEW YORK: 
 
 D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 200 BROADWAY 
 
 PHILADELPHIA: 
 
 GEO. S. APPLETON, 164 CHESNUT-STREET. 
 MDCCCL. '
 
 I 
 
 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1850, 
 BY D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern 
 District of New York.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR, 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 THERE is a beautiful island in the Ohio, which is one of the 
 few places in our land around which the interest of romantic 
 association is thrown. The traveller often leaves the crowded 
 steamer as it passes this spot, to wander among the ruins of 
 what was once the abode of peace and happiness ; and as he 
 lingers around the scenes once hallowed by the presence of 
 intellect and beauty, he can scarcely realize the fact that the 
 mouldering ruins before him have ever echoed to the song of 
 mirth or the voice of revelry. 
 
 It was near the close of a mild evening in June, the most 
 beautiful month of a northern climate ; the trees wore their 
 richest verdure, and the birds carolled their sweetest songs 
 around the island home of the emigrant. In what was then the 
 far west, a son of oppressed Ireland had found a home, and he 
 had literally caused the " wilderness to blossom as the rose." A 
 stately mansion reared its pillared front beneath the umbrage 
 of the forest, with porticoes extending on either side in the 
 form of an ellipse, which served to connect the offices with the 
 main building. The architectural elegance of the house, 
 and the exquisite taste with which the grounds around were 
 laid out, were evidences that attention to comfort and usefulness 
 was blended with refined taste in the occupants of this paradise. 
 In front, a lawn sloped gradually to the river, and the smooth 
 green sward was shaded by magnificent forest trees, among 
 which a vista had been opened, affording a fine view of the 
 river, and at the same time allowing the eye of the voyager 
 to rest upon this vision of comfort and elegance, nested in the 
 wilderness. Well graded walks, with a carriage road, led from 
 the house to the river, passing through an ornamental gateway 
 supported by massive stone pillars. A hedge of hawthorn 
 
 1900197
 
 6 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 separated the avenue from the flower-garden, which was not 
 only filled with the fair daughters of spring, but inclosed within 
 its wide borders the rarest fruit-trees which would flourish in 
 that latitude. The woodland had been searched for the most 
 beautiful native plants, and these were judiciously blended with 
 exotics, amid whose luxuriant foliage, serpentine walks, grottoes, 
 and alcoves were formed. 
 
 All around was beautiful ; but to the eye of the proprietor, 
 the group that occupied the portico was most lovely, for there 
 were the treasures of his heart. A lady, still in the bloom of 
 youth and beauty, sat on a low rocking-chair, lulling a child to 
 sleep ; while a boy, with the shadowless brow and buoyant laugh 
 of childhood, was kneeling on the floor beside her, arranging the 
 brilliant plumes of the pea-fowl in his cap. In gazing on this 
 queenlike woman, one might be tempted to ask, how can so 
 much beauty bear to be concealed in this lonely forest home ? 
 A tall and perfectly proportioned figure seemed instinct with the 
 spirit of grace and elegance. The features were nobly beauti 
 ful, formed to express the emotions of a high nature, a candid 
 mind, and cultivated intellect. The complexion was transpa 
 rently fair ; and her high, smooth brow, was shaded by curls of 
 glossy dark brown hair, amid whose sheen was twisted a 
 white scarf in the form of a fanciful turban. A snowy robe of 
 airy material floated around her majestic person, and she looked 
 indeed the " queen of the fairy isle." 
 
 A gentleman stood upon the steps of the portico, apparently 
 looking for the return of some one. There was a shade of 
 thought resting upon his fine features, and so deep was his 
 abstraction, that his wife had spoken to him thrice ere he was 
 aroused from his reverie. In person he was tall, being quite six 
 feet in height, with a slight bend in the shoulders, probably 
 occasioned by his devotion to the pursuits of the scholar. A 
 wide, well formed forehead, prominent nose, and expressive 
 mouth, with restless, ever-flickering eyes, whose imperfect vision 
 required the constant aid of glasses, formed altogether a face of 
 sufficient manly beauty, to attract and win the lovely woman 
 who had chosen to follow him to his present retirement. 
 
 " Our guests are long returning," he at length said, after 
 casting a lingering glance upon the pathway which led into the 
 forest. " I hope they have not left the island, as our neighbors 
 the Indians do not appear to be very peaceably inclined of late. 
 I have recently seen several skulking about, and I ana not 
 entirely free from uneasiness."
 
 
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 7 
 
 The cheek of the lady paled as he uttered these words, and 
 she involuntarily pressed her child closer to her bosom. 
 
 *' Surely surely, Eustace, after all your kindness, they will 
 not, they cannot molest us ! Only a few days since the chief 
 was here, and, contrary to his usual stateliness, he caressed our 
 boy, and told him, that when his weak limbs have gained 
 strength, he will teach him to be a hunter." 
 
 " Aye let the savage alone to gain his own ends. His 
 heart is as deceitful as the father of lies, and his tongue smooth 
 as oil. Still I believe he will not harm us, because nothing is to 
 be gained by it ; but Col. Alwin may not be so safe. I know 
 there is no cause of alarm to us, dearest Margaret ; if I did not, 
 think you I would permit the beings I love best to dwell in 
 danger ? I fear that Alwin may have ventured from the island, 
 and those two lovely girls must not be allowed to risk their 
 safety. My influence cannot protect them." 
 
 " If yours cannot, that of their father can. I am certain that 
 Col. Alwin has some design in paying this long-promised visit. 
 We know not what an ambitious and disappointed man may be 
 tempted to do. The chief and himself had a long conversation 
 when Oiitalassa was last here, and there seemed to be a very 
 good understanding between them. I may be mistaken, but I 
 certainly think they have met before : and from the unusual ani 
 mation of the Indian, I thought the subject was one of uncom 
 mon interest, to arouse him from his usual apathy. Of course 
 I could not understand them, as they spoke the Indian dialect, 
 with which Col. Alwin appeared quite familiar." 
 
 A shade of surprise and mistrust passed over the open brow 
 of Fitzgerald, as his wife spoke ; but with an effort he banished 
 the suspicion that crossed his mind, and said 
 
 " No, no, that cannot be. I know him to be a baffled and 
 bitterly disappointed man ; but he could not seek my friendship 
 to destroy me, and render desolate the home that is now so 
 happy. If I thought this I would but no, it cannot be." 
 
 His wife gazed on his bent brow and compressed lips with 
 apprehension. She was about to inquire his meaning, when 
 voices were heard approaching from the direction of the shrub 
 bery, and in a few moments two ladies and a gentleman 
 appeared in sight. 
 
 The ladies were both young and beautiful, and a finer picture 
 could not have been offered to the eye of an artist than they 
 made as they approached the mansion, with their arms twined 
 around each other. The elder one was strikingly lovely ; the
 
 8 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 contour of her person was perfect. Her complexion was of that 
 clear olive through which the eloquent blood mantles as thought 
 or emotion prompts. The color of her eyes it was impossible 
 to tell, they were neither grey nor blue but ; from beneath their 
 long dark lashes they shot forth gleams of animation and intel 
 lect, to which few could be insensible. Her dark hair was part 
 ed over a brow of singular loveliness, and folded around her 
 exquisitely formed head, without any ornament. There was the 
 beauty of an angel animated by the soul of a noble and high- 
 minded woman. 
 
 There was a quiet dignity in her carriage which distinguished 
 her from the graceful girl by her side, who might readily have 
 been taken for her younger sister. There was all the joyous- 
 ness of youth and hope for life to breathe on and destroy. The 
 deep dark eye, in which a world of hopes were mirrored, the 
 full red lips on which a sunny smile lingered, and the dark 
 tresses floating wildly on the wind, seemed a type of the spirit 
 within, over which no blight had yet fallen. Flowers were 
 clinging to the rings of her hair, and her merry laugh was 
 borne on the breeze as she hurried her companion along at a 
 quicker pace than the quiet Julie was accustomed to. 
 
 A gentleman followed a few paces behind them, with his 
 arms folded on his breast, his thoughts far otherwise employed 
 than in attending to the picture of youth and loveliness before him. 
 His figure was not above the middle height, but he possessed 
 the graceful mien and commanding air of one accustomed to 
 deference in the most polished circles. His face was one which 
 even an ordinary observer would have pronounced that of no 
 common man. He had the high, broad brow which we asso 
 ciate with the possession of vigorous intellect ; his eyes were 
 small, dark, and glittering, ever moving with the restless wan 
 dering, indicative of the character of their owner ; the form of 
 the chin, and the thin, compressed lips, expressed decision not 
 unmingled with sternness ; but when he smiled the whole ex 
 pression changed, and nothing could be more brilliant or strik 
 ing than the transient illumination. His brow was smooth and 
 unfurrowed as in youth ; no lines " such as the soul's war doth 
 leave behind" might be traced there ; and the glance of his clear 
 eye contradicted the supposition that his spirit had yielded to, 
 or been softened by past afflictions. Sorrows he had known 
 the agony of wasted affection and disappointed ambition they 
 had left their traces in his heart, but his unbending nature had 
 not been subdued by them.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 9 
 
 " Dear Isabel," said Julie to her laughing companion, " do 
 not hurry me thus. Your mad spirits carry you away. I am 
 weary, dearest, with our long walk." 
 
 " You are, indeed," said the gay girl, her manner instantly 
 changing from mirth to deep tenderness, as she looked on the 
 pale cheek of her companion. " I was thoughtless, unkind ;" 
 and checking her pace, they slowly approached the house. 
 
 " You lingered long," remarked Fitzgerald, as they entered. 
 " I assure you, ladies fair, that we were quite uneasy at your 
 protracted absence." 
 
 " Oh, we have had such a jaunt !" exclaimed Isabel. " I. 
 wonder what our city friends would have said had they seen 
 Julie and myself trudging over the island, with our slippers 
 nearly worn off in one promenade." 
 
 As she spoke, she held out a foot with its fairy slipper half 
 torn off, an accident which had happened while scrambling 
 through the underwood in search of a flower she had seen from 
 the pathway. 
 
 " If they could behold you now, I am sure they would envy 
 the carnation that glows on your cheek, Miss Alwin, and your 
 fair city friends, I suspect, would willingly purchase such a 
 bloom at a greater expense than even a torn shoe," replied 
 Fitzgerald, with the characteristic gallantry of his country 
 men. 
 
 Isabel laughed and bowed as she continued. 
 
 "Our walk was not entirely without adventure. We met 
 that splendid savage, Outalassa, and my father conversed with 
 him, while I endeavored to manage his canoe. I could not per 
 suade Julie to venture in, so for the novelty of the thing I 
 resolved to push myself about over the quiet waters. I succeeded 
 in getting the canoe from the shore, but, alas for my skill in 
 boat craft, I could not return, and was floating down with the 
 current, when Julie called the attention of my father to the 
 situation in which I had so heedlessly placed myself. The 
 chief, with more gallantry than I had expected from a savage, 
 waded into the river, which you know is quite shallow just now, 
 and drew the canoe to the shore. He looked at me as I leaped 
 from it, and said : ' The Glancing Eyes has not the skill of the 
 squaw in managing the canoe.' My father chided me, but I 
 was compensated for even his frown, by having so poetic an 
 appellation given to me by this son of the forest." 
 
 As Isabel thus rattled on, she did not observe the dark shade 
 which gathered on the face of their host. His suspicions had
 
 10 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 at last been aroused, and with difficulty he commanded himself 
 sufficiently to receive his mysterious guest with the cordiality due 
 from the master of the mansion. Col. Alwin only bowed in 
 reply to his words, and passed into the house. 
 
 Baffled in his half formed purpose of demanding an interview 
 with him, and at once satisfying his doubts, Fitzgerald turned 
 moodily away, and left their young guests with his wife. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 EUSTACE FITZGERALD was the descendant of a noble Irish 
 family. He received the education of an accomplished gentle 
 man, and continued to cultivate his taste for the sciences, music, 
 and general literature. After the usual European tour made by 
 young men of his station and expectations, he returned to his 
 unhappy country, just in time to involve himself in the political 
 difficulties which deluged the soil of Erin with the blood of some 
 of her noblest sons. In consequence of this imprudence, he 
 was compelled to part with his paternal estate, and retire from 
 his native land. He resided for a time in England, where he 
 met with the brilliant Margaret Geraldin, wooed and won her. 
 
 His republican prepossessions induced him to look with a 
 longing eye to the country which had just struggled into inde 
 pendence, and was already making giant strides towards her pre 
 sent elevation among the nations of the earth. To reside in a 
 free country where he could venture to utter the promptings of 
 his spirit without fear, became his most ardent desire ; and with 
 the full concurrence of his wife, preparations were made to re 
 move to the United States, with ^the intention of there making 
 his future home. He brought with him letters of introduction 
 to several gentlemen ot high political standing, and the most 
 conspicuous among them was Col. Alwin. 
 
 At the time of Fitzgerald's arrival, the country was in a state 
 of ferment rarely observable among a people who are not 
 remarkable for their excitability. Col. Alwin had himself been a 
 candidate for an office of the highest trust in the gift of the 
 people. The popularity of his opponent was equal to his own ; 
 and after a closely contested election, Alwin, believing his 
 chance of ultimate success precarious, was induced to withdraw. 
 His political adherents were at a loss to account for his course,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 11 
 
 and his haughty spirit was galled to find himself rapidly declin 
 ing in popularity with his own party. 
 
 It was now obvious to him that he could no longer rely on 
 that party for the success of his aspiring hopes, and he conceived 
 a plan worthy of his genius and daring to regain his lost influ 
 ence. To such a man, death were far preferable to insignifi 
 cance, and he exulted in the hope of being enabled at some 
 future day to brave those who had thwarted his high raised 
 hopes of power. He became a candidate for the office of go 
 vernor of one of the most populous and wealthy states in the 
 Union, hoping that, when the influence of his personal friends, 
 united with what was called the federal party, had elected him, 
 he could use the power thus vested in his hands, for the further 
 ance of his more ambitious views. 
 
 It was at this crisis that Fitzgerald arrived in the United 
 States, and became, for some weeks, a guest in the family of 
 Col. Alwin. His household at that time consisted of himself, 
 his daughter, and a young man of the name of Russel, who had 
 been educated by him, and was now pursuing the study of law 
 with him. A few days after the arrival of Mr. Fitzgerald and 
 his lady, the family circle was completed by the return of Miss 
 de Bourg, the adopted daughter of Col. Alwin, from a visit to 
 some friends in the country. 
 
 Julie de Bourg was the orphan child of a French emigre of 
 high rank, who had fled from her country during the revolution. 
 The Count de Bourg, when about to embark with his wife and 
 child, to fly to a foreign land, was arrested and thrown into 
 prison. The unhappy wife was torn from her husband and her 
 country in the same hour ; in vain did she demand to be left 
 behind that she might at least share the fate of her beloved 
 husband ; her friends forced her on board the vessel, and after 
 a tedious voyage she landed on a foreign shore, nearly destitute 
 of money, worn down with illness and affliction, with an infant 
 child whose helpless cries called on her for protection and sup 
 port. 
 
 The vessel in which Madame de Bourg came out, was for 
 tunately consigned to a gentleman who was acquainted with 
 Col. Alwin. He informed him of her desolate situation ; an 
 appeal of such a nature was never made to him in vain. Even 
 in the midst of his absorbing political cares, the voice of distress 
 ever found an echo in his heart. 
 
 He saw Madame de Bourg ; and her anguish, when she spoke 
 of the fate of her lovely child, interested him deeply. She was
 
 12 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 rapidly sinking into the tomb, and in her last moments he 
 cheered the dying stranger's heart, by pledging himself to per 
 form the duties of a parent to her daughter. That pledge he 
 had amply fulfilled, and Julie loved him she called father as 
 fondly as though he had really stood in that relation towards 
 her. 
 
 After a tedious negotiation, Fitzgerald succeeded in purchas 
 ing the beautiful island on which his residence was situated, and 
 he visited the West to superintend the extensive improvements 
 he contemplated making. He left his wife to enjoy the pleas 
 ures of a city life with the two daughters of Col. Alwin, who 
 were to make their debut at a fashionable watering-place, under 
 the care of their elegant and fascinating guest. 
 
 They were suddenly summoned home with the appalling in 
 telligence that Col. Alwin had challenged a political opponent 
 of distinguished reputation ; that Gen. <f4strvti"^as* mortally 
 wounded, and their father a fugitive from justice. The storm 
 blew over, however ; his powerful connexions and brilliant talents 
 saved him from the doom which would have been awarded to 
 one of inferior note, who had thus violated the laws of his 
 country. The following winter he presided with all his wonted 
 brilliancy in the Senate ; and at the close of the session saw, with 
 bitterness, that in his own county every avenue to political dis 
 tinction was closed on him for ever. This sudden arid utter 
 extinction of all his aspiring hopes was not to be borne ; and he 
 resolved, without delay, to put in execution a scheme for aggran 
 dizing his fallen fortunes, which was already matured in his own 
 mind. 
 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald remained in New York until the spring 
 opened, and then accompanied her husband to the West, after 
 obtaining a promise from their friends to visit them in their 
 forest home. 
 
 The promise had been frequently urged by both husband and 
 wife, and the visit claimed, but it had been postponed for so 
 long a time that all hope of ever seeing them had expired, when 
 suddenly Col. Alwin arrived at the island, accompanied by his 
 daughters. 
 
 They were welcomed with eager delight, and Col. Alwin 
 assured his fair hostess that they had determined on spending 
 the ensuing summer with her y provided they could tempt her 
 in the fall to leave her happy home and return with them to 
 New York.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 13 
 
 .' 
 
 - 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 THE last beams of the sun still lingered on the tree tops, 
 when a long low boat shot around a point of land, which 
 brought in view the island with its white buildings gleaming 
 through the foliage. It appeared to be crowded with passen 
 gers, for several groups of men were scattered over the deck. 
 
 " There is the bourne of your wishes, Mr. Zavala," said one of 
 the passengers, raising his voice to attract the attention of the 
 person he addressed. " A pretty place that for a man who is 
 weary of the world, which I suspect, however, is not the case 
 with its owner." 
 
 " By Heaven ! a perfect Paradise !" exclaimed a young man 
 who was reclining on the deck, his head supported by a pair of 
 saddle-bags, and holding in his hand a small volume. As he 
 spoke, he raised himself and gazed long and earnestly on the 
 scene ; speaking half-unconsciously, he continued 
 
 " This reminds me of my own southern clime ; the green 
 ness the beauty the luxuriance of vegetation, with this bland 
 air blowing upon my temples, bring back the memory of my 
 home. Yon portico too, with its white columns peeping 
 through the trees, looks wondrously familiar. I could fancy my 
 mother and the dark -eyed Inez there, ready to welcome their 
 wanderer to their hearts." 
 
 A shadow passed over his face, as he repeated the name of 
 Inez in a low tone, as though there were reproachful memories 
 linked with it. The person who thus spoke might have num 
 bered twenty-eight summers. No one could dispute his title to 
 the epithet of handsome, for he had a bright clear eye, , broad 
 forehead, shaded by curls of raven hair, and a well formed 
 mouth and chin. Yet, in the curve of those red lips, was an 
 expression of sarcastic bitterness, which deteriorated from the 
 dark beauty of the upper part of the face ; and in the flashing 
 glance of those dark eyes, was that which led an observer to 
 believe, that when the passions of the man were aroused, or his 
 interests at stake, he would stop at nothing to gain his ends. 
 
 Near him was an athletic black, who, overhearing his master's 
 soliloquy, took it on himself to reply to it. 
 
 " Ah, Massa Zavala, you may say dey bin lookin' for you. 
 Missis will say dat you no care for her, and Miss Inez will sigh, 
 
 2
 
 14 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 and her beautiful eyes will fill wid de salt tears ; but she no say 
 what she think o' your course o' conduct, runnin' away to dis 
 island arter the kurnel, when you ought to be on your own plan 
 tation." 
 
 The young man looked displeased. 
 
 " Corporal, you presume on the liberty I have allowed you. 
 Remember, sir, you are not my mentor." 
 
 " I don't adzackly know what dat means ; but de Lord above 
 knows if it's anything dat can be useful to you, Massa Zavala, I 
 is willin' to be it. I have been wid you, boy and man, dese many 
 years, and I feels sort o' 'countable to the Missis for your con 
 duct ; so I thought I mought make bold to speak my mind, 
 tho' I see it's onpossible to turn you." 
 
 " You old simpleton, do you think my mother sent you with 
 me to act as my guide ? Let me hear no more of your croak 
 ing. I shall answer to her for my own conduct." 
 
 " Ah, Massa Zavala, you bin away now dese two years, and 
 you is in no hurry to get home agin. Your heart is not in de 
 right place, and she will think so too, though she wont say it, 
 for she is the sweetest and best-natured young lady in de worl' ; 
 and as pretty as others too, though you hab forgot her witching 
 ways now you is not wid her. Ah, Massa, de true heart is bet 
 ter worth dan de bright smile." 
 
 " Really, Corporal, you are quite poetic," said the young man, 
 mockingly. " I shall not fail to remember your words, though 
 I hope you do not mean to imply that no true hearts are to be 
 found elsewhere." 
 
 " No, sir ; I couldn't be so onpolite. There are many other 
 beautiful ladies as true and good as Miss Inez, but they no 
 feel to you like one who's bin lovin you ever since she was a 
 leetle girl." 
 
 " Yes, with a cousin's love. No more, old man ; so a truce 
 to your sage remarks. I know best what suits my own inclina 
 tions and interests, so you will obey me in future, without mak 
 ing comments on my conduct. Get my things together and be 
 ready to leave the boat so soon as it lands." 
 
 We will now return to those we left on the portico. 
 
 The young ladies had scarcely seated themselves, when their 
 attention was attracted by a song borne upon the evening breeze ; 
 a wild, yet harmonious chant, which came in fitful snatches to 
 the ear. The three started up, for each one recognised a rude 
 strain familiar to the boatmen who plied their rough craft on the 
 Ohio. Mrs. Fitzgerald consigned her sleeping child to a servant
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 15 
 
 who was summoned from the house, and each of her young 
 companions linked an arm within hers, and hurried down the 
 lawn. They reached the pier which had been constructed for 
 the accommodation of water craft, just as the boat rounded a 
 small promontory about a hundred yards from them. Isabel 
 leaned eagerly forward, and as a tall figure stood conspicuous 
 among a group upon the deck, she exclaimed "There is 
 Charles ; look, Julie, he is waving his handkerchief." 
 
 " I think you are mistaken ; that gentleman is much taller 
 than Russell. No ; it cannot be he." 
 
 As the boat drew nearer, the ladies receded from the landing, 
 and took shelter beneath a clump of trees near enough to 
 observe all that passed, without themselves becoming the sub 
 ject of remark to those on board. 
 
 Col. Alwin came from the house, and in a few moments had 
 welcomed the same tall personage, who was greeted by him as 
 an old acquaintance, and they were soon absorbed in earnest 
 conversation. 
 
 After landing her passenger, the boat again swung round, 
 and floated down the river. 
 
 " Oh Julie Julie, it is your shadow !" exclaimed the laughing 
 Isabel, with an arch glance at her friend, as the gentlemen 
 approached them, and the younger one came forward to offer his 
 greetings. " Most noble knight," she continued, in a mock 
 heroic tone, " we two forsaken damsels do extend unto you a 
 most hearty welcome, albeit we were unapprised of your inten 
 tion to honor us with a visit." 
 
 " As the flower is fabled to turn to the sun, I follow the light 
 of your eyes, fair lady," he replied in the same strain, pressing 
 her offered hand to his lips, while he only bowed low on the one 
 less cordially extended to him by Miss de Bourg, while a flush 
 that seemed almost painful burned on her cheek. Zavala 
 glanced at her face as he raised his eyes, and an expression of 
 wounded pride passed over his haughty features, as he read in 
 her averted looks the evident pain his arrival had given her ; 
 but it was quickly succeeded by a flash of exultation, as some 
 sudden recollection seemed to cross his mind. 
 
 At that moment Fitzgerald Joined them, and turning towards 
 him, Col. Alwin said 
 
 " I have been disappointed in the arrival of my secretary, but 
 here is an old acquaintance of yours." 
 
 " Ah, you are welcome, Zavala, to our forest home. We shall 
 endeavor to detain you among us as long as possible, and for
 
 16 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 that purpose I shall expect our fair friends to exercise their fas 
 cinations until you will feel like one bound in Circean spells." 
 Turning to Col. Alwin, he continued with a smile, " your dis 
 appointment, my friend, cannot be very great, for you can have 
 little use for a secretary in these deep forests, unless you are 
 engaged in compiling the reflexions of a recluse from actual 
 experience." 
 
 For an instant the keen eye of Col. Alwin rested upon the 
 face of Fitzgerald, as if to read his inmost soul. Apparently 
 satisfied with the look of open candor and benevolence which 
 characterized his features, he turned away and addressed Zavala. 
 A quiet smile played around his lips as he inquired 
 
 " To what cause they were indebted for the pleasure of seeing 
 him ?" 
 
 " I bring news of great importance to you, and at your earliest 
 convenience I wish to obtain a private interview, that I may lay 
 it before you." 
 
 Alwin bowed, and Mrs. Fitzgerald proposed returning to the 
 house. She led the way, and they entered a spacious hall 
 furnished in rich yet massive style. This opened into a saloon 
 fitted up with that magnificent taste for which both herself and 
 husband were distinguished. Large mirrors nearly lined the 
 walls ; while the carpet looked as if the flower spirits had con 
 spired to weave a web so like their living children, that the eye 
 was almost deceived by the accuracy of the resemblance. The 
 furniture had been selected by one possessing the eye of an 
 artist for effect, and the taste of a poetic mind for the beautiful. 
 Everything was in harmony, and few could have entered that 
 apartment and not have felt the charm with which its graceful 
 genius had invested every arrangement. Quaintly carved tables 
 occupied the corners of the apartment on which were the latest 
 books from the English press, with portfolios of engravings, and 
 the many graceful trifles which an elegant woman collects 
 around her. A harp stood near one of the windows, and a 
 guitar rested against the wall near it. It was evident that the 
 owners of this charming retreat understood the art of obtaining 
 all the " means and appliances" to speed the lagging steps of 
 Time, should they linger too heavily. 
 
 Without, the scene was beautiful. The lingering twilight had 
 yielded to the mellow beams of the young moon ; the lawn in 
 many places lay in deep shadow ; in others, the moonlight was 
 quietly sleeping upon the level turf; white tufts of violets scented 
 the soft summer air with their fragrance. In the distance la
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 17 
 
 belle riviere, reduced from a mighty current to a narrow limpid 
 stream, gleamed like a sheet of silver, forming altogether a scene 
 of beauty rarely surpassed. 
 
 " This is, indeed, a charming place," said Zavala, after gazing 
 around him a few moments. " You are fortunate, Mrs. Fitz 
 gerald, in the selection your husband has made ; in such a 
 romantic solitude I could be content to dwell for ever with a 
 beloved object." 
 
 " The natural situation is indeed very fine, and we have done 
 much towards improving it ; but believe me," she continued with 
 a smile, " one of your restless mind could not be contented in 
 any solitude, however charming, nor with any object, however 
 beloved. Man's mind was not formed alone for the quiet home 
 pleasures of domestic life ; and so strongly am T of that opinion, 
 that I believe if our mother Eve had not eaten the apple, Adam 
 would untempted have tasted it for the sake of change." 
 
 " Our sex are obliged to you, Madam, and I am too gallant to 
 assert that our common grandmother only was to blame. The 
 serpent alone could tempt her, but woman, lovely woman, was 
 sufficient to beguile the unfortunate Adam from his duty to his 
 Maker. But am I to infer that you are more contented here 
 than my friend Fitzgerald ?" 
 
 " I am quite happy here. I have enjoyed the gaieties of 
 several London seasons, and they have wearied me. The simple 
 pleasures of nature are far before them in my estimation : but I 
 could wish for a wider sphere for my husband. I have occa 
 sionally detected Mr. Fitzgerald in a listless mood, as though he 
 found little interest in his daily employments ; and I have at such 
 moments feared that the active world without was more in his 
 thoughts than those around him." 
 
 " Nay, Margaret," replied Fitzgerald, " that was scarcely 
 a fair judgment. At no moment of our wedded life would I 
 have exchanged your society for that of the most brilliant circle. 
 There are seasons in the existence of every man in which the 
 monotony of every-day life is almost insupportable. I have at 
 times wearied of the tameness of a life without action, but the 
 feeling soon passed away. I cannot watch the growth of the 
 flowers as you do, or find companionship with the song of birds, 
 or the many voices with which nature is gifted. There is 
 ' a beauty in the leaf, and a- glory in the flower,' but not enough 
 to occupy a mind accustomed to the wildest excitement from 
 youth to manhood. I am an Irishman ; I have existed in scenes 
 of turmoil and strife from boyhood, and I feel that I am yet too 
 
 2*
 
 18 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 young to sink into the mere man of books, careless of what is 
 passing in the world around me. Yet, believe me, I am happy 
 here. 1 ' 
 
 Col. Alwin listened with absorbing interest to the speakers, 
 and their words appeared to afford him a degree of gratification 
 which he was unwilling to allow others to observe. With a 
 bow to the lady he said 
 
 " It were treason against love and beauty to doubt it. Yet I 
 must sympathize with my friend Fitzgerald. Man was made 
 for action. I could sooner die than curb my spirit down to so 
 tame an existence : I should be like an imprisoned eagle, beating 
 his pinions against the bars that confine him, and longing to 
 wing his way above the clouds, and be as free as the uncurbed 
 winds. I have often thought what a glorious sensation it must 
 be to soar above the earth, monarch of the air, forcing all others 
 of his tribe to yield to his power. Heavens ! what a destiny 
 could one man possess such sway upon earth !" 
 
 His eye kindled, and for a few moments his thoughts seemed 
 to have travelled far into the future, which his imagination was 
 shadowing forth with all the glory and pomp of undisputed 
 power. The spell was broken by Fitzgerald. 
 
 " There is one man in the world who aims at such a destiny 
 now. The hero who is so rapidly revolutionizing Europe is 
 ambitious of universal empire, or I am much mistaken. Napo 
 leon will wear a brighter crown than ever encircled the brow of 
 any man, and rule over a wider extent of country than any 
 emperor since the days of Rome's greatest splendor." 
 
 " Glorious enviable destiny !'' said Col. Alwin, " such a one 
 were worth living and toiling for. He accomplished all himself 
 too. Risen almost from the ranks a subaltern a conqueror 
 and now a consul. The next step will be to assume the impe 
 rial purple ; a fate worthy so godlike a spirit." 
 
 " And the next step," added Fitzgerald, " may be a scaffold 
 or a prison." 
 
 " Believe it not ; he is Fate's peculiar child his destiny will 
 conquer all things, or for destiny read energy for the energies 
 of such a mind can conquer fate itself. But a truce to political 
 affairs. Don Pedro, I hope that Russell was not seriously indis 
 posed." 
 
 " He had been quite ill, but was recovering rapidly when I 
 left him." 
 
 " 111 !" exclaimed the two girls at the same moment; and 
 Isabel continued : " Why have you left him to the care of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 19 
 
 strangers, Don Pedro? Methinks it was not well done in one 
 who professes to be his friend." 
 
 " Pardon me, Miss Alwin, for such a breach of friendship ; 
 but in truth I was compelled to come on, and Russell himself 
 urged me to do so. As I had no fears of a fatal termination to 
 his illness, I consented to do so," said Zavala, glancing rapidly 
 from Isabel to Julie ; and his brow darkened as he beheld the 
 blanched cheek and quivering lip of the latter, though she bent 
 over an engraving she pretended to be examining, to conceal 
 her emotion. " He is a lucky fellow to excite so much interest 
 in two fair ladies," he bitterly added. " I could almost consent 
 to endure his sufferings, to be sure of the same sympathy." 
 
 " Ah, we should be unjust and ungrateful if we loved him 
 not," said Isabel in a tone of deep feeling. " He has been our 
 companion, our brother from childhood, and never were sisters 
 more tenderly cared for, more fondly loved, than are we by 
 Charles Russell." 
 
 " I do not doubt it," replied Zavala, with a scarcely repressed 
 sneer, " though I am not disposed to think him entitled to 
 praise for loving, where 'twere a crime against our natures not to 
 love." 
 
 Isabel merely acknowledged the compliment by a smile, and 
 Julie sat with her face shaded by her hand, a chilled and sick 
 ening feeling at her heart. She was frightened at her own 
 emotion ; a fount of painful feeling appeared suddenly opened 
 in her heart, and silently she recalled the past incidents of her 
 life. Throughout her whole life Russell had been her com 
 panion, her friend, but never her lover ; why, then, should her 
 heart have felt the icy chill which rushed through it, and her 
 brow become pale as marble, when she heard his illness 
 announced. A fearful light had suddenly flashed on her mind, 
 revealing the secrets of its prison house. The voices of the 
 rest of the party sounded in her ears, but they conveyed no 
 meaning to her, until Isabel touched her and playfully said : 
 
 " Awake, dreamer, and tell us of your adventures in the land 
 of visions. Heavens, Julie, your hand is as cold as that of the 
 dead ! Are you ill, dearest ?" 
 
 " No, ah no, never better." She felt that Zavala's eyes were 
 upon her, endeavoring to read her minutest soul, and with a 
 brief apology she left the room. His eyes dwelt for a moment 
 upon the doorway through which her form vanished, and turn 
 ing to Isabel, he said : 
 
 " Miss de Bourg appears out of spirits. I am sorry that even
 
 20 THE CONSPIRATOR, 
 
 the arrival of an old friend cannot reanimate her. Do you 
 know of any cause she has for melancholy ?" 
 
 " Oh no ; 'tis merely the folding of the spirit's wing over the 
 etherial essence of the soul, when the finely tempered nerves 
 feel the necessity of rest. Julie is usually the life of our circle ; 
 she is always lively and good tempered ; in a word companion 
 able, for she has the art of adapting herself to the prevailing 
 whim of the moment better than any one I have known. I 
 would give much to possess the womanly benevolence of feeling 
 she carries with her in the petty occurrences of everyday life. 
 To make home happy is her highest ambition ; to spread a 
 charm over the little nothings which make up so large a part 
 of our daily existence, seems her peculiar excellence." 
 
 " Ah, Miss Alwin, what a picture you have drawn for me to 
 dwell on and admire ! Already too lovely in my eyes, it needed 
 not your encomium to exalt her in my estimation. Julie de 
 Bourg is the star of my destiny ; tell me, give me a gleam of 
 hope is there no avenue to her heart, for hitherto I have been 
 baffled in my efforts to find one. More than once has my spirit 
 been rebuked before her, and I have vowed in my anger never 
 to see her more ; yet here I am, drawn, fascinated to the spot 
 that contains her. Oh, Isabel, I must win this peerless girl or 
 die." 
 
 " This inquiry must be addressed to Julie herself, Don Pedro. 
 She has a heart, I assure you, overflowing with the fairest and 
 most beautiful affections. Her person is lovely, but 
 
 ' If you saw that which no' eyes can see, 
 The inward beauty of her lovely sprite, 
 Garnished with heavenly gifts of high degree, 
 Much more then would you wonder at the sight.' " 
 
 "What an enthusiast this girl is!" was the mental exclama 
 tion of Zavala, as he riveted his eyes on her animated face, and 
 felt there was a charm in its expression which mere physical 
 beauty cannot give. The light of a pure and lofty spirit sat 
 enthroned on her brow, and 
 
 " A world of dreams did seem to lie 
 In her dark, and deep, and spiritual eye." 
 
 She was, indeed, an enthusiast. Possessed of the keenest 
 sensibility and a lively imagination, the stern lessons of life had 
 not yet taught her to control either. She had lost her mother 
 in infancy, and although her father had been all that a parent
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 21 
 
 could be to a motherless daughter, still she had sadly needed 
 the mild and guiding hand of maternal love. Educated in a 
 boarding-school, the two girls had returned to him graceful, 
 elegant, and accomplished, and Col. Alwin was satisfied, for he 
 looked on them less as beings in whom all his earthly affections 
 were garnered, than as those by whose means he might, at 
 some future time, strengthen his political connexions. 
 
 It was not until the shadow of misfortune began to darken 
 around him that he appreciated the character of Isabel, or truly 
 valued the deep devotion she always manifested towards him. 
 Isabel was that ram avis, a gifted and highly cultivated woman, 
 without the slightest tinge of pedantry or affectation ; she 
 possessed all the sensitive delicacy of her sex, which some 
 have erroneously asserted to be incompatible with superior 
 powers of mind. Has God denied to the perfect flower the 
 fragrance which is its greatest charm ? Why then shall the 
 human flower be refused the same boon ? Far, far better had 
 it been for her, had cultivation brought with it masculine inde 
 pendence of mind : it only imparted a deeper shade of softness, 
 or higher tone of sentiment and feeling, to her ardent and ima 
 ginative character. 
 
 Possessing sufficient intellect to appreciate the splendid talents 
 of her father, and to feel the fascination of his rare powers of 
 entertaining others, she worshipped the genius which could 
 throw a beauty and a glory around the most trivial subjects. 
 She suffered no other affection to cast a shadow over the 
 unclimmed brightness of her filial love : it was a union of 
 admiration, confidence, and respect, which could not be 
 shaken. 
 
 Isabel's spirits were naturally gay they sometimes even 
 bordered on levity but tho lightest cloud could, in a moment, 
 depress them, and it was this susceptibility to joy or grief which 
 caused her friends to tremble for her future happiness. Even 
 her religion partook largely of the romance of her character. 
 It has been beautifully said, that " a woman's heart is the 
 temple of religion, and were its altars thrown down and tram 
 pled on, its spirit would there find a home." To the impas 
 sioned eye of Isabel, all nature bore the stamp of its divine 
 origin ; every leaf and budding flower, and every star that 
 gemmed the canopy of Heaven, were to her a type of the 
 glorious and beneficent Spirit who created them all. Her 
 religion was gorgeous as the coloring of poetry can make it ; 
 but it was founded on the only enduring basis a firm trust in
 
 22 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 the mercy of Him " who wills and it is done." She was not a 
 Catholic in faith, yet there was much in their imposing forms of 
 worship which interested her imagination, and touched her 
 heart. At home she had a large closet fitted up as an oratory, 
 and in it she passed many hours of her life before a full length 
 portrait of her mother, which she had copied in the costume of 
 a Madonna, thus linking her purest aspirations with the most 
 beautiful of human affections ; and consecrating the memory 
 of the parent who had gone down to the grave in the bloom of 
 youth and beauty, just as the budding blossoms of her earthly 
 paradise were beginning to exhale their sweetest fragrance over 
 her pathway but not, alas ! before they were all withered. 
 
 Isabel was the only child of her mother, and the heart of 
 Colonel Alwin often softened towards her when he listened to 
 the thrilling tones of her voice, for they touched a chord in his 
 memory which had never ceased to vibrate with tenderness, 
 mingled with pain. No cloud had as yet dimmed her horizon, 
 and her vivid fancy sketched the future, clothed in the bright 
 hues which envelope every object, viewed through the flowery 
 vista of youth and hope. Her buoyant spirit revelled in the 
 enjoyment of the brilliant dreams which, like a fairy spell, 
 encircled her heart. She did not dream that the hour could 
 arrive, when the smiles which now sprang from a light heart 
 might be worn upon the lips as a splendid drapery thrown over 
 a mutilated statue, to conceal the desolation beneath. 
 
 " How long will you remain with us, Don Pedro ?" she at 
 length asked, arousing herself from a fit of abstraction. 
 
 " I cannot tell the exact duration of my visit. I came on a 
 mission to Colonel Alwin, and as soon as that is fulfilled I must 
 return to Marietta to look after Russell. As soon as he is able 
 to travel, we will return together. When I join him, shall I 
 tell him how much interest was manifested by you when 
 informed of his illness ?" 
 
 " Certainly ; he knows that we love him. And tell him that 
 we know not what to do without our knight-errant ; so he must 
 recover as fast possible, and hasten his return. If he is sick, 
 we will nurse him if sad, we will soothe and sympathize with 
 him." 
 
 " I shall be very faithful in the delivery of your message ; 
 but am I to understand that Miss de Bourg is included in the 
 expressive we ?" 
 
 " Oh, jealousy jealousy, thou green-eyed monster !" said the 
 laughing girl ; " I cannot stay to answer you now, Don Pedro ;
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 23 
 
 and see, ray father has risen, and is approaching you. Au 
 revoir" and kissing her hand to him, she glided from the room 
 with a mocking smile upon her lip. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 As soon as supper was over, Colonel Alwin withdrew to his 
 own apartment, accompanied by Zavala. He carefully closed 
 the door and examined the deep recesses in the windows before 
 he was satisfied that they were alone. Calmly drawing forward 
 a table covered with loose papers, he placed the shaded lamp in 
 such a position as to throw the light on the face of his compa 
 nion, while his own remained in the shadow. These arrange 
 ments made, he seated himself, and said, in a quiet tone 
 
 " Now, sir, I am ready to receive your communications." 
 
 Zavala could not refrain from admiring the self-command of 
 the man, for in the position in which he then stood, he was not 
 certain that the tidings he was about to hear did not bring 
 with them the destruction of all his views nay, involve even 
 his life. Zavala drew from his bosom a package, and presented 
 it to him. 
 
 " Read those despatches, and then I will speak of my own 
 private views and wishes." 
 
 Colonel Alwin took the papers, and as he broke the seal, his 
 fingers trembled slightly. No other sign of impatience or agita 
 tion escaped him. He carefully perused the documents ; and as 
 he read, his observant companion noted that the flush of triumph 
 mounted even to his pale temples. More than an hour was 
 thus spent, when, slowly refolding them, and carefully locking 
 them in his desk, he arose and walked several times across the 
 room. Stopping suddenly before Zavala, he said quickly 
 almost sternly 
 
 ' Do you know the contents of those papers ?" 
 
 ' I do," was the concise reply. 
 
 ' And are you prepared to abide by me in life or death ?" 
 
 "' On one condition." 
 ; Name it." 
 ! Miss de Bourg " 
 
 " Of that we will speak hereafter," said Alwin, waving his
 
 24 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 hand impatiently. " When did you last hear from the South ? 
 From thence I am most anxious to gain information." 
 
 " I have private letters from my uncle, who, you are aware, is 
 an officer of high rank in the Spanish army. The troops, dis 
 satisfied with their present situation, are ready for any change ; 
 he assures me that very little will be necessary to induce them 
 to struggle for a change of masters. The soldiers are entirely 
 devoted to Gen. Zavala, and will follow wherever he leads. 
 Your object, if I understand you correctly, is to revolutionize 
 Mexico, arid wrest from the present Chief Magistrate of the 
 United States, the rich territory of Louisiana, which adds another 
 gem to this fair Union. At a moment's warning, my uncle will 
 hold himself in readiness to cross the Sabine, and thus give 
 you an excuse for placing yourself at the head of a selebt 
 body of troops, devoted to your interests. Nothing will then 
 be easier than to unite your forces, and defy the laws of your 
 own country. Gen. Zavala has constant communication with 
 some of the most influential men in the city of Mexico ; and they 
 are ready, when the first blow is struck, to range themselves on 
 the side of those who will free them from the Spanish yoke. 
 There is a theatre before you worthy of your abilities, and the 
 power refused you in your own country courts your acceptance 
 in another as fair. For myself, if my aid is of any worth, you 
 know it is at your command, at all times, on one condition." 
 
 " I thank you. It is of inestimable importance to me, as no 
 one knows better than yourself; but to gain it, Don Pedro, I 
 am unwilling to use my authority to induce Miss de Bourg to 
 accept you ; for it seems the wayward girl refuses to listen to 
 any proposal from you. You may think me cold and hard, 
 but I love this girl as if she were really my child ; if you can 
 gain her consent, as I have before told you, you have mine ; but 
 of that I am hopeless ; so we will consult your ambition in 
 offering a reward proportioned to your services, with the hope 
 that your proffered love may be more successful in other 
 quarters." 
 
 While he spoke the brow of Zavala darkened, and it was with 
 difficulty his impatient spirit could brook the implied impossi 
 bility of inducing any fair lady to accept the guerdon of his 
 love. 
 
 " Allow me to try, sir ; armed with your authority, she will 
 listen to me differently. Let her see how much to your interest 
 it is to lend a favorable ear to my suit. I ask not for the re 
 wards of ambition I can gain them without your assistance.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 25 
 
 I seek the hand of your ward her heart I will gain, if devoted 
 love can win a woman." 
 
 Col. Alwin shook his head impatiently as he replied 
 
 " Trust me, she will not be won by you ; I know the sex 
 I have reasoned with her have urged every motive that can 
 influence or dazzle the mind, and she was still firm in her refusal. 
 I cannot command her to marry you." 
 
 " Listen to me, Col. Alwin," replied Zavala firmly, but respect 
 fully " and give due weight to my words. I am acquainted 
 with the scope and bearing of your plans ; for purposes of my 
 own, I have made myself master of their most secret details, 
 and one sentence from me would precipitate you into a prison, 
 from which death might be your only release. What you are 
 now preparing to execute will brand your name as a traitor to 
 your country and her best interests ; think of the consequences 
 to yourself, if your enterprise is discovered before it is ripe for 
 execution, and then think how trifling in comparison are a few 
 tears shed by a romantic girl, because you consult hfr interest 
 and happiness, in commanding her to accept a man who adores 
 her. With the hope of obtaining Miss de Bourg, I am any 
 thing you choose to make me ; on the contrary you know the 
 alternative ; choose between them." 
 
 A smile of bitter scorn curved the lips of Alwin, as he listened 
 to the words of Zavala. For an instant, his rage, at being thus 
 braved by one so much his junior in years, and inferior in 
 standing, threatened to burst forth and overwhelm the presump 
 tuous man who dared to offer such terms to him. A moment's 
 reflection, however, convinced him that in giving vent to his 
 passion his safety would be compromised, and his schemes 
 baffled. He felt that he was in the power of a man who had 
 no scruples in the pursuit of his own wishes who would delibe 
 rately crush him if he did not secure him to his own interests ; 
 and the anguish of the unhappy girl who was thus made a species 
 of barter between them, sank into insignificance before the sense 
 of his own clanger. 
 
 " You speak truly," he said slowly, and with apparent effort. 
 " If Julie consults her own happiness, and mine, she will view 
 you with different sentiments. Though it gives me more pain 
 than, perhaps, you think my stern nature is capable of feeling, I 
 must wound her affectionate heart, by commanding her to 
 accept one she has assured me she can never love ; I must bid 
 her link her fate with that of the man who dares to tell the pro 
 tector of the woman he professes to adore, that if she refuses to 
 3
 
 26 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 marry him, he will denounce the friend of her orphan child 
 hood as a traitor, and, in so doing, strike a deadly blow at her 
 happiness. 'Tis well, however, Don Pedro we perfectly under 
 stand each other ; the only tie that binds us together is that of 
 interest; pledge yourself to sustain my cause, and Julie shall be 
 yours. I am aware of the vast influence possessed by your 
 connexions in the south-west, also that which your own talents 
 give you ; and you must pledge yourself to devote it all to my 
 interest." 
 
 " Certainly ; but Miss de Bourg must be mine before we leave 
 the island." 
 
 " What, sir, do you doubt my plighted word ?" asked Alwin, 
 and his eye flashed fearfully bright over the person of the 
 other. " Do you dare to doubt the word of a man of honor ?" 
 
 " Col. Alwin, it is useless for men placed in such a position 
 as we now hold towards each other, to use the language of 
 passion. You know the prize for which I contend ; if you have 
 ever loved passionately, you can excuse the ardent wish of a 
 lover to secure the object of his affection, before being sepa 
 rated from her for an indefinite period of time." 
 
 " In that view your haste is excusable, though it has not 
 much delicacy to commend it, either to my ward or myself. 
 Since we are making a bargain, I suppose the conditions must 
 be fulfilled. So let it be." 
 
 None but a spirit as haughty and overbearing could measure 
 the bitterness that filled his heart, as he turned from his com 
 panion. Deeply, dearly, did he determine to avenge the im 
 plied mistrust, when the power to do so with impunity should 
 be his. 
 
 Who, that had seen him return to the drawing-room with a 
 smiling lip and smooth brow, could have imagined the dark tide 
 of emotion which swelled beneath that calm exterior ? His 
 voice was as bland, his smile as frequent as though no unplea 
 sant occurrence had aroused his impetuous passions : as though 
 he had not deeply implicated the happiness of one in that little 
 circle, and that one dependent on him for protection and kind 
 ness. Did not his heart quail as he met her affectionate glance, 
 and felt that he was then meditating the possibility of making 
 the benefits he had conferred upon her the means of forcing her 
 grateful heart to seal its own misery, in order to save him from 
 the precipice on which he stood. Life ! thou teachest many 
 strange and humiliating lessons to the heart of man !
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 27 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 DON PEDRO ZAVALA was the son of a gentleman of some 
 distinction, who had emigrated to the south-west early in 
 life. He had there married the daughter of a Spanish officer 
 of rank, and had assumed the family name of his wife. 
 Don Pedro was their only child, and was the spoiled darling of 
 both his parents. No pains were spared with his education, 
 and at the age of twenty he set out to make the tour of Europe. 
 Three years were consumed in this, and a fourth one devoted to 
 visiting the most interesting portions of Asia : he was then 
 summoned home in consequence of the death of his father, to 
 assume the management of a large property, only encumbered 
 with, a provision for an orphan cousin whom his parents had 
 adopted. 
 
 Madame Zavala was charmed with the great improvement in 
 her son : externals were all the good lady regarded, and few 
 mothers would have been dissatisfied with the appearance of the 
 accomplished Zavala. He had studied eloquence in England, 
 antiquities in Rome, flirting in Paris, music in Spain, smoking 
 in Germany, and the language of flowers in Turkey. Who 
 then shall say that he was not accomplished ? He could sing, 
 dance, write sentimental verses, in short, he was a universal 
 genius. But beneath all this apparent lightness, there was a 
 deep and intense desire to become distinguished. It was not 
 the lofty and high souled ambition, which seeks to be the bene 
 factor of the human race, to make a name which shall be blessed 
 by future ages ; it was rather a desire for notoriety than true 
 distinction. In a different state of society he would have been 
 the beau Brummel of his age ; but the theatre of fashion was 
 too narrow, in the wild province of Louisiana at that day, to 
 satisfy his desires. He determined to become a distinguished 
 politician : he possessed many of the requisites for a leader 
 respectable, talents, supported by influential connexions, and a 
 degree of jMJrseverance where a favorite object was to be attained, 
 which generally insured success. Zavala had already attained 
 a height which promised a brilliant future. His character was 
 one in which the evil predominated greatly over the good, 
 though he was not without his redeeming points. Where his 
 own interests were not at stake, he could be the kind friend and
 
 28 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 honorable gentleman ; but if the views of others clashed with 
 his own, there was no species of treachery he would not prac 
 tise to accomplish his own ends. His passions were violent ; 
 and when aroused, reckless of consequences, they swept all 
 before them. 
 
 He had been one of the commissioners employed on the part 
 of Spain to treat with Mr. Jefferson for the sale of Louisiana, 
 and for the last two years he had resided principally in Washing 
 ton. There he formed an intimate acquaintance with Col. 
 Alwin, and in common with all others looked up to him as one 
 of the leading spirits of the day. 
 
 He had seen Miss de Bourg soon after her first appearance 
 in society, and loved her. His peculiar disposition led him^to 
 persevere in what he had once undertaken until he succeeded in 
 accomplishing his views. To this, Julie owed his unwelcome 
 assiduities. Vainly did she endeavor to discourage him : it 
 appeared a matter of indifference to Don Pedro whether she 
 smiled or frowned on him, so long as he succeeded in kee'ping 
 aloof all other competitors for her favor. In the eagerness of 
 his pursuit, he forgot that there was a heart breaking in silence 
 over his coldness and neglect one he had found full of life 
 and hope, a creature to be cherished with the fondest love, yet 
 whom he had utterly forsaken. He had wooed and won the 
 fair and gentle orphan cousin ; and now without a pang, he 
 trampled on the bruised heart, which had trusted to him its 
 every hope of happiness. He cast the memory of the past 
 away to him it was as though it had not been ; and he forgot, 
 aye, forgot, that she could mourn over the destruction of hopes 
 he had been at such pains to excite. 
 
 He arrived at the island, exulting in the thought that he pos 
 sessed the means of compelling the scornful beauty he had so 
 long and so unsuccessfully pursued, to regard him with more 
 complacency. 
 
 No principle of delicacy restrained him from using the means 
 thus placed within his grasp ; his vanity prevented him from 
 believing the aversion of Julie too deeply rooted to be overcome, 
 when she found no alternative remaining to her, except the offer 
 of the hand she had hitherto so pertinaciously refused. Ii he 
 cast a thought towards the forsaken Inez, it was to wonder how 
 the mild and timid girl could ever have elicited a feeling of pre 
 ference in the heart now so deeply enthralled by the fascinations 
 of the beautiful, the intellectual, and the elegant Julie. 
 
 At night when he retired to his apartment, he found the Cor-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 29 
 
 poral with looks of solemn importance, guarding a package of 
 papers, which, unknown to Zavala, had been forwarded with 
 letters to Col. Alwin. 
 
 " Well, Massa Zavala," said he ; " now you have seen Miss 
 Julie, I hope you is glad to perskiver dat Missis and Miss Inez 
 has not forgot you." 
 
 " Go to the devil !" was the polite response of the impatient 
 southerner, venting the irritation which the events of the even 
 ing had engendered, on the first defenceless object that came 
 under his observation. " You are eternally croaking of 
 ' Missis' and ' Miss Inez',' until I am sick of it. If your ugly 
 black head can think of nothing else, at least let me alone." 
 
 The Corporal replied with an air of offended dignity 
 
 " Well, sir, it is onpossible for me to perskiver how is dat any 
 body doesn't like to hear o' dere own nat'ral born relations. I 
 is sorry to 'fend you, sir, but I wish you had more perliteness dan 
 to ha' sent me to de debbil, case I shouldn't like to keep such 
 disrespectable company. As to my head bein' black, dat's 
 neither here nor dere. I is de color God chuse to make me, 
 and I can't say but I is satisfied when I is at home" 
 
 " There again, you confounded old blunderpate. Is that ever 
 to be the burden of your song? Go go, old man. I will 
 return home when it suits me, and not before ; you had best 
 take care, or you may provoke me to strike you by talking to 
 me in such a strain, when I am in a passion." 
 
 The old man drew up his tall form to its greatest height, and 
 spoke in a faltering voice 
 
 " It is de fust threat o' de kind, Massa Zavala, you has ever 
 uttered to me ; I liv'd with your father, was raised wi' him, and 
 he never offered to lay the weight of his little finger on me, 
 'cept in kindness. If you can strike de grey-headed negro dat 
 has carried you in his arms, an' rode you on his back, when you 
 was a little fellow, you mus' do so ; his ole heart can only break 
 over the ingratitude of the child he has loved as his own." 
 
 Zavala was struck, and, in spite of himself, softened : after a 
 pause, he spoke to his faithful attendant with his usual kindness 
 of manner. 
 
 " Forgive me, Corporal. I was angry with others, and vented 
 my spleen on you. You know how highly I value your ser 
 vices, my faithful old friend. So pray forget that I said any 
 thing to wound you. Leave me now to read my letters alone." 
 
 " I 'cept your 'pology, Massa Zavala, and hope you will see 
 3*
 
 30 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 the sense of my interference wid your pleasures in de time to 
 come." 
 
 He walked off, still murmuring words about the home to 
 which his affections seemed so fondly to cling, and Zavala opened 
 his letters. The first was from his mother, and ran as follows : 
 
 " Villa d'Esperanza. 
 " MY DEARLY BELOVED SON, 
 
 " I was much surprised and a little chagrined when I received 
 your last letters, announcing the probability of a still more pro 
 tracted absence. Ah, Zavala, Zavala I fear your heart is no 
 longer among your own people, or you would not linger so long 
 away from those who love you. 
 
 " I hear that you are fascinated by one as lovely as she is 
 amiable. God forbid that this should be so ! I look on the pale 
 cheek of Inez, and behold her ill-suppressed dejection, and my 
 heart disowns you as my son if you can do aught to wound the 
 sweet soother of my sorrows the companion of my solitary 
 hours. A Zavala you cannot be, if the high and chivalrous 
 spirit of honor dwell not in your heart. Return, and vindicate 
 yourself, my noble son, and let your presence cheer the heart of 
 your widowed mother. God bless you. 
 
 " MARIA JOSEPHINE ZAVALA. 
 
 " P. S. All is going on well on the plantation, and the 
 negroes often inquire if the master is ever coining home again." 
 
 Zavala turned to the next letter. It was directed in a delicate, 
 graceful hand, and his heart reproached him, when he recalled 
 the delight which the sight of that writing had once afforded 
 him. He read the motto stamped on the seal, " I trust thee." 
 
 "Poor, poor Inez," he murmured. " Would to God I could 
 still love thee as in our early days ; but it may not be I am 
 thralled, enslaved by another, and that one loves me not. A 
 pretty game of cross-purposes is life at the best." 
 
 He tore open the envelope and read the words of trusting 
 affection addressed to him. 
 
 " Villa d'Esperanza. 
 
 " Many, many weeks have elapsed, dear Zavala, since we 
 have received a line from you. Why this neglect ? Are you 
 ill, or only absorbed by the new friendships you have formed, to 
 the exclusion of all thoughts of home and early ties ? Imagine 
 not that I wish to upbraid you ; my heart would not suffer me
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 31 
 
 to inflict upon you so severe a wrong, as to harbor one thought 
 of distrust towards my friend, my companion, my guide from 
 early infancy. 
 
 " Your mother pines over your long absence, and attributes 
 your voluntary sojourn among strangers to want of affection for 
 her. I what shall I say of myself? yet why conceal the truth 
 from one who has ever read my heart ? I look back upon the 
 time which is past since we parted, with a blank, solitary feeling ; 
 it merely presents the record of daily duties, unenlivened by the 
 presence of any object that can impart an interest to them. I 
 had numbered the days which were to elapse before your pro 
 mised return, and as each one closed, I said, ' he will soon be 
 here.' Alas, the hour has passed, and the weight of disappoint 
 ment clings heavily to my heart. 
 
 " I have pursued my usual occupations with the pleasing 
 thought that they were recommended by you. I have re-pe 
 rused the books we read together, and dwelt on the passages 
 marked by your hand. While thus employed, I could imagine 
 that your spirit was hovering around me ; would that mine 
 could wing its way to you and breathe into your heart my 
 unceasing prayer for your safe and happy return ! Bright eyes 
 and beaming smiles may detain you from your home, but fond 
 thoughts and cherished memories must cling around the circle in 
 which the earliest years of your life have been passed. 
 
 " Three times have my favorite flowers budded, bloomed, and 
 shed their leaves since your shadow has darkened the door of 
 your dwelling, and my heart grows weary of this long, long 
 separation. 
 
 " I have read your letters until their contents are so indelibly 
 engraven on my memory that time will fail to erase them from 
 its tablets. Return to the hearts that love you to those whose 
 happiness is dependent on yours. 
 
 " I fear that I have expressed my feelings too openly. You 
 have mingled in the world of fashion since we met ; and my 
 freedom of language, when compared with the reserve of those 
 who have been taught to control their feelings by the omnipo 
 tent voice of custom, may render my simplicity a fault in your 
 eyes. Remember, in excuse, that it was you who first taught 
 me to confide to you my every thought ; and attribute it not to 
 a want of delicacy, but to my unwavering trust in your honor 
 and affection. 
 
 " INEZ." 
 
 The letter dropped from his hand.
 
 32 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 "Poor, deceived, deluded child! I fear she will feel my 
 desertion more than I thought ; but she is young ; the sunshine 
 will soon return to her brow, the buoyancy to her heart. / 
 forget ; why shall she not do so too ?" 
 
 And it was by his own heartless standard he measured the 
 feelings of a pure and romantic girl, who had lavished on a 
 worthless idol, the deep and impassioned tenderness' of an inex 
 perienced heart. 
 
 " A fearful gift upon thy heart is laid, 
 Woman ! a power to suffer and to love." 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 MANY weeks had elapsed since Zavala had joined Russell, and 
 still they were in the small village of Marietta, alternately hold 
 ing converse with its inhabitants, and joining parties for fishing 
 or hunting. 
 
 It was a calm, clear night, and the countless lamps of heaven 
 were shining in all their pure and holy beauty, hushing the 
 stormy passions of the inhabitants of earth, as they looked up 
 to the bright worlds, which the imagination would fain people 
 with beings of a higher, purer order. 
 
 The evening was cool, and the two gentlemen had taken 
 refuge within doors. A table was placed near the centre of the 
 room, on which lights were burning. Zavala was employed in 
 reading, and Russell, also, took up a book in which he soon 
 appeared completely absorbed. A stranger glancing at the two 
 gentlemen might have wondered how they came to occupy 
 their present quarters, so little in unison was their own appear 
 ance with that of things around them. 
 
 The house consisted of a single room constructed of hewn 
 logs, without plaster or woodwork of any kind in the interior, 
 if we except a shelf of pine nailed over the fire-place, which sup 
 ported sundry implements of the chase, a file of old newspapers, 
 and a bundle of almanacs reaching as far back as the middle of 
 the last century. However rude, it was a comfortable apart 
 ment, for the walls were carefully chinked and newly white 
 washed ; the uneven floor was covered with a carpet of home 
 manufacture, and the window curtains and coverlet for the bed 
 were as white as drifted snow.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 33 
 
 The head of Russell was bent slightly forward, and the glare 
 of the lamp fell full on his features. It was a face of striking 
 and noble beauty. His broad brow resembled in form and 
 development, the forehead we see in the picture of Napoleon ; 
 full dark eyes, a straight and well formed nose, and a mouth 
 and chin of remarkable symmetry, though the deepened curve 
 of the lips gave the former a somewhat haughty expression. 
 His hair grew high on his temples, and the pallor of his recent 
 illness imparted to his brow a yet more marked and intellectual 
 expression. He could not have numbered more than twenty- 
 three summers, and it was evident that such sorrows as leave a 
 scar behind, had never dimmed his bright hopes. In the 
 expression of his clear eye might be read the aspirations of a 
 mind conscious of its powers, and ready to devote every energy 
 to the acquisition of fame and honor, when called on to take 
 his part in the busy arena of public life. 
 
 Zavala at length raised his eyes as if to address Russell, and 
 a shade of surprise passed over his features as he marked the 
 rapt expression of his countenance, while he gazed upon his book, 
 without attempting to turn a leaf. He was evidently endea 
 voring to discover the bent of his companion's thoughts, as he 
 scanned the lineaments of a face with whose changes he had 
 been long familiar. 
 
 The eye of Zavala dwelt long and earnestly upon his features ; 
 and then seeking a clue to his abstraction, he leaned slightly 
 forward so as to bring the unturned page within the scope of 
 his vision. A painful convulsion contracted his heart as he 
 beheld a pencil sketch of a female head, which at a glance he 
 recognised as that of Julie de Bourg. A burning flush passed 
 over his features, and, for the first time, the true cause of his 
 own rejection flashed upon his mind. The fiend of jealousy 
 sprang to life in his heart, and he felt the hot blood rushing to 
 his brow, as he marked the calm pleasure of the young lover. 
 At length he spoke. 
 
 " What fair lady's image have you there, Russell ?" The 
 face of the young man flushed deeply, and he hastily 
 folded the drawing in its cover. 
 
 " It is only a sketch of my own. It reminds me of one I 
 admire, and therefore I take pleasure in contemplating it." 
 
 " Certainly ; nothing can be more natural. I did not know 
 that you ever amused yourself in such a manner. I consider 
 it a delightful accomplishment to be able to transfer the linea 
 ments of a dear friend to paper to console us for her absence.
 
 34 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 May I ask which of your fair companions you have thus distin 
 guished '? or if you possess a likeness of both ?" 
 
 " Why should you suppose it to be the likeness of either ? 
 There are other ladies as fair " 
 
 " But none so attractive to you as your guardian's lovely 
 ward. Eh, Russell ? Am I not correct in my surmise ? Nay, 
 man, you need not blush and look as if detected in some folly. 
 You are not the first man who has fallen in love without intend 
 ing to do so. I have a reason for asking, Charles ; pray tell 
 me truly if that likeness, which you so tenaciously grasp, is not 
 a sketch of Julie de Bourg ?" 
 
 " By what right do you ask such a question ?" said Russell, 
 proudly rising from his seat. 
 
 " By the right of an affianced husband. Now will you 
 answer me ?" 
 
 "You! you ! the affianced husband of Julie de Bourg? 
 How long since this occurred, Don Pedro ? If it is true, she 
 must have changed much within a few short weeks. 1 demand 
 in my turn, when, and under what circumstances, she consented 
 to accept you ?" 
 
 Zavala reflected a moment. Though Julie was still in pro 
 found ignorance of the pledge of her guardian, he thought 
 something might be gained by making a breach between those 
 who he felt convinced were not yet declared lovers. 
 
 " I will satisfy you, Charles, though the engagement, for 
 some reason known only to Colonel Alwin, is to be kept secret 
 a short time. He stands pledged to give me the hand of Julie 
 in a few months." 
 
 " He stands pledged ! He could not upright and honora 
 ble as I know him to be in other affairs, he could not have bar 
 tered away the hand of a helpless girl for any ulterior benefit 
 to himself. Will you state explicitly, Don Pedro, whether 
 Miss de Bourg is a party to this contract, or if her consent is 
 to be wrung from her by representing to her the service she can 
 render Colonel Alwin by binding you more securely to his 
 interests ?" 
 
 "Mr. Russell,! should imagine you too well acquainted with 
 the nice sense of honor which distinguishes Colonel Alwin to 
 impute such dishonor to him. Let it suffice that Miss de Bourg 
 will be a voluntary bride. The wishes of her guardian have 
 ever influenced her greatly, and why she should rebel against 
 them when love, happiness, and splendor are offered her, I know 
 not, unless the spirit of contradiction is stronger in her than it
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 35 
 
 often is in her capricious sex. She knows the value of wealth 
 and position too well to reject one who offers her what I am so 
 fortunate as to possess." 
 
 " And you ? are you willing to be accepted as the possessor 
 of a fortune which gives you your principal value in her 
 estimation ? If she can be thus won, I have greatly mistaken 
 her character." 
 
 " I believe you have. Miss de Bourg is, like the rest of the 
 world, easily dazzled by a brilliant prospect. She knows full 
 well that she is too bright a gem to be cast into the privacy of 
 domestic life. She is formed to grace the circles of gaiety and 
 fashion, and there, as my wife, she will shine the admired of all 
 admirers. For myself, I am not romantic ; I have outlived the 
 little sentiment with which nature gifted me, and I am quite con 
 tent to take Julie on her own terms ; she will love me as much as 
 ninety-nine out of a hundred of your true lovers care for each 
 other in two years after marriage. Indeed, so far as my own 
 observation goes, I think those who enter into the holy bonds of 
 matrimony with such a vast quantity of love, contrive to use it 
 up in a wonderfully short time." 
 
 "And therefore you are content to dispense with it alto 
 gether ; you are fortunate in being easily satisfied. / could not 
 consent to be accepted merely as an appendage to my fortune. 
 However, you may be far happier than one of a more exacting 
 temper. I would say with the poet 
 
 ' Deep in the secret foldings of my heart 
 She lived with life, and far the dearer she.' 
 
 " No common love could induce me to yield my happiness to 
 the keeping of another. The presiding spirit of my home must 
 be to me a divinity, though to others a mere mortal." 
 
 " Ah ! you are for love and young romance. Believe me it is 
 the dream of a mind unpractised in the ways of the world. A 
 few years hence your opinion will have strangely altered." 
 
 " Possibly, though I do not believe it ; but you have not yet 
 replied to my question. Is Miss de Bourg aware of the 
 engagement her guardian has formed for her 2" 
 
 " And if she is not ?" 
 
 " I must then say that the man who can avail himself of her 
 protector's authority to wring from her her consent to accept 
 him, is destitute of the feelings and principles of a gentleman." 
 
 " This to me !" exclaimed Zavala, starting up.
 
 36 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " This aye and more too. I have listened calmly when 
 you spoke lightly of one I feel myself bound to defend. I am 
 aware, Don Pedro, that Miss de Bourg has more than once 
 declined the honor of your alliance. It may have become neces 
 sary to Col. Alwin to receive your co-operation in his schemes, 
 and Julie is to be the sacrifice to his interests ; but / will not 
 stand calmly by and see this crying sin against her happiness 
 consummated." 
 
 While Russell spoke, Zavala had time for reflection. Nothing 
 could be gained by a breach between them at such a crisis, and 
 all might be lost. The deadly insult he had received should be 
 bitterly atoned for, but at a more convenient season. His 
 wrath would lose nothing of its intensity by nursing it until the 
 opportunity for an explosion came. He at length spoke in a 
 deep husky tone 
 
 " Russell, you have said that to me which man seldom 
 forgives ; yet, difficult as it is, I will prove myself capable 
 of doing so. Had any other uttered those words, his life had 
 been the forfeit ; but we have been friends of long standing, and 
 a few idle words about a woman must not sever that friendship. 
 I forgive you, for you were too much excited to know the force 
 of your words. I did not mean to convey to your mind the 
 belief that Miss de Bourg is in ignorance of the engagement 
 formed for her by Col. Alwin. Here is the proof," and he drew 
 from his pocket a ring which Russell knew too well. It had 
 belonged to her mother, and Julie had never suffered it to leave 
 her finger until now. Russell recoiled, and visibly changed 
 color. 
 
 " This was taken from Miss de Bourg's hand at our last 
 interview," said Zavala, with ill-concealed triumph. " Now are 
 you convinced?" 
 
 " I am ; too fatally convinced. Can such perfidy exist in the 
 form of an angel ? Thus I destroy the image of a being I have 
 considered free from earthly frailty." 
 
 He held the sketch over the lamp. Zavala arrested his 
 hand. 
 
 " Let me have it. Demand any, every service, and it is 
 yours for this." 
 
 Russell drew back haughtily. 
 
 " I ask no service from you, Don Pedro. I will accept of 
 none. All your wealth ten times told could not purchase it. 
 It was sketched for my gratification, and the hand that traced 
 shall destroy it."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 37 
 
 " Well, be it so ; I am satisfied that it is no longer in your 
 possession." 
 
 Russell made no reply, and Zavala resumed his book, though 
 his mind was far from its contents ; he was employed in devising 
 a scheme to prevent the deception he had practised on his com 
 panion from being unfolded. He knew that many obstacles 
 remained in his way to the attainment of Julie's consent to 
 accept him, and he considered himself by no means secure in the 
 game he was playing. He thought the most certain plan 
 would be to work on the pride of Russell, by inducing him to 
 believe Miss de Bourg a mercenary coquette, who had lured 
 him on from no better feeling than vanity. He trusted that an 
 appearance of coldness on the part of Russell would pique her 
 into accepting his own attentions, and she would thus become 
 entangled in a flirtation which his importunities, and her 
 guardian's commands, might easily convert into an engagement. 
 The ring had been lost by Julie, and found by him, a few hours 
 before he last parted from her. He had forgotten to return it ; 
 and recollecting it at the moment, he made use of it to 
 convince Russell of the perfidy of his peerless Julie. 
 
 The young lover went forth in the cool air of night, and tried 
 to reflect with calmness. Julie his Julie, whom he had consi 
 dered as the embodiment of all his ideal dreams of lovely 
 woman a heartless, mercenary coquette ! Yes, it had been 
 asserted with such a show of truth he could not doubt, yet it 
 was anguish to believe it. 
 
 He recalled the incidents of the past year ; he remembered 
 the unconscious language of the eyes, which are ever the best 
 interpreters of the heart, and he felt that it was not vanity alone 
 which whispered him that those soft dark eyes had often told 
 him he was beloved. He had believed that a tacit understanding 
 existed between them, that his dependent position alone pre 
 vented him from avowing his love, and seeking a return. They 
 were both young enough to wait, and the future held out t.o him 
 a brilliant promise of success in life. For the first time he 
 regretted that he had not been born to wealth ; yet his spirit 
 scorned itself, as the thought crossed his mind that he could so 
 love one who could be influenced by such sordid considerations, 
 in the most important event of her life. 
 
 " The dream is broken," he mentally murmured. " It was 
 
 a lover' s dream, or I could not so have mistaken her. I can 
 
 resign her ; a few months hence and the current of my existence 
 
 will glide as smoothly as though no such event had for a time 
 
 4
 
 38 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 disturbed its tranquillity. Had she loved me it would have 
 been far different ; in that case I would have yielded her 
 to another only with my life. Ah ! it is terrible to believe that 
 she never valued the devotion of a heart which can offer nothing 
 to her acceptance save the affection of an honorable man, and 
 the determination to take my place among the great and noble 
 ones of earth." 
 
 He thought of Julie as he had last seen her, and as faithful 
 memory reflected back the ingenuous countenance of his beloved, 
 he could have cursed the tongue that dared to breathe a syllable 
 which could sully that image of loveliness and purity. Yet his 
 jealous heart gave credence to the tale he had heard. Why 
 should he doubt it ? Zavala had indeed spoken the truth ; she 
 was too bright a being to struggle with the petty cares a narrow 
 fortune must entail upon her. His career was yet to be 
 achieved by his own energy, and he mentally resolved that it 
 should not be unworthy the acceptance of one even as highly 
 endowed by nature as Julie de Bourg. 
 
 " The day may come," thought he, " when she shall think her 
 ambition had been better served, had she linked her fate with 
 that of one who would have sought to triumph for her sake, 
 but who will now make ambition its own reward." 
 
 Deep and bitter was this blow to one of his reserved and 
 proudly sensitive mind. With the highest sense of honor, and 
 a depth of feeling yet unworn by contact with the busy work 
 ing-day world, Russell possessed a fastidious refinement which 
 is often the accompaniment of a high order of genius. Nothing 
 could more deeply have wounded him than the belief that his 
 affections had been carelessly trifled with. No pang can be 
 keener to a high-minded and strongly feeling man, than that 
 inflicted by the heartlessness of the woman lie loves. 'Tis bit 
 terness, indeed, to find the being he has endowed with all the 
 attributes of an angel, falling so far below his ideal standard of 
 perfection. To Russell it was the most exquisite suffering which 
 could have been inflicted upon him. He could say, " 1 will 
 forget her ;" but forgetfulness comes not with the determination 
 to make the effort. Half the brilliancy of the future was 
 destroyed, and he sighed as he thought of the dreams he had 
 indulged, in which Julie was the sharer of his lot ; her affection 
 the reward of his exertions.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 39 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 " ISABEL, my love, will you sit to me again, this morning, 
 that I may give the finishing touches to the miniature for your 
 father ?" said Mrs. Fitzgerald to Miss Alwin as they were leaving 
 the breakfast-room. 
 
 " Ah, yes I had forgotten, and Julie can finish reading that 
 beautiful poem she was enchanting us with last evening. I per 
 ceive that my father and Mr. Fitzgerald are preparing for a 
 shooting excursion, so we shall have the morning to ourselves. 
 I will follow you to the library immediately." 
 
 The library opened on an extensive parterre, filled with many 
 rare and fragrant plants. Mrs. Fitzgerald was passionately fond 
 of flowers, and a rich and various collection bloomed around 
 her. Beyond the inclosure, the forest cast its shadows, and 
 occasionally a gleam of water, sparkling in the sunbeams, came 
 flashing through the waving boughs. 
 
 The room was furnished with perfect taste. Bookcases, 
 carved in a gothic pattern, were fitted in the niches between the 
 windows ; and these were filled with standard works in English, 
 French, and Italian. This portion, the lady of the mansion 
 claimed as peculiarly her own. On the other side of the room 
 was a complete law library, together with the classics, a philo 
 sophical apparatus, and maps and globes. In the centre of the 
 floor was a large circular table, covered with things as multifa 
 rious as were the various pursuits of the family. A box filled 
 with labelled minerals ; a few sketches in water colors ; a novel 
 half opened, with a few scattered rose leaves as a mark ; several 
 articles of ladies' work, together with the journals of the day ; 
 and a glass globe containing some gold and silver fish, were the 
 most conspicuous. 
 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald placed herself beside the table, and prepared 
 her materials for painting. Isabel was flitting about, re-arrang 
 ing everything, while Julie sought for the poem she had been 
 called on to finish. She was pale, and the air of lassitude with 
 which she moved, soon attracted the attention of Isabel. 
 
 " For heaven's sake, Julie, tell me why you look so sad and 
 woebegone. Are you really suffering, or only indulging in a 
 little private fit of the blues ?"
 
 40 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " I am neither ill nor sad ; though one is excusable for look 
 ing serious occasionally, I suppose." 
 
 " Oh, certainly ; if you have a fancy for that sort of thing, I 
 am sure we will not oppose you, although we might wish to see 
 you smile and look as if life were not as dull as a ' thrice-told 
 tale.' You have not been like yourself since Don Pedro left us. 
 Can you be mourning his absence." 
 
 " If no other heart mourned his absence more than mine, his 
 lot would be a desolate, for it would be a loveless one. No 
 dear Isabel, I was not thinking of Don Pedro just then, though 
 I do think of him more frequently than I could wish. My 
 imagination has of late invested him with a strange power over 
 my destiny ; the conviction is on my mind that he will cause me 
 unhappiness, and it clings to me in spite of my endeavors to 
 banish it. He returns to-day with Charles, and though I wish 
 to see Russell again, I dread the reappearance of his companion." 
 
 " Nonsense, Julie, you are only a little sad this morning, and 
 your boding imagination conjures up fancies to scare itself with. 
 Do not suffer a vague and indefinable fear to fall on your spirits, 
 and darken your. heart." 
 
 " Since my seriousness annoys you, I will make an effort to 
 be gay ;" and she turned her face, radiant with smiles, towards 
 her companion. 
 
 " Ah, now I know you again for the laughter-loving Julie, 
 whose spirits, until recently, no sorrow could long cloud. Smiles 
 are so becoming to you that your lips should wear no other 
 livery." 
 
 " Would you have me smile all the time, as our pretty Phila 
 delphia friend, Mrs. , does, to show her dimples ?" 
 
 " Not quite. Mrs. is excusable for such folly, for she 
 
 can do nothing else, poor little woman ! But where is the 
 book ? I perceive that our patient hostess is waiting for us." 
 
 " I do not know how I dare read before you, Mrs. Fitzgerald," 
 said Julie, " after hearing your declamation last night. I think 
 your personification of Lady Macbeth cannot be excelled ; I felt 
 when I retired as if I had ' supped full of horrors,' and I waked 
 more than once with the air-drawn dagger gleaming before 
 me." 
 
 " It was a favorite amusement of mine in girlhood," replied 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald. " My father was a passionate admirer of 
 Shakspeare, and from him I inherited the dramatic talent I 
 possess. He made great efforts to render me a perfect reader 
 of his favorite author ; but you, my dear Julie, need not shrink
 
 THE COKSPIRATOR. 41 
 
 from a comparison. I assure you it affords me the highest 
 pleasure to listen to you." 
 
 The poem was resumed, and the pencil of the fair artist was 
 frequently suspended to listen to the tones of that exquisite 
 voice. It is a very rare accomplishment to read well, but it was 
 one in which Julie excelled. Her flexible tones could well 
 express the deepest and most varied emotions ; while the plav 
 of her countenance, now glowing with impassioned feeling, and 
 now sad and subdued, as the strain to which she was giving 
 utterance changed its character, would have made a fine study 
 for a painter. 
 
 She was so deeply absorbed in her employment, that she did 
 not heed the smile which rested on the face of Mrs. Fitzgerald, 
 until Col. Alwin touched her arm and spoke. 
 
 " Are you so much interested in your book that you have no 
 welcome for your friends ?" 
 
 " Fye ! Colonel," said Zavala, advancing from the door ; " you 
 have deprived Russell and myself of a pleasure which I, at least, 
 have never before enjoyed." 
 
 "And one of which I should never grow weary," said 
 Russell. 
 
 Julie started up with a bright glow upon her cheek, but it faded 
 quickly away as she caught the expression of Russell's counte 
 nance. He was holding the hand of Isabel in his own, and 
 expressing both with voice and eyes his delight at meeting her 
 again. 
 
 To Mrs. Fitzgerald he gave his greeting with the same 
 appearance of cordiality, and then he turned to her. To ah 
 indifferent observer his manner would have appeared the same, 
 but to her it spoke of change ; for what is so quick as the heart 
 of woman in detecting the coldness of one she loves ! Cheek, 
 lips, and brow speak eloquently ; for are not each and all as 
 familiar to her as the workings of her own spirit ? A tone that 
 escapes all other ears speaks audibly to her of coldness and 
 estrangement ; and Julie felt as if a blow had been suddenly 
 struck upon her heart. 
 
 Russell tried to look as usual, but in vain. When Julie and 
 himself had last parted, a delightful feeling of security and con 
 fidence imparted a charm to their daily association. His affec 
 tion had never found words to tell her how much she was loved, 
 but by many actions, slight, yet full of meaning, he had told 
 her so a thousand times. 
 
 Until this moment of trial she had not known how deeply 
 4* r J
 
 42 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 implicated her own happiness was ; but her woman's pride arose 
 to sustain her womanly weakness. In one brief moment, as she 
 stood before him, with his searching eye fixed upon her varying 
 cheek, she nerved her heart to endure, without apparent shrink 
 ing, the altered language of that eye ; to feel the " iron enter 
 her soul," and yet conceal her sufferings. 
 
 Ah, how much of anguish, passion, and withered affection 
 have been bowed before the altar of human pride ! 
 
 Don Pedro was conversing with Mrs. Fitzgerald, but not a 
 word of their greeting escaped him. He saw each change in 
 Julie's countenance, and traced to their true source the painful 
 emotions which at one instant paled her cheek, and in the next 
 sent a burning glow even to her temples. 
 
 His jealous heart was wrung, and in its inmost depths he 
 execrated the man who had power to elicit such evident signs of 
 preference. As he looked upon the ingenuous countenance 
 before him, he wondered at Russell's credulity in believing the 
 tale he had heard. Could one who truly loved her look in that 
 bright, sweet face, and doubt the truth and sincerity of the 
 heart it mirrored ? 
 
 He exulted as he thought his snares were closing around her, 
 and insulted pride and wounded affection were combining to 
 drive her into his arms. 
 
 " She will yet be mine !" was his thought ; " ay, and willing 
 ly ; while this blind, love-sick boy is ' whistled down the wind.' 
 Mine she must be beautiful, adored, peerless being ! My 
 fancy, glowing as it is, cannot imagine a creature more transcen- 
 dently lovely. Oh ! with such a being to love me, to be mine 
 in heart and soul, to give me her earnest sympathy, what might 
 I not become !" 
 
 His rhapsody was interrupted by Col. Alwin bringing forward 
 a young stranger whom he introduced to Mrs. Fitzgerald as 
 Mr. Graham. Russell then took him by the arm, and leading 
 him to Isabel, said : 
 
 " I must bespeak your kind regard for my young friend here ; 
 he has been physician, nurse, everything to me during my ill 
 ness." 
 
 Isabel expressed her animated thanks, and then Russell for 
 mally introduced him to Miss de Bourg. Julie had been 
 wounded by his previous manner, but now she was piqued. 
 
 The pel-son thus introduced was below the medium height, 
 and with a slight but very elegant figure. His face was highly 
 intellectual, and of a strange, unearthly beauty. His features
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 43 
 
 were regular and delicate his forehead remarkably high, 
 smooth, and fair as that of a girl. The dark eyes which 
 gleamed beneath the lightly pencilled brows, had a wild, startled 
 expression ; and a profusion of pale brown hair worn much 
 longer than was customary, fell in large rings on his shoulders. 
 His mouth was smiling, yet indescribably sad was that expres 
 sion of mirth. An observer would have pronounced him one 
 whose intellect had been prematurely developed, and whose mind 
 had been stamped with sombre impressions, by the sorrows 
 which belong not to early life. He could not have been more 
 than twenty years of age, yet his countenance had a character, 
 and an intellectuality, which later life generally imparts. 
 
 " Have you resided long in Marietta ?" asked Isabel. 
 
 The young stranger started as the low soft tones fell on his 
 ear, and he lifted his eyes to the brilliant face of the querist with 
 an admiring gaze. 
 
 " No," said he, in tones as liquid as her own. " I am a wan 
 derer. Many places have been familiar to my steps, but none 
 have known me long. My restless spirit cannot be contented 
 in any spot, however bright the sky above may be. I weary of 
 all things." 
 
 Isabel listened in surprise to this strange avowal. 
 
 " You are young to confess a feeling of weariness where the 
 bright and beautiful are to be enjoyed. I hope you will not soon 
 tire of our society ; for we will do all we can to drive the wan 
 dering demon from you." 
 
 " A demon you may well call it, Miss Alwin ; for it has 
 fastened on me, and holds me in its iron grasp. All of our 
 house have had this demon yet none has been so fatal as mine 
 has been to me. This is beautiful most beautiful," he con 
 tinued, suddenly breaking off, and approaching the table to 
 examine Mrs. Fitzgerald's work, before the surprised Isabel could 
 make any reply to this strange speech. 
 
 " It is my daughter, herself," said Col. Alwin. " How shall I 
 thank you, my dear Madam, for this exquisite resemblance ? In 
 after years, when time has dimmed the gloomy tints of the liv 
 ing countenance, I can recur to this, and see my child as she 
 was in the spring-time of life. This is indeed a delightful art. 
 I can almost envy you the power you possess of transferring a 
 lovely and beloved face to a senseless piece of ivory, which 
 appears to become instinct with life and beauty beneath your 
 touch." 
 
 " I scarcely think it worth envying," replied Mrs. Fitzgerald,
 
 44 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 with a calm, sad smile. "I once valued it highly, and made 
 quite a collection. I still preserve the shadows of many who 
 are tenants of early graves, or so widely separated from me, 
 that the faint and imperfect touches of my pencil are the only 
 memorials I am ever likely to possess of them. I value them, it 
 is true ; but when I look on the lineaments of a face with whose 
 every expression I was once familiar, and meet the changeless 
 smile, the speaking eye recalling a host of unbidden memories, 
 and see how like, yet how different it is from the original, a feel 
 ing of deeper sadness is produced, than to have no record, save 
 memory, of a beloved face." 
 
 " Ah, I have never viewed it in that light. There is melan 
 choly in it certainly, but there are moments in which I would 
 give much to possess the resemblance, however imperfect, of the 
 buried friends of early life." 
 
 " Why should you wish it ?" asked the stranger, abruptly. 
 " I have but one to remember, and her face is ever before me ; 
 at this instant, her dark piercing eyes seem to burn into my 
 soul. Oh, 'tis inisery to remember ! Then why wish for a cold 
 shadow, when fancy can bring before you the living and breath 
 ing form of the one you have loved ? Believe me, it is not 
 wise." 
 
 He spoke in so excited a tone, that Col. Alwin regarded him 
 with astonishment ; but soon the flush of aroused feeling faded 
 from his features, and left them of almost marble paleness. He 
 seated himself at some distance from the table, and leaning his 
 head on his hand, seemed to forget all that was passing before 
 him. 
 
 " Do not mind him," whispered Zavala, touching his forehead 
 significantly. " I do not think he is quite right here ; though 
 his kindness to Russell demanded some return, and we urged 
 him to come with us to the island. Pray, Mrs. Fitzgerald," he 
 continued, " be kind enough to show us your collection, for I am 
 extravagantly fond of pictures." 
 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald arose, and opening a small cabinet, took from 
 it a case containing a dozen miniatures. 
 
 " Some great man has said, that he is rich who possesses one 
 true friend. How fortunate then am I, who can show the sha 
 dows of twelve." 
 
 She opened a paper wrapped around a head strikingly like 
 Miss de Bourg. 
 
 " Ah, Julie, here is the miniature of Olivia Fitzowen, whose 
 history I have related to you in days o' lang syne."
 
 I 
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 45 
 
 "I remember. You thought us alike in person, though 
 unlike in character." 
 
 " Yes ; she was a belle and a coquette, and ended by eloping 
 with a gay captain of dragoons, who broke her heart in a few 
 hours." 
 
 " A coquette, and unlike !" said Russell. " All women are 
 alike in that respect. Hearts are the toys they trifle with, and 
 crushed affections the garlands of triumph for a lovely brow. Is 
 it not so, Miss de Bourg ?" 
 
 There was a tone of bitterness which did not escape the ear to 
 which it was addressed. She did not immediately answer, for 
 she was afraid to trust to the steadiness of her voice. 
 
 " If your experience has taught you thus, Mr. Russell, 
 I shall not, even in defence of my sex, dispute your assertion. 
 My own particular share in your philippic I am at a loss to 
 account for ; however, as it is of no consequence, I shall not dis 
 pute my title to the epithet of coquette." 
 
 Russell's face flushed. 
 
 " Far be it from me," he said, " to be guilty of the imperti 
 nence of affixing such a title to Miss de Bourg. I have neither 
 the power nor the inclination to dispute her right to be a trifler 
 with the deepest and truest feelings of the human heart, for she 
 is gifted with the beauty to insure success in such a career, and 
 with the wit to defend it." 
 
 " You and Julie sparring at each other ! " exclaimed Isabel. 
 " Certainly something wonderful will next happen. I who have 
 held you up as my models of good temper, to find you actually 
 engaged in a dispute ! Pray tell me what it means ?" 
 
 Russell smiled as he answered 
 
 " I piqued Julie without intending it. Pray do not wrong 
 my gallantry so much as to suppose me capable of disputing 
 with a lady. Julie was not wont to take offence at such 
 trifles." 
 
 Julie was more deeply wounded than she chose to show, 
 and she remained silent. It was the first time she ever remem 
 bered hearing a harsh or bitter word from Charles Russell, and 
 he had chosen her as the one on whom to vent his spleen !
 
 I 
 
 46 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 "I AM a fool ; the veriest fool in existence, to suffer myself 
 thus to become the sport of a thousand passions !" exclaimed 
 Russell, when he found himself alone in his own room. " I have 
 been ungenerous, unkind, almost insulting to the woman for 
 whom I would sacrifice my very existence. Since that calm 
 inquiring look beamed on me from her clear eyes, I seem to 
 have acquired new faith in her truth, and I despise myself for so 
 weakly yielding credence to Zavala's assertions. He, too, with 
 that laughing demon in his eye, as he witnessed my discomfi 
 ture ; and then the confident air with which he approached her. 
 She does not love him, yet she may marry him ; ambition is 
 the curse of the high-hearted, and even this noble girl has felt its 
 baneful influence. Faugh ! it makes me sick to think that she 
 will barter her soul for money. It destroys my faith in human 
 nature to see one so gentle, so gifted, fall so far below my ideal 
 standard." 
 
 He pressed his hands upon his temples, and endeavored to 
 quell the emotions whirling through his brain. He had passed 
 a wretched evening, with the conflicting feelings of love, jealousy, 
 and anger alternately swelling his heart almost to bursting. 
 Julie had exercised admirable self control ; she allowed Zavala 
 to sit beside her and converse with her, without deigning to cast 
 a glance towards the unhappy lover, who seemed bent on tortur 
 ing himself as much as possible. He retired with the feeling 
 that the beloved of his bright youth, the idol of his boyhood, 
 the dream of his matured years, was won from him. Her voice 
 would give music to another's home, her heart would admit 
 another's image to occupy the place which he had once fondly 
 believed consecrated to his own. Life has no deeper pang to 
 bring to the young and inexperienced heart than the conviction 
 of the falsehood of a beloved one ! 
 
 " I cannot no, I cannot lose her thus !" he exclaimed, start 
 ing from his seat. " No, no ; one more effort, and then " 
 
 He looked out ; the stars were shining brightly. " I will 
 sing beneath her window ; she will recognise my voice ; she 
 will speak, and then . Oh ! I am mad, mad, yet I will try it. 
 Music ! ha ! ha ! there is music in my soul to-night, when I 
 could bathe my hand in the blood of that man who calls himself
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 4*7 
 
 my rival. Yet not if she loves him ; oh, no her love would be 
 his security. Let me see ; I will sing the song I composed at 
 her request. It will express my feelings, and if she ever loved 
 me, she will respond to it. I will then tell her my hopes, my 
 fears, and perhaps all may yet be well." 
 
 He took a guitar from its case, and unclosed a French 
 window which opened upon the lawn, and stepped out. In the 
 afternoon Isabel had pointed out to him the windows of the 
 room occupied by herself and Julie, and he leaned against a tree 
 and scanned the delicate white drapery which curtained them, 
 with the eye of a lover. A multiflora rose with its clusters of 
 delicate flowers, hung on festoons around the upper part of the 
 window, and he drew sufficiently near to pluck a sprig, which 
 was immediately concealed in his bosom. 
 
 He possessed sufficient skill to play a very pleasing accom 
 paniment, and his voice was rich and full toned, as it rang forth 
 upon the still and star-lit air : 
 
 " Que je t'aime ah, fondly stealing 
 
 On thine ear, each low fond word 
 Tells thee of the depths of feeling 
 
 That within my soul are stirred. 
 
 Que je t'aime, ah que je t'aime ! 
 
 " One garland only life is wreathing, 
 
 But one thought, one hope, one aim, 
 All the love I feel is breathing 
 
 In those accents, que je t'aime ! 
 
 Que je t'aime ah que je t'aime !" 
 
 The last note died away, yet no sign came that an unquiet 
 heart was thirsting for the assurance his words contained. He 
 drew near to the window, in the hope that some movement from 
 within would assure him that his impassioned verses had not 
 been utterly without effect. The curtain stirred, and his heart 
 beat wildly. It was only the night wind pshaw ! why had he 
 been silly enough to come thus early : the family had not yet 
 retired, and his impatience had led him into serenading an empty 
 room. 
 
 He stole around to the other wing of the building, and heard 
 the murmur of voices in conversation. He turned towards the 
 shrubbery, and had proceeded but a few paces when the sound 
 of earnest words arrested his steps. Don Pedro was speaking ; 
 and he remained riveted to the spot, until the answer came, in
 
 48 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 the low soft tones which had too often found an echo in his 
 heart to be mistaken. A high hedge of hawthorn was between 
 himself and the speaker, and, for one instant, he stood an unob 
 served spectator of the interview. The full rnoon was rising, 
 and Julie was standing on the open lawn listening, with a smil 
 ing lip, to the insidious words of Zavala. Ah ! how he hated 
 him as he marked the impassioned manner of bis rival ! 
 
 As he looked on her pure calm brow, with her dark hair 
 parted above it ; on her lovely face, to which the moonbeams 
 seemed to impart a loftier expression a holier charm, he could 
 have rushed forward, kneeled at her feet, and solicited pardon 
 for his suspicions. She raised her eyes to the face of her com 
 panion, aud his spirit again writhed with jealousy. Those dark, 
 beautiful eyes, in whose light he had so often sunned his soul, 
 were beaming with tenderness upon another, while he was 
 passed coldly, silently by. He convinced himself by that inge 
 nious process of self-torture, known to lovers alone, that all he 
 had heard, and doubted, was true ; and his heart was wrung 
 with anguish as the conviction came to it, that she was false to 
 the love of her childish years : that the ties of early affection 
 were sundered, and she was ready to wing her way from the 
 home of her infancy, beneath the protection of one whose prin 
 ciples were unknown to her whose character was shaded by 
 many faults of a nature to mar the happiness of domestic life. 
 
 " Happy may you be, Julie ! but as his wife never ! never ! 
 can you be. The dark waters of fate will close over that bright 
 head, and that young heart break with the weight of crushed 
 affections. A plaything for a week a month, perhaps, and 
 then a neglected, forsaken wife. Ah, Julie," Julie, such had not 
 been thy doom, had I been permitted to call thee mine !" 
 
 Blinded, maddened by jealousy, the unhappy Russell rushed 
 back to his own apartment, where he vented the passion of his 
 soul in some wild stanzas addressed to his lost love. 
 
 He had scarcely scrawled the last line, when the door was 
 thrown open without ceremony, and Zavala entered. 
 
 " My dear fellow, what on earth are you doing ? Writing 
 poetry, I protest ! and looking as solemn as if you were making 
 your last will and testament, preparatory to taking a desperate 
 leap into the dark abyss yclept eternity. Why, Russell, you 
 appear to have lost your identity since our arrival here. The 
 ladies have inquired for you, and think it strange that you ab 
 sented yourself from their society on the first 'evening of your 
 return. Col. Alwin, too, has asked for you several times."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 49 
 
 " He is very good they are very good,"' replied Russell, in a 
 constrained manner. 1 " I did not suppose 1 my absence from so 
 happy a circle would ! be remarked; I did not feel very well, 
 and therefore" 
 
 " In short, my dear fellow, you seem to have quarrelled with 
 the 1 fan* 'De'Bourg. Ah, she is an exquisite creature. I have 
 been standing in the -moonlight with her, this- 'last 1 hour, wor 
 shipping her matchless beauty, and calling up all the powers 
 of eloquence at my command, to inspire her with a wish to see 
 the glorious 'southern sky. How beautiful is her enthusiasm ! 
 no affectation no striving for effect. All is pure, natural, and 
 lovely." 
 
 Poor Russell ! how he writhed beneath such remarks. He, 
 who had seen her grow up beside him, each day displaying 
 some new charm, as a sweet flower unfolds its petals to the sun 
 he, who knew all her gentle witchery, to hear the acquaint 
 ance of a few short months speak thus, was more than he could 
 bear. Zavala rattled on, careless of the wretchedness he knew 
 he was inflicting nay, rather enjoying it. 
 
 "When she accompanies me to the south, I have promised 
 to give a moonlight f&te, the most splendid thing of the kind 
 that Villa d'Esperanza has ever witnessed. She, of course, will 
 be ; queen of the revels ; ah, would that I had a coronet to place 
 up6n that matchless brow methinks it would grace it well. 
 But you do not appear to listen to'me-^-where are your thoughts 
 wandering ?" - 
 
 " Pardon me, I am not well," replied Russell, for he ! felt ex 
 hausted with 'the conflict of feeling which raged within him. 
 " 1 shall be more in tJhe''mood> to listen to your felicitations on 
 your good fortune to-morrow." 
 
 "'My d'ear feWow, : ' ?; said Zavala, as if he had just remem 
 bered the position which 'Russell had once held towards Miss 
 de Bourg, " pray forgive me I am a thoughtless creature 
 when my ; feelings are excited. In the fulness of ; my own hap 
 piness I forgot that Julie had been more to you than a sister. 
 I will be more thoughtful in future. I have neglected, too, a 
 commission delegated tome by Col. Alwin. Gail you listen to 
 his message ?" 
 
 " Yes, certainly, my head was never clearer," replied Russell 
 with perfect composure, though! the whirlwind of emotion 
 within was yet at its height. Death, he felt, would be prefera 
 ble to allowing his triumphant rival to witness the agony which 
 weighed upon his soul.
 
 50 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Ah, well, so much the better. Col. Alwin tells me that he 
 has hitherto kept you in ignorance of the ultimate aim of his 
 present movements. Of late you have pressed him to develope 
 them to you, and as I have devoted much time to master them, 
 he commissions me to make the whole known to you." 
 
 Russell assumed an air of interest, and [>repared himself to 
 listen attentively ; for the information now offered, he had long 
 eagerly desired to gain. 
 
 Long and animated was the conference which ensued, and at 
 the close he arose and walked hurriedly across the floor, as if 
 earnestly revolving what he had heard. 
 
 At length he said : 
 
 " And yet you will not call this a conspiracy ? By what other 
 name shall we distinguish it ? Col. Alwin employs hundreds of 
 men to build boats for him and descend the Mississippi river 
 under the pretext of making a settlement on the Wachitta ; 
 while beneath this specious pretence, he evidently conceals designs 
 of the darkest nature against the interests of his native land. 
 If I rightly understand you, he intends to revolutionize Mexico, 
 and armed with the power thus acquired, he will proceed to 
 wrest the South Western Territory from the United States, and 
 make New Orleans the capital of his new empire, kingdom, or 
 whatever he may choose to call it, for he will make himself 
 sovereign of whatever he attemps to govern. Such is his Her 
 culean project; and it is as impracticable as to drain the 
 depths of the ocean. No, no, sir, I see the end the country 
 will rise against him so soon as the real nature of his intentions 
 is suspected. The people will never suffer such an invasion of 
 their rights. This mad scheme will end in his own downfal and 
 utter ruin." 
 
 " Listen to me, Russell. You are unacquainted with his 
 resources, and they are many and powerful. In his own cha 
 racter, too, we have the best pledge of success. If determination 
 of purpose, and constancy in the pursuit of his object, united 
 with brilliant talent and despatch in business, can make him 
 successful, he must be so. Nothing discourages him. The 
 greater the difficulties he has to encounter the greater the dili 
 gence and energy he brings to overcome them ; and his fortitude 
 frequently accomplishes what to others appears impossible. As 
 a leader he is invaluable. I would rather trust to a cause in 
 which he had embarked all his interests than to any other man 
 in the country." 
 
 " I am fully aware of all you can urge," said Russell, calmly
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 51 
 
 but decidedly. "I have suspected this for some time, and my 
 decision is irrevocably made. I am under the deepest obliga 
 tions to Col. Alwin, and that circumstance will ever prevent me 
 from betraying or in any manner drawing the suspicions of 
 government upon him ; but I can have no participation in his 
 plans. I am a citizen of the United States, and no mere 
 motives of personal aggrandizement shall ever induce me to aid 
 in desolating my beautiful country with civil war, for such it 
 must eventually end in. Is Fitzgerald leagued with you ?" 
 
 " No, not yet. I have been feeling his pulse to see whether 
 his ambition can be roused to fever heat, but he appears so well 
 contented here that I am almost afraid to try him." 
 
 " He is right. Suffer him to remain at peace ; he has made 
 one escape from the turmoil and strife of bolder spirits, and 
 found a haven of content in this Paradise ; let him remain as 
 you found him." 
 
 " And this is your final answer ? You will at least take a 
 night to reflect on it." 
 
 " Not an hour not a moment I am decided." 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 EVERY day tended to confirm the suspicions of Fitzgerald, 
 and at last he no longer doubted that the object of Col. Alwin's 
 visit to the unfrequented spot he inhabited was to pursue his 
 plans, secure from the observation of the existing government. 
 He now knew that he had sought his present asylum, reckless 
 of the consequences which might ensue to his host and his 
 lovely family. Resolved to be no longer duped by his guest, 
 Fitzgerald one morning desired a private conversation with 
 him. 
 
 " It is exactly what I have been wishing myself," said the 
 Colonel, calmly rising and taking his arm. As they passed out 
 he said : 
 
 " I have desired an interview for some time, but until I 
 received some despatches which have this morning come to 
 hand, I could not confide to you all I wished. But now I can 
 be entirely unreserved." 
 
 " Col. Alwin," said Fitzgerald, " if, as I suspect, this confi-
 
 52 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 dence concerns your present machinations against the peace of 
 your country, I wish to know nothing of them. It is scarcely 
 possible that you can escape with impunity, and I do not wish 
 you, by your -own voluntary confession, to qualify me to act as 
 a witness against one I have called my friend, should I ever be 
 commanded by your country to do so. All I ask of you is to 
 leave me in peace, and not implicate a defenceless foreigner in 
 schemes which must call down the vengeance of your laws. Do 
 not be the cause of driving me again from the home I have 
 chosen for myself, and in which I have been so happy." 
 
 ; "Fitzgerald, you misunderstand you misconceive my views. 
 I have no intention of injuring my country, or the man who 
 now holds the chief authority in it. No son of this soil would 
 ; sooner ] fly to arms in defence of the rights and liberties of his 
 native land than myself. I swear to you, her interests are hal 
 lowed in my eyes, and by me shall never be injured. You 
 surely do not consider it incompatible with them to establish a 
 new empire in that vast territory which lies west of the Missis 
 sippi ? There my hopes point, -and there will I reign with 
 absolute authority. A more congenial fate than to be tram 
 melled as is the President of these fair States." 
 
 "You do not seem- to 'consider/' Teplied Fitzgerald, " that 
 this territory is the property of a nation at peace with the 
 United States, nay, in alliance with them, and the Spanish 
 government will never quietly see a province of such immense 
 value wrested from them. There is fallacy in your arguments, 
 for when the court of Spain complains of violated treaties, the 
 President must hold you amenable to the laws of your country ; 
 -as a subject, you must be arraigned for treason." 
 : "My measures are so securely taken as to leave no possible 
 . chance for me to fall into the poiver of the government. Do you 
 think I would be so besotted as to risk falling under the author 
 ity of :the very man whose intrigues have -thwarted my highest 
 : hopes ? Success is certain, and ; I may in safety now indulge in 
 the boast that I will be first or nothing. I offer you the oppor 
 tunity to rise'iwith me, if you have any ambitious aspirations. 
 If I 'should fell, though I repeat there is no chance of such a 
 consummation, I will not drag you down with me ; of that rest 
 assured. Here are my proposals in writing ; weigh them well, 
 I beg, and do j not resolutely turn from fortune, when she is 
 ready to lavish upon you her brightest smiles." 
 
 Fitzgerald motioned back the otfered papers. 
 
 " I dare not take them."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 53 
 
 " Nay, you may surely read them. That cannot harm you, 
 and their mere perusal pledges you to nothing." : 
 
 Thus pressed upon him, Fitzgerald reluctantly took the 
 offered papers, and Col. Alwin hastened to join Zavala, whot 
 awaited the result of the interview in his own apartment. 
 
 . " What says Fitzgerald ?" he anxiously inquired, " If he proves 
 refractory it will perplex us considerably. Affairs are at present .> 
 in a critical position, and until we are sure of our adherents,.our 
 movements must be very cautious. Our only chance with him 
 is to dazzle his mind with the prospect of a magnificent reward, : 
 until his honest upright sense is lulled into . security. I believer 
 with Sir Robert Walpole that every man has bis price, if onen 
 could only find out what would be the temptation." 
 
 "I think I can guess it in this case," replied Alwin, with a 
 sardonic smile. " I have left with him .but now a sketch of myi> 
 plans, or at least as much of them as it is desirable he .should 
 know, and I have not been true to myself if he does not even 
 tually come into my views." : .;". 
 
 And Col. Alwin was right. With the deepest insight into 
 human nature into its darker and weaker points, he could read 
 the workings of the human heart, and skilfully turn them to his , 
 own purposes. He knew that Fitzgerald was not destitute of , 
 ambition if he could once arouse it, and he had seen unmistak 
 able evidences that he was weary of the narrow sphere to which: I 
 he was confined. His letter was worded in the most cautious 
 and subtle manner ; he dilated on the certain advantages /that 
 must accrue to him from joining in his present enterprise ; he - 
 lamented that such talents as were possessed by his friend, 
 should be buried in obscurity ; and asserted that his principal; 
 motive for urging him to act in concert with him, was the wish: 
 to afford him a field on which to display the high endowments 
 of mind which were now as useless to him as gold in an 
 un wrought mine. He acknowledged that he wished to avail, j 
 himself of the assistance his friend could afford him, and con 
 cluded by offering him an office of the highest trust in his future 
 enterprise. rfe 
 
 The result showed that Col. Alwin had been true to his repu 
 tation for eloquence, for Fitzgerald was, dazzled, if not convinced* , 
 Perhaps there are few minds entirely free from the desire to 
 acquire fame, that bright bubble which philosophers deride, yet 
 strive to attain. It has been the inspiring hope of the warrior, 
 the statesman, and the poet, from Diogenes in his tub; and him. 
 who wept that he had not another world to conquer, down to 
 
 5*
 
 54 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 the aspirants of the present day. It is the unquenchable desire 
 which pervades all hearts, and nerves the soul to exertions which, 
 for any other good, would be deemed too great. Strange it is, 
 too, when we remember, that fame is but breath, and flattery 
 cannot charm the dull cold ear of death. 
 
 The struggle in Fitzgerald's mind was long and severe ; and 
 the deciding voice came in the memory of his wife's words, 
 uttered without dreaming of the consequences that would spring 
 from them. She had wished for a wider career for him. She 
 had often urged him to resume the practice of the profession for 
 which he had been educated, and make known to the world that 
 he was no degenerate son of that soil, whose birthright seems to 
 be wit, eloquence, and song. He was convinced that he had 
 lived too long in privacy that it was quite time to emerge from 
 his retirement, and exhibit to the admiring world the brilliant 
 genius with which he suddenly felt himself endowed. 
 
 On the following day he sought Col. Alwin, and signified to 
 him that he was convinced he meant no ulterior injury to his 
 country, and on mature consideration, he thought it would be 
 advisable to exchange his present retirement for the high trust 
 he offered him. That gentleman expressed his pleasure, but he 
 turned away with a sneer upon his lip, and muttered 
 
 " Aye the way with all mankind! Throw out a glittering 
 bait, and they are easily hooked." 
 
 Fitzgerald little dreamed, while he indulged in visions of 
 future greatness and usefulness in his new career, that he was the 
 dupe, the tool of the man on whose friendship he securely relied. 
 
 After he had formally pledged himself to the conspirators, he 
 turned to the apartments of his wife, with the intention of lulling 
 to rest the apprehensions which had haunted her mind since the 
 arrival of Col. Alwin, and in which he so largely participated. 
 
 It was night, and Mrs. Fitzgerald was, as usual, performing the 
 duties of a tender mother to her infant children. 
 
 As the father approached the room, he heard the lisping tones 
 of his boy's voice through the half open door ; he stopped, for 
 his spirit felt rebuked as he listened to the prayer his infant lips 
 were uttering. The child was kneeling before his mother, and 
 her hand rested on his head, while his own were clasped over his 
 young brow. 
 
 There is something touchingly beautiful in the homage of 
 childhood to the great Author of our existence ; the young heart 
 awed by the mystery which surrounds that beneficent and Eter 
 nal Being, is incapable of appreciating his glories ; yet offers up
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 55 
 
 all its innocent aspirations to the throne of grace. Fitzgerald 
 turned away ; he felt that he was unfit to enter that sanctuary 
 hallowed by innocence and maternal affection. He had never 
 felt thus before, and as he traversed the hall with heavy steps, he 
 mentally exclaimed 
 
 " And am I, after all, the dupe of my own worldly mind ? 
 Why do I, like a guilty being, hesitate to stand before my wife 
 and children ? I, who never yet have had cause to shrink from 
 the glance of any man, however exalted may have been his 
 virtues. Believing that an ' honest man 's the noblest work 
 of God,' I have pursued the tenor of my way, seeking the ap 
 probation of my own conscience alone. Now, I have it not 
 yet I am too deeply pledged to retract they shall never think 
 me cowardly and vacillating. What I have decided on shall 
 be fulfilled ; but I will go once more to Margaret, and calm her 
 fears." 
 
 As he again entered the room he was struck by the scene 
 which met his view. The youngest child had not been well 
 for several days, and Mrs. Fitzgerald had been deprived of 
 rest. She was now leaning back in a large chair cushioned with 
 crimson velvet, on which rested her fair cheek ; slumbers veiled 
 the clear bright eyes, and the rosy lips seemed ready to part in 
 smiles. One arm supported her head, and the other was 
 wreathed around her child. The light shone full on her features, 
 and the lover-husband thought she had never been half so beau 
 tiful nor half so dear as at that moment. He softly approached 
 and imprinted a light kiss upon her brow. 
 
 A book was lying on the table beside her. He took it up, 
 and glanced at the title : it was Milton's Paradise Lost, and he 
 immediately applied it to his own situation. 
 
 " This has truly been my Paradise," he murmured, " and you, 
 my Margaret, instead of being an Eve to tempt me to err, have 
 been the divinity who dispensed happiness to all around, and by 
 your wise counsels pointed out the true path. Yes lovely and 
 beloved, should I allow the accursed passions of the hollow and 
 deceitful world to interfere with our happiness, and should I be 
 doomed to suffer for it, my bitterest punishment will be that you 
 must participate in my misery. Ah ! how could I bear to see 
 the bloom fade from that cheek, the smile from those lips, and 
 know that I, who should have guarded thy sensitive heart from 
 all suffering, am the cause of all ! Away with such thoughts ! 
 thy future must be, shall be, more brilliant than the past has 
 ever been."
 
 56 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 More brilliant it might be, but never so happy to her who 
 sought contentment in the delight of home.- i Fascinating, gay, 
 and fond of amusement she certainly was ; a woman so formed 
 to shine in society must keenly enjoy its-excitement. But those 
 pleasures make up but a small part of the existence of a think* 
 ing and feeling human being; and this rare creature was one 
 who found her truest happiness .i>n the exercise of the affections 
 and charities of a noble and benevolent heart . : 
 
 .The reflections of Fitzgerald were interrupted by his wife, who 
 suddenly started from her slumbers with an .exclamation of 
 terror. 
 
 "Oh Eustace Eustace I have 'bad such a terrible dreatn ;" 
 and she veiled her eyes and shuddered at the recollection. 
 
 " What was it, dearest? .You appeared to: slumber calmly." 
 
 "I thought that our guest (ob< 1 fear him every hour more 
 and more !) that he was standing on an eminence far, far 
 above the crowd that gaped below, and he held in his hand a 
 brilliant star. You, nay husband, : were climbing that steep 
 ascent to reach the glittering bait which he held out to you as 
 a reward for your toils. When I saw you, I shrieked and called 
 upon your name; as the agonized cry reached your ears, you 
 turned, when he said, in a voice of thunder, -'Tis more impos* 
 sible to return than to finish the ascent ;';. and- you smiled and 
 waved your hand -oh,; that smile it was terrible! there was . 
 recklessness, despair, , and determination, all blended in its 
 ghastly glare. When you had at .last climbed to the summit^ 
 and your hand was put forth to grasp the prize, a fiery bolt was 
 hurled fromithe clouds above ^you, and both seemed' swallowed 
 up. in its flames. At that moment I awoke." 
 
 "What phantasy, my dear Margaret! You have suffered 
 your mind to dwell on the mystery -which surround* our guest, 
 until your. sleeping, visions have borrowed their hue from your 
 waking ones. Believe me* i. Col. Alwin would isooner serve than, 
 injure us." > . . . . . . n . 
 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald; looked keenly at her husband as he; thus 
 spoke, and she quickly detected a change in his countenance, 
 though, he endeavored; to conceal from her the impression her 
 strange vision had made upon. him. She clasped his' hand and 
 earnestly said :.;.--,; 
 
 " Tell me, Eustace and I conjure you, as; you love me, do not 
 deceive me are you aware of the plans Col. Alwin is now 
 maturing? , Oh, my dear, dear husband,; do not, be led away 
 by this intriguing man- to embroil yourself with the govern-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 57 
 
 ment of the country which has afforded us an asylum from 
 oppression." 
 
 " Pooh, Margaret, do you suppose I could be induced to give 
 my support to measures that would tend to subvert 'the govern 
 ment ? I thought you had more respect for my understanding 
 and principles." 
 
 " I fear you will be deceived, and involved in a diangerous 
 difficulty before you are aware of 'it. I know that 'to a ; man ' 
 of Col. Alwin's spirit revenge is sweet, and to deal ; a deadly'' 
 blow at the prosperity of the country while tinder its presrnt 
 rulers is his chief aim. Oh, my husband, remember our own 
 country ! Think of the blood that has deluged her soil ; of the 
 noble, the brave, the free in heart who have had the traitor's 
 doom awarded them for struggling to disenthrall the land that 
 gave them birth. You are a stranger mingle not with the 
 broils created by a discontented and intriguing spirit." 
 
 " Margaret, did you not yourself wish for a nobler career for 
 me ? Have you not urged me, often, to mingle among men, 
 and use the gifts worthily, which nature has bestowed upon 
 me?" 
 
 " I have, I still wish it ; but not such a career as this. In 
 place of soaring to your true elevation, you will be crushed, 
 destroyed. You are deceived, Eustace. I have received a 
 warning that I may not lightly pass over. I have been told 
 that he will use any means to gain your concurrence in his 
 present views, for it is necessary to the success of his enter 
 prise." 
 
 "And pray, Margaret, to whom are yoti indebted for such 
 information." 
 
 "I do not feel at liberty to name the friend who so kindly ' 
 interested himself in our fate, even to you. He is one who 
 would save you from the snare you are blindly falling into ; arid ; 
 I conjure you to listen to him. He feels friendship for both 
 Col. Alwin and yourself; and although too honorable to betray ; 
 what has only recently become known to him, he is convinced 
 that all concerned in it must meet with disappointment, if no [ 
 worse fate befal them ; and he would save you from a par 
 ticipation in the punishment that must eventually overtake 
 them." 
 
 "I thank him for his consideration," coldly replied 'Fitzgerald. 
 "If, .as I suspect, this information comes from RuSsell, he is 
 going to act the traitor to his benefactor." 
 
 " Oh do not thus misconstrue his motives. He wishes to ;
 
 58 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 save you, but not to injure Col. Alwin, He knows that the 
 end of all this must be desolation, misery, possibly death !" and 
 she wept bitterly. 
 
 It has always been admitted that tears are a woman's most 
 efficient weapon, and they now produced a much greater effect 
 than the earnest and impassioned words which had preceded 
 them. Fitzgerald was softened to such a degree by the evident 
 unhappiness of his wife, that if he could with honor have extri 
 cated himself from the dilemma in which he was placed, he 
 would willingly have done so. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Letter from Isabel to a young friend. 
 
 " DEAR EMMA : 
 
 " Your last welcome letter found me, not, as you supposed, 
 wearied to death with my summer retreat, but more in love 
 with it than I can express. I have wished you here a thousand 
 times, to share my happiness. 
 
 " Our host you have seen, and you know him to be one of 
 Erin's noblest sons ; but it is not of him, but his charming wife 
 that I would write ; a woman, my dear girl, whom to know is 
 to love, admire, almost worship. To beauty, talent, and culti 
 vation, she adds the deepest fascination ; I can give no other 
 name to the wonderful charm which surrounds her as with a 
 halo. She and her lord appear to be perfectly happy in their 
 mutual affection, and they have two noble looking children. 
 Domestic happiness is here truly valued and enjoyed ; what a 
 pity it is that time will not stand still for those who so rightly 
 employ it! I do not like to think that so charming a picture 
 must be destroyed by this ruthless old monster. To-day we 
 are surrounded by all that can make life desirable ; blessed with 
 youth, health, and keen relish for every enjoyment which they 
 impart; a few fleeting years roll by, and an old man with 
 feeble steps and silvery hair mourns over the wreck of the past, 
 perchance the survivor of all that once fastened the bonds of 
 sympathy upon his heart. Such are thy triumphs, oh insatiable 
 time ! Thou stealest the bloom from the fairest cheek, life from 
 the eye, and freshness from the heart. In thy iron grasp we
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 59 
 
 vainly wrestle, for thy stern power crushes and destroys all 
 things bright, beautiful, and beloved. 
 
 " Mercy ! what a rhapsody I have been betrayed into. Pray 
 excuse it, my dear friend, and I will compensate you for read 
 ing anything so tiresome, by relating an amusing conversation 
 which took place last evening. 
 
 " I had a letter from our friend Caroline C., who is kind 
 enough to enlighten me occasionally with bulletins from the seat 
 of fashion. She informed me that the only colors worn by the 
 lite are London smoke and the Monkey's last gasp. We sup 
 posed London smoke to be pretty near the color of any other 
 smoke, only a little dingier, perhaps ; but as none of us had ever 
 been present at the death of a monkey, we could not imagine 
 what shade his last gasp could possibly be. I inquired of Zavala 
 (you remember our Louisiana friend), and he answered with his 
 usual sarcasm, that he did not know, but if we could get some 
 one to give the coup de grace to the writer of the letter, and be 
 near at the time, we should be able to judge. Mrs. Fitzgerald 
 likes Caroline, and she quickly replied that there was a quicker 
 method of arriving at the desired information, which would be 
 to have the same office performed for hirn. The gentleman 
 bowed with an air of pique, and walked off. She followed 
 him, however, and in her winning way smoothed the ruffled 
 plumage of his vanity, and soon brought him back in a good 
 humor. Zavala has now been here several weeks, talking 
 politics with my father, and looking love at Julie. She, insensi 
 ble girl, appears as unconscious, and speaks as calmly as though 
 no heart is quaffing destruction from her bright eyes. He must 
 believe in the old adage, that " perseverance accomplishes 
 all things," for it is now two years since he first devoted himself 
 to her, and she is still indifferent. Never was any case more 
 hopeless, and yet he will not see it. I who am a dispassionate 
 observer, can understand the under current that moves the 
 actors in the drama ; but there is one here who ingeniously 
 torments himself with the belief that she will be wooed and won 
 from him. Poor Charles has monopolized her smiles until he 
 cannot bear to see the faintest one bestowed upon another. He 
 endeavors to conceal his jealousy, and sometimes succeeds so 
 well that I have at times discovered a slight pallor usurp 
 the roseleaf tint on Julie's cheek, and a slight tremor in 
 her voice, when she has witnessed his apparent willingness 
 to give place to Zavala. 
 
 " We have a sort of madman here, who devotes himself to me.
 
 60 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Russell became acquainted with him at Marietta, where some 
 little skill in medicine possessed by , Mr. -, Graham, enabled him to 
 be of essential service to Charles. He is my bean ideal of 
 a young ; artist or poet ; but .alas ! he is neither, and cannot 
 bestow on me the immortality of Raphael's JPornarina, nor 
 of Petrarch's Laura ; but he can and, does interest my feelings. 
 There is ; evidently some concealed sorrow which preys on 
 his mind, and at .., times jars, a cord .in his brain, : My ima- 
 gination is interested, yet do not suppose that my heart is in 
 danger. That is to ..entirely, devoted to my noble, my incom 
 parable father, to have room in it for any of the romance of 
 passion., ; , . , . ,. : ., . I K! ,. , n. .:, . .: . ,-.\ . iti 
 
 "I will describe to you a day here, and then you will have some 
 idea of the pleasant life we lead. ; 
 
 "The, early part of the morning .is , devoted to a canter 
 on horseback or a sail on the river ; then return to luncheon. 
 "When that is. over, the gentlemen read aloud* while we employ > 
 ourselves with drawing or embroidery; then comes dinner, sifter 
 which we are generally invisible until about, sunset.. Music and 
 conversation.; fill up the; winged hours until .the .witching hour of 
 night! ; 
 
 :" My father devotes the day, to his; own peculiar pursuits ; 
 but in the evening : he always joins us, rand i relaxing from 
 his high and dignified bearing, he becomes the most delightful 
 companion you can imagine. Wit, eloquence, and knowledge, 
 flow from, his lips, and one is constantly; surprised at the depth 
 of thought or the sparkling satire which enriches his' eoiv- 
 versation. Qh^, my dear Emma., how often have I thanked 
 heaven for being the child of such a man ! I would not barter 
 my birthright for the proudest throne in Christendom. 
 
 " A.dieu, dearest. I have written a volume, and only beg 
 that you will send me one in return. 
 
 , "ISABEL." 
 
 The first early days of autumn had arrived. It was one 
 of those bright : balmy mornings when the sunlight seems 
 to dance over the green earth, and the soft air appears to 
 impart new life to the frame; : There; was .an elasticity in 
 the, atmosphere which rendered it a pleasure merely to 
 inhale the pyre .air of heaven, and walk beneath its cloud 
 less sky. . , . : 
 
 Little in unison with the loveliness of nature were the feelings 
 of Zavala on that: particular morning, The fear was ever on his
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 61 
 
 heart, that Russell would discover the real position he held 
 towards Miss cle Bouirg. i The misunderstanding which existed; 
 between him and Julie contributed to keep up the belief of her 
 actual 1 betrothal in the mindiof, Russell ; and she unconsciously 
 confirmed all his suspicions, by the manner with ; which she 1 
 received the attentions: of Zavala. . Piqued at his coldness,. :with 
 a ;true woman's /tacty she permitted Zavala ;.. to deyote himself ton 
 her, in the belief that she had already been sufficiently explicit* I 
 with ; hinj to destroy, all hope of winning her hand; -and Russell 
 was; by: tunas indignant and ; idespaif ing. \< Col.^Alwin was satis* - 
 fied that Zavala was making great progress, and thought it best ' 
 to allow his .ward toi remain in ignorance of the destiny, i he had 
 awarded her. ; inttKai 
 
 On this bright i morning^ .Zavala entered the idraw.ing-room, 
 arid* -fouad-J'ulie arranging- some: 'freshly igathered flowers in a 
 vase, while Russell and Isabel were promenading the portico in 
 earnest conversation. . ., r , 
 
 ..'".Will you not walk, -Miss de ; Bourg ?? he inquired.. : : 
 A 1 No, thank you;s Lam very busy.liere, and I have been outn 
 allithe morning with Mr. Graham, in search of plants he-wishes 
 for some- medicinal! purpose. Charles and Isabel appear to be 
 enjoying the morning air." i ; :<. m ^ ; irmo vr-.-ti < 
 
 Zavala glanced at them with a peculiar snaile^ ; ,Q -r : v 
 
 "Do you: really believe the- morning air 'induces: them to : 
 promenade there, Miss de Bourg ? ; .Observe: the, earnest and 
 impassioned air of Russell, and Miss Alwin too ;: is her^complex-fi: 
 ion usually so i 'fluctuating ? -Believe me, there is.a deepfericur-i, 
 rent of feeling there than you dream of." : 
 
 Julie, did look, and' in .spite of her struggle for self-control, 
 she felt herself grow pale. To conceal her emotion, she took u^i. 
 a moss, rose bud and admired its- .'beauty^ but Zavalaiwas too. well 
 skilled in: reading countenances, : to be decei'vedr :He saw that , 
 the random Shaft had told. He turned carelessly towards, the i 
 vase, and; taking, from it a full blown rose^ said . 
 
 "I am ia a > moralizing mood ito-day,. and eveni, the flowers; 
 must furnish me with a subject. Behold this beautiful bud,; 
 sheltered in its green covering, with the: faint pink; just; bursting 
 through : 'tis an emblem of the inmost heart, 'folded in its own 
 mantle of purity, tenderness, and reserve, before its slumbering;! 
 passion* and .hidden energies have been called 1 forth to desolate 
 or bless the future-"' '( ' 
 
 " You grow poetic," said Julie, with. a: faint smile, for she felt 
 it necessary to say something, when he paused.
 
 62 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " When gazing on a face and form that rival the creations of 
 the most vivid fancy, can I be otherwise than poetic ?" 
 
 Julie felt that another declaration was impending, and hur 
 riedly exclaiming, " I cannot listen to such flattery," she escaped 
 from the room. 
 
 Carefully securing the door of her apartment after her, 
 she threw herself upon a seat, and buried her face in her 
 hands. 
 
 " Jealous jealous," she muttered, " and of my darling 
 Isabel ; my soul's sister. Oh, meanness most incomprehensi 
 ble ! what has this mad love made me stoop to ! I will root it 
 out. I will trample it in the dust, sooner than thus lose my self- 
 respect !" 
 
 There she sat, the young, the proud, the beautiful, the high 
 hearted ; she who had lived in an atmosphere of flattery until 
 that mournful hour, self-humiliated, bowed beneath the weight 
 of sorrow ; her head rested on her hand, while its shining bands 
 were loosened and falling around her, her quivering lips apart, 
 and the heavy drops falling over her pale features. Julie de 
 Bourg was not one to love lightly, and the years of her whole 
 life had woven the spell which bound her to Russell. As chil 
 dren, they had been linked together in bonds a thousand times 
 more tender than those which unite the most affectionate bro 
 ther and sister. This love, nurtured by time, and matured by 
 intellect and enthusiasm, was now to be torn from her shrinking 
 and agonized heart, while he transferred his devotion to Isabel. 
 Ah, had it been any other one, she would have found the trial 
 less severe ; but to see her best-beloved friend arrayed against 
 her as the rival possessor of the heart she valued, was bitterness 
 indeed. 
 
 A violent head-ache excused her non-appearance at breakfast, 
 and when Isabel came in to inquire about her sudden indisposi 
 tion, she found her apparently enjoying a quiet slumber. 
 
 How often does a woman smile, and utter the light jest or 
 warble the gay song, while under the excitement of wounded 
 pride or outraged feeling ! Julie knew that each turn of her 
 countenance was watched by Zavala ; and she kept so strict a 
 watch over her feelings, that he almost doubted the success of 
 his master-stroke of policy. 
 
 " I was surprised to hear of your sudden illness, Miss de Bourg," 
 he said when she reappeared, before the morning was over. 
 " When you left the parlor you appeared quite well, and even 
 more blooming than usual."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 63 
 
 Julie replied with a degree of calmness which surprised 
 herself. 
 
 " I am unused to walking before breakfast, and the exercise, 
 combined with the perfume of the flowers I gathered, gave me 
 a slight head-ache, which, I am happy to say, has quite 
 left me." 
 
 " Nothing is more hurtful to the health than inhaling the 
 perfume of flowers," said Col. Alwin. " Pray do not expose your 
 self to the chances of indisposition again, my dear ; it is true 
 we have Mr. Graham here to aid us, but if you or Isabel 
 should be seriously ill, so far from my friend Dr. Crawford, I 
 should feel very unhappy about you." 
 
 " Thank you for your solicitude, dear sir ; I will endeavor to 
 be as careful as possible." 
 
 Russell made no comment on her alleged indisposition, and 
 left the room while they were speaking of it. Scarcely could 
 Julie command her deeply tried feelings at this new proof of 
 his indifference. Immediately afterwards, he came to the window, 
 and requested Isabel to come out and walk with him. 
 
 " In a moment ; Julie, won't you come with us ?" 
 
 " No thank you I am afraid of the sun my head is not 
 quite right yet, though it no longer pains me." 
 
 " Ah I forgot you must take care of yourself to-day." 
 
 She threw on her bonnet and joined him, and they strolled 
 along through a shady and secluded pathway which lay along 
 the bank of the river. They walked some distance in utter 
 silence, when Isabel pettishly exclaimed 
 
 " I walked with you for your own pleasure, and yet you have 
 never said a word. It is inexcusable to be so stupid, unless 
 you are in love." 
 
 " I am deeply, hopelessly," said Russell almost fiercely. 
 
 " But not with me, fair sir, which is some comfort." 
 
 "Why a comfort?" 
 
 "Because, with that tragic face, I should expect you to enact 
 something quite melo-dramatic when you were only informed 
 that I could oft'er you no consolation. Pooh, Charles, you 
 amaze me with your obtuseness. Love, certainly, has blinded 
 you, or / should not be so much more keen-sighted towards the 
 game that is playing before your eyes than you seem to be. 
 Do not trust to Don Pedro's assertions, if he has made any. 
 Believe me when I tell you, Julie has no love for him." 
 
 " Love ! no no I never accused her of that ; yet she will
 
 64 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 wed him, nevertheless, and I detest myself, that I cannot be as 
 indifferent to her as she deserves." 
 
 " Now you know you are unjust to one you have known too 
 long and- well, , to judge; thus harshly. iNever will Julie be 
 won by one she loves not never" . n 
 
 " You are warm in the defence of your friend, young lady," 
 sajd ; a .strange voice afi her elbow. "Oh, yes, you are warm in 
 the defence of, your friend, and: you are Tight to trust her, for 
 you are young and truthful yourself. Let me look upon you,*' 
 for, you are like ope I saw in years that are gone aye, as like 
 as the/ budding, rose. is to the perfect flower ; but; she was blight 
 ed in her bright youth. I saw her, all radiant in beauty as she 
 waSjiJaid.belpw the sod, and : I. laughed as; I saw the sunbeams 
 dancing upon her grave, for I knew they could: not penetrate 
 the earth and give warmth and vitality to the heart beneath. 
 Yet she had .never injured me ; H had- hurled the thunderbolt at 
 her ; I had given the death-stroke to her gentle heart." 
 
 l^he^wQ. listened in astonishment to this strange address :; the 
 person who uttered it was a .woman ; in the: decline of life ; her 
 figure was tall and commanding, though her dress denoted 
 extreme poverty. Her face still retained marks of beauty; of a 
 stern and haughty character^ and there; was a degree of wildness: 
 in her large dark eyes, which; denoted partial insanity. After 
 surveying the two attentively, ; she said : 
 
 " A bright and merry morning to you both. You, nay pretty 
 lady, look as blithe, and happy as, the birds .on the bough." 
 
 " What do you wish,. good: woman 2" inquired Isabel, slightly 
 startled at her abrupt/address, :: 
 
 f " Wish Ah, lefc me see ; ,X- wish to see. :one but you: must 
 not know who it is ; for he would curse me bitterly. Won't 
 you have ,-ypiir fortune told, young lady 2, May the weird be 
 better than thy mother's!" ,, 
 
 " My mother! oh, did you really know her ?" she quickly asked. 
 
 "Kno\y her-r--yes, and.you are as like her as any two stars 
 in the sky resemble, each other. Gome, give me your hand, 
 pretty one, and let me read you a destiny that should be as 
 brio-lit as the world ever saw, to repay you for the .unmerited 
 sufferings of your, angel mother." ., 
 
 " What co uldi have caused. her to suffer?" said Isabel. 
 
 " Ah, you are at that, are you ? I won't tell, for he would kill 
 me he said he would if I ever betrayed him. Give me;your 
 hand anc\ hear your destiny." < 
 
 Isabel held out her hand, and the woman gazed long on each
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 65 
 
 slender finger ; then carefully examining the lines, she sighed 
 deeply. . ; ..,,,.,, 
 
 " So young, and so doomed !" she muttered. " Lady, your 
 fate is wirittea in dark characters,, and 1 would ,,ain ,be ,exeused 
 reading them.", _- ( ,-,- / > ,. i> . 
 
 Isabel half smiled. , i - .;. . , . . . 
 
 " Tell all you see, good woman. I am not superstitious,, an<J, , 
 I do not .fear the darkest prediction you can make Concerning 
 my future destiny.?! ir -::.; , w inun 
 
 " Do not speak thus," said the fortune-teller, shaking her 
 head. "i'Tis a dreary page^ traced in disappointment and 
 ending in despair.- i:i : n: u; j .-,. -,.,-, .< , , io j 
 
 " Allow me at least the consolation of hope," said the incre 
 dulous girL ".Charles, pray be my banker-r-yet stqp-r-let us 
 hear your fortune; first. ; I hope the,, sybil wiU be more propi-, ; 
 tious to you than she proved to me." ... - 
 
 With a smile, he held forth his hand, . but the woman appear 
 ed more interested in .scanning his, features. . IJer eagle gaze, 
 was bent on him many moments, while she muttered : 
 
 " Yes, it must . Jbe SOM The broad, high .brow, , th$ flashing 
 eye, the haughty lip, all, all her own. Her noble spirit is here,, 
 to%or I am much mistaken. , Young; man, what name do, you 
 bear?" i*j i- ij n -,<\ - ur . 
 
 " Charles Russell." 
 
 "Aye, I thought so. Now, I will read your fate, son of, the 
 noble in heart,. There let nje .see a lover without a lady 
 love^-crosses and, vexations in early life, followed,: by a, noon of 
 fame and happiness, won, as all good gifts should be, by truth, 
 and incorruptible integrity. Remember this warning ; dream 
 not of her, (pointing, fco Isabel) ; if you .have done so, forget, it; 
 'tis easy io crushi a ; paissiqn in the bud,; if you .heed not my 
 words, you are lost." 
 
 . She was moving away, but Russell stopped her. . ,,,. 
 . ",! jjiust re\yard:you for : the fin,e fortune you, have predicted 
 former Here ;., let me cross your hand with silver." ; -.,,,, 
 
 She took the offered coin, and weighing it in her fingers s#id-r-; ; 
 I..?* It is far more, than the words we,re, w.orth^btit of , what 
 value is it to me when I am starying, and can get no food 
 hereabouts for money ! I have eaten nothing since, yesterday 
 at noon." , . 
 
 '' Puor creature!", exclaimed' Isabel, "Come with me and I 
 will feed you." i!; ., ,. , : , ......... , . . .. , ../ 
 
 " Bless you for that, although you are his child." 
 6*
 
 66 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 They hurried back to the house, and the fortune-teller was 
 soon seated on the steps, voraciously devouring the food which 
 Miss Alwin had procured for her. She refused to enter 
 the house, and muttered some unintelligible words about a vow 
 never to enter beneath the roof that sheltered some one, until 
 she had obtained vengeance for a wrong that had been inflicted 
 on her. 
 
 When she finished eating, she arose to go. At that moment 
 Col. Alwin came out, and in some surprise inquired 
 
 " Whom have you here, Isabel ? a beggar." 
 
 As she was about to reply, the woman raised her bonnet and 
 pushed it back, leaving the grey hair and strongly marked 
 features in full view. She slowly replaced it, but one glance at 
 the flashing face before him seemed to freeze every drop of blood 
 in his veins. There was scorn, mockery, insult, and defiance, 
 mingled with the wild glare of insanity, in the expression which 
 gleamed from those worn and faded features. Col. Alwin 
 stood gazing on her with that look of aversion and horror with 
 which a man might regard the spectre of the detested dead, 
 which suddenly arose in the path before him. She laughed 
 scornfully, and said 
 
 " Your evil genius has appeared again, Alwin, and you know 
 that disappointment and sorrow to you ever track her steps. 
 You thought me dead, no doubt, but you see I am here 
 to " 
 
 " Wretch fiend," muttered he between his closed teeth, " say 
 but another word here, and you will find that my threats can be 
 fulfilled. Await me there," pointing, as he spoke, to a grove, a 
 short distance from the house. 
 
 The concentrated passion and determination expressed in his 
 tone and manner, seemed to terrify the woman into obedience, 
 for she turned away without another word, and walked towards 
 the spot he indicated. 
 
 As Col. Alwin watched her receding form, his dark and 
 stormy features worked with feelings to which his alarmed 
 and astonished daughter could gain no clue. As the stranger 
 was lost to view, he struck his hand violently upon his brow 
 and sank on a seat, his whole frame convulsed with the emotion 
 he vainly endeavored to conceal. 
 
 Without the power of moving or uttering a word, Isabel 
 had leaned against the wall, a witness to this strange scene. At 
 length her father spoke in a tone which powerful self-comrnand 
 had rendered calm.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 67 
 
 " Go to your room, my daughter, and forget, if you can, the 
 scene you have just witnessed. I charge you, as you value my 
 peace, never to mention what you have just seen and heard." 
 
 She obeyed in silence, and in a few moments afterwards, 
 from the windows of her room, she saw him take the pathway 
 which led to the grove. 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 As Col. Alwin entered the woodland, the woman advanced 
 to meet him. He impatiently waved her back 
 
 " No nearer no nearer tell me what you want, and why you 
 have sought me." 
 
 " I want revenge, revenge" was the startling response, shrieked 
 forth in a tone that well might turn the warm blood to ice. " I 
 have prayed for it I have wept for it ; yet still it is denied 
 you flourish you are happy, while I am a wretched outcast 
 from hope and sympathy. Oh, would that I were not a woman, 
 or that a demon's hate could nerve my woman's hand to bathe 
 itself in the life-blood of your false and cruel heart ; then I should 
 not vainly thirst for long delayed vengeance." 
 
 " Impotent, silly wretch ! what would you with me ? I came 
 here to learn your wants, and relieve them, not to listen to the 
 wild ravings of insanity." 
 
 " Who made me mad, and now taunts me with it ? Who 
 deluged my brain with a sea of blood until fire sprang from the 
 red waves and withered my soul ? Who did this, hard, unfeel 
 ing, unrelenting man ? I can but curse you and die, but my 
 curse shall fall and crush you, when the lips that uttered it are 
 closed for ever." 
 
 " Come, Theresa, no more nonsense, if you please. I am 
 tired of these tragedy-queen airs. Are you in want of money, 
 that I find you in this wretched condition ? I have told you 
 always to apply to me when in need of anything. Tell me 
 briefly what has brought you hither f ' 
 
 " Not the desire of money, Alwin," she replied, with more 
 quietness of manner. " If I took your gold and bought food 
 and raiment with it, the one would choke, and the other 
 would not warm me. I come to tell you once again of my 
 interminable hatred : to predict to you the end of all your fine
 
 68 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 schemes. The future has been opened to mo, and I come to 
 yqu- with its revelations. ; /Listen to my words, for my lips are 
 touched with a prophet's holy fire, and I have been com missioned 
 to reveal yuur fate, .to you. Your race, is nearly run a few more 
 mwithsi; and prison-walls will bound your falcon glance ; you 
 will issue from them a fallen man. The wages of ambition are .a > 
 seared heart and a blasted conscience ; but you shall not have 
 these alone. The vulture of disappointment shall gnaw your 
 very heart-strings, and the solitary spot in your callous soul, 
 which is hallowed by affection, shall be laid desolate. You are 
 a hard and unfeeling man ; the stain of blood is on your hand, 
 and it cries aloud for vengeance. The recollection of the trust 
 ing heart you deceived, of the bosom you wrung with anguish, 
 is on your conscience." 
 
 Col. Alwin listened to these denunciations with such an ex 
 pression of indifference on his saturnine countenance, that 
 apparently exasperated at, his calmness, the woman again 
 resumed-* : . .< ; ; : . i 
 
 "Your course has been marked with desolation and ruin;! 
 your presence, like the fatal siroceo, has carried destruction with 
 it. But mark my words the decree has ; gone forth; you may 
 struggle against it, but its fulfilment is inevitable. You shall 
 live to weep over your former high estate to rend your grey 
 hairs with anguish. Not ;only shall the rewards of ambition . 
 bentorn from your;grasp, but the ;last hope of your heart, the 
 idol i of your pride. and your affections, shall fade from your side. 
 All all shall perish in a few brief years : when that hour 
 cames, think of ,rne- remember that the voice of her you have 
 cursed and reviled asi if no spirit of humanity dwelt in her:, 
 form, pronounced your doom." 
 
 Col. Alwin had quite recovered his usual self-possession, for 
 his. was not a spirit to quail before the mysterious denuncia- > 
 tions of a maniac. He had listened to this torrent of words 
 without the.ipower.of stopping: the speaker; but taking advan 
 tage of the first pause, he said-r- rry u \ . : 
 
 " That is quite enough, Theresa. We will no longer discuss 
 those supernatural' revelations, if you please. Take this purse, 
 and when its contents are exhausted you shall have another 
 supply " ; 
 
 fn" Never, never; I, touch your gold! I would sooner beg my 
 bread from door to door, or lie down in the road and' die of 
 hunger, than take it. Farewell, sir ; when we next meet you 
 will know if I am a true or false prophet." . n
 
 THE C'O.NSPIllATOR. 69 
 
 She turned away, and went with rapid strides through the 
 wood, Chanting a wild song, in a loud, unmelodious tone. rt<j 
 
 '" Orazy fool : !" muttered Col. Ahvin, as he retraced his steps 
 1 towards the house.- ' I ; cannot imagine how she 'discovered me 
 here. That woman is the torment of my life ; and spite of all 
 my efforts, 1 cannot see her without betraying the agony it 
 'causes hie to recal the transactions of rrij^barly life in which she 
 was interested." j : ''' '''<'' ' :|1 i; -ni ' / 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 ! ON ! the morning after the fortune-teller's visit,; the; gentlemen 
 had all separated oft various expeditions of business or pleasure, 
 'and Isabel proposed a sail on the river, with the Corporal to 
 tiianage the boat. Julie 1 assented, and Mrs. Fitzgerald was per 
 suaded to accompany them. > ':< 
 
 1 Since morniftg the wind had risen considerably, and the 
 waves were breaking in foamy billows upon the shores Many 
 would have feared to venture on them on such a day ; but the 
 lady of the island was one whose intrepid spirit was not easily 
 daunted, and she laughed at the hesitation of her young com 
 panions, when they observed these indications, i She was accus- 
 tbriied to brave the waves', and had grown bold from never 
 having encountered an accident. They were soon comfortably 
 seated in the boat; and in the excitement of dancing oven the 
 unquiet waters in their fairy bark, they forgot all apprehensions 
 of danger. ' '^ 
 
 Late rains had swolleii tihe Ohio much beyond its usual 
 height, and many trees, with their leafy honors yet' unshed, 
 werfe prostrate in the stream, their roots still clinging io the 
 soil from which the rushing waters had torn them.;i Large 
 masses' of drift wood were floating lazily along with the current, 
 and ! it > required some skill in the ; Corporal to steer clear of 
 them.'- 1 '' - b-i 'ill "H lir: .'i; 
 
 To 'the' 'eyes of our little party the scene <wa& enchanting. 
 On 6tte side ! were abrupt hills rising 'from < the river's brink, 
 wooded to their sumthits^ and' exhibiting the brilliant 'variety of 
 tints seen in an autumnal forest in America, before the leaves 
 have begun to fall. On the other side was the beautiful island 
 they had left, with its white buildings seen through the opening
 
 70 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 boughs of the trees, the only evidence that the footsteps of 
 civilized man had ever trodden the soil of the deep forest which 
 cast its solemn shadows upon the waters they were gliding over. 
 Occasionally the warble of a bird would break the silence which 
 reigned around, for our fair party were too deeply absorbed in 
 their own fancies to keep up anything like a connected conver 
 sation. At length, Mrs. Fitzgerald called the attention of Isabel 
 to a tall figure which stood on the shore, leaning carelessly upon 
 a rifle. 
 
 "Look at your dusky admirer, Isabel. One might almost 
 believe him a student of the graces, who had placed himself 
 there purposely to have his attitude admired." 
 
 Isabel looked in the direction indicated, and beheld the 
 Indian chief Outalassa ; his attitude was strikingly imposing, 
 and he formed quite an appropriate figure in the wild scene 
 before them. The chief was a tall, powerfully made man, with 
 an eye of fire and a lip of pride. His blanket, which was of 
 bright crimson and green, skilfully contrasted, hung partly off 
 one shoulder, and fell in graceful folds around his fine person ; 
 he appeared to be watching the motions of the boat with 
 absorbing interest, and after a few moments, motioned to the 
 Corporal to approach the shore. 
 
 Outalassa was in the habit of visiting Mr. Fitzgerald's family, 
 frequently, and especially of late they had become quite familiar 
 with his presence. The Corporal obeyed the signal, and as they 
 came within hailing distance, he said, as he pointed upwards 
 
 " The storm-cloud is gathering fast. In less than twenty 
 minutes the wind will rush around yon point so heavily, that your 
 boat will be upset, and the daughters of the pale face will find 
 a grave in the depths of the dark waters. Put back, old man, 
 for the storm-spirit is unfurling his banner over the sky, and you 
 should, before this, have taken warning from his signals." 
 
 Thus warned, they looked up and saw that many dark clouds 
 were rapidly gathering overhead, though the sun still shone 
 brightly. Hastily thanking the chief, the Corporal was instantly 
 commanded to tack and cross in the direction of the island. 
 
 Alarmed at the danger, the negro lost his presence of mind, 
 and steered wildly, while the wind increased every moment. 
 Outalassa did not appear to desire to part from them so sudden 
 ly : he walked along the edge of the bank, keeping his eye on 
 the boat, and after the lapse of a few seconds, he shouted 
 
 " Come to, old man, and let me help to manage that boat, 
 or you will never reach your home in safety."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 71 
 
 The alarmed occupants immediately ordered the Corporal to 
 steer to the shore and let them get out and encounter the coming 
 storm on land sooner than endanger life by remaining in the 
 boat. The black made an effort to obey, but the wind by this 
 time had become so high, that the craft was quite unmanage 
 able. It was necessary to lower the sail to prevent it from being 
 capsised ; and to their great dismay, they found that the oars had 
 been forgotten. Left utterly at the mercy of the winds and waves, 
 the light craft tossed from billow to billow, threatening at every 
 plunge to engulf them in their dark bosom, while a torrent of 
 rain began to descend. 
 
 Soon after the extent of their danger became known, the 
 chief disappeared. Isabel wrung her hands, wept, and deplored 
 their situation; while Julie, pale and cold, passed one arm 
 around her friend, and concealed her face upon her shoulder, 
 murmuring 
 
 " We can at least die together." 
 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald had not lost all hope. With the want of 
 courage characteristic of his race, the negro was shivering with 
 terror, totally incapable of exerting himself. He clasped his 
 hands fervently, and commenced summing up all his transgres 
 sions in a manner which, in a situation of less peril, would have 
 had a most ludicrous effect. " Oh, good Mr. Lordy Goddy, be 
 merciful to me and I will tell no more lies. Let me get out o' 
 dis scrape wid dese dear innocent lambs, and I will nebber dance 
 the double shuffle no more." 
 
 Then suddenly recollecting a prayer which had been taught 
 to him in his childhood, he kneeled down with some difficulty, 
 and grasping both sides of the boat convulsively, he com 
 menced 
 
 " Now I lay me down to sleep, 
 I pray de Lord ." 
 
 His invocation was cut short by a loud shout which came 
 through the pauses in the storm, and they knew that help was 
 near. The Corporal started up at the imminent risk of upsetting 
 the boat, and exclaimed 
 
 " Here dey come, oh Lordy, and I'll be sure to keep my 
 word 'bout de lies leastways, I'll try ; but the double shuffle 
 I'm not so sartin 'bout, case dafs my great ' complishment' 
 'mong de darkies. Here be that good Mr. Injun, and Mr. Rus 
 sell too." 
 
 At the same moment Isabel spoke.
 
 72 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 "Raise yonr head, Julie; here is Charles coming to 
 rescue us." 
 
 -Julie looked upland saw Russell and Outalassa within ashort 
 distance of them, in a much larger boat than the one they 
 occupied. 'A: rope 1 was thrown to the Corporal, and in another 
 moment they ; were alongside of each other; 
 " "Dear deaf Charles I" exclaimed Isabel; "your arrival 
 is indeed opportune." 
 
 "Yes,, thank heaven ! we are in time," he hurriedly replied. 
 u Outafassa, assist me wrtih these ladies." 
 
 He raised Isabel in his arms, and placed her in safety in the 
 ottier boat; when: he 'turned again, he found the Chief support 
 ing the fainting form of Julie. 
 
 "It is only terror," said Mrs. Fitzgerald, wringing the water 
 froitai!: the- heavy' tresses '' of the 'insensible girh "See, she 
 revives already." 
 
 They escaped; but there was one who sat beside the social 
 hearth that night, a desolate creature, 'and if she alone could 
 have met that fate, she could have wished that the adventure of 
 the morning had 'closed her life. It is dreadful for the young 
 heart to despair; and there was such a cold heavy weight 
 pressing on that of Julie; that she fancied it could never again 
 feel the buoyant spring of joy. 
 
 : The events -of the 'morning had brought the conviction coldly 
 to hp:heart, that she had indeed been rivalled by her friend, or 
 in the moment of danger would not Russell's first thought have 
 been of her ? Yet, her lip was smiling and her eye bright. 
 
 " He shall never know the depth of my wretchedness," she 
 mentally exclaimed. " I can die, but I cannot suffer him to 
 suspect how truly I have loved him." 
 
 She saw her fairy temple' of happiness, around which she had 
 thrown a spell tinted with the rich coloring of a young and 
 ardent fancy, vanish like frostwork before the beams of the 
 morning sun. The links that bound her to life had been 
 wreathed with , roses, and hitherto 1 she had not dreamed of 
 the : thorns which lay concealed beneath them ; now they were 
 piercing her heart, but she silently i endured the suffering. 
 Zavala' watched her with unceasing interest, and his 1 penetration 
 enabled him to read much of what passed in her mind, i This 
 fitful gaiety was unlike her* usual mattoe^ and he hoped that 
 jealousy had driven deep its envemoncd fang at last, for only 
 through wounded pride could he hope to succeed in winning a 
 hearing for his own suit.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 73 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 " Do you not fear this savage who wanders so often around 
 you ?" inquired Graham of Isabel. " In all my walks I encounter 
 him ; and when near you, he lays aside his constitutional 
 indolence, and is ever on the alert to perform some service for 
 you." 
 
 " Fear him ? Oh no ; I can never forget that but for him we 
 should have found a watery grave. It was he who informed 
 Charles of our peril, and assisted him to rescue us on the day of 
 the storm. I cannot be so ungrateful as to fear him." 
 
 Graham was silenced, but not convinced. He had read the 
 heart of the Chief with an eye quickened by the deep interest 
 with which Miss Alwin had inspired him. Of a strange, 
 wayward, and melancholy turn of mind, it was seldom he met 
 with the sympathy his spirit craved. Little congeniality would 
 the casual observer have remarked between the pale, reserved 
 student, and the unhappy, light-hearted Isabel, the idol of many 
 hearts, and the privileged darlings of the circle in which 
 she lived. But her gaiety was only as the flashing of the sun 
 beam on the waters, beneath which flowed a current of deep and 
 earnest sympathy, which could pour into that lucrative spirit the 
 balm it sorely needed. She listened to his wild dreams 
 his half revealed sorrows, with an interest they seldom excited, 
 and endeavored to bring back his mind to a healthy tone, 
 by leading him gradually to look upon the brighter side of life. 
 When with her, the spell of peace was on his heart ; but whn 
 her voice ceased to float around him, the brightness was gone, 
 and the dark hour was again on him. 
 
 Who or what he was, no one knew, except from occasional 
 remarks which escaped him ; and at times his language was so 
 wild, his expressions of remorse so startling, that but for 
 his extreme youth, one might have deemed him the perpetrator 
 of some dark crime. He spent his days in wandering over the 
 island, or in deep study. Isabel was the frequent companion of 
 his rambles; and often did she regret the withering melancholy 
 which preyed upon his mind and destroyed his health. Gleams 
 of a brilliant intellect and higMy cultivated mind, would 
 frequently break from the cloud of misanthropy which enveloped
 
 74 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 him ; flashes of brightness as transient and fitful as summer 
 lightning. 
 
 They had wandered forth to a favorite spot of his^a dark dell 
 overhung with the drooping branches of the graceful willow. 
 A rustic seat was placed beneath its shadow, and as the branches 
 swayed aside, glimpses of the bright suni.ght flashed on the 
 waters of a little rivulet which wound its way to the Ohio. 
 
 " I like this spot,'' said Graham, " because it reminds me of 
 my early home. This fairy glen is like the place in which I 
 once played at my mother's feet. The associations of childhood 
 weave a chain around the heart which is never broken ; the 
 home of youth is remembered through all after years, as the 
 brightest spot in the world's wide waste." 
 
 " It is right and natural that it should be," replied Isabel. 
 " There the free and joyous hours of infancy were passed ; there 
 a mother's unutterable love first breathed its hallowed influ 
 ence on the heart." 
 
 " And there, too," interrupted Graham, with some bitterness, 
 " there the smiles and sunshine of childhood were gradually 
 merged in the cares of opening life, and the aspirations and 
 hopes of the unworn heart pointed to a futurity of unclouded 
 joy, vainly expecting that Destiny would turn from her ever 
 lasting course and bestow blessings on ourselves, while she is 
 known to shower curses on others. 'Tis true, a fear will some 
 times cast a chill over the unbroken spirit, an omen of the deso 
 lation that must fall on all earth's creatures, but it is quickly 
 cast aside, and, like spots on the sun, is not heeded amid the 
 radiance that surrounds it. But pardon me, Miss Alwin, 
 my gloom saddens you. Is not this spot beautiful to-day ?" 
 
 " It is lovely ; but too gloomy to be the favorite haunt of one 
 so given to dark thoughts as you are. If the past is sombre, 
 strive to forget it." 
 
 " Forget ! ah, forgetfulness is for all but me. The curse of 
 remembrance clings to my soul, and at times maddens me. In 
 the delirium of suffering I have asked for a Lethean draught, 
 but in vain. I am unlike the rest of the world ; for with them 
 the great lesson of life is forgetfulness, while for me there is no 
 oblivion but the grave. To-day the lover bends in agony over 
 the dust of her who had been the divinity of his existence, and 
 to-morrow we find him wearing the wreath of joy, and seeking 
 in a bright or more youthful form, consolation for his loss. My 
 punishment is to remember" 
 
 He buriad his face in his hands, and remained some
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 75 
 
 moments absorbed in painful thought. When he again spoke, 
 it was in a less excited manner. 
 
 " I was speaking to you of the beauty of this, my favorite 
 haunt. To me it is not dark ; brightness is not all ex 
 cluded ; look at the fitful glimmer of the sun through these 
 drooping tendrils. I sit there and moralize as the changing 
 light falls on me, and is then obscured. It is like hope, for 
 when the light is shadowed we know that there is brightness 
 beyond. Ah ! life is but a weary mockery. We pour forth 
 our best and purest feelings, a rich libation on the altar of the 
 cold and hollow world, and weep over the treachery and disap 
 pointment it yields us in return. Each heart has its own fond 
 dream which is never realized. Ask the pale student as he 
 bends over his books in earnest thought, if they have brought 
 contentment, and he will tell you they are the means of forget 
 ful ness ; in their mystic pages he can wrap his soul, and take 
 from it the spell of the past. Ask the statesman, in his career 
 of pride, and he will tell you that his first dream was not of 
 ambition. Ask the poet, and he will pour the passion of his 
 soul over the broken idols of his youth, in numbers coined from 
 the anguish of a breaking heart and an overwrought brain. 
 Ah, what is there worth living for after the blight has fallen on 
 the brightest and dearest hopes of youth !" 
 
 " Much, much, believe me. The noblest spirits are those 
 which have sprung, phcenix-like, from the ashes of their early 
 hopes. Cast aside the shadows that would gather over your 
 mind and dim its early brightness. Life was not given us to 
 spend in vain repiriings. Create for yourself a future." 
 
 He shook his head. 
 
 " 'Tis not the future which looms up darkly, but the unfor- 
 gotten past. For me there can be no future in this world ; a 
 few brief and fleeting months, and my course will be run. 
 Look," and he held up his emaciated hand, '' I have no visible 
 disease, but the fever is here" pointing to his heart. " I am 
 calm to-day ; without betraying emotion, I can speak of my 
 approaching fate to you, who are the only being on earth who 
 will think my memory worthy of a sigh. Oh, Miss Alwin, in 
 your future life, when surrounded by the atmosphere of affec 
 tion, when all fling blessings on your path, suffer your thoughts 
 sometimes to revisit the lonely grave of the wanderer. Then, 
 remember that the only light which gleamed on his solitary 
 pathway, as it descended into the dark valley, was your kind 
 ness your compassion."
 
 76 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " You are melancholy to-day," said Isabel, scarcely able to 
 repress her tears, as she looked on the pale features and wasted 
 form of the young student. From what source his sorrows 
 sprang she knew not ; but she saw they were real, for they were 
 wearing him away by degrees, and each hour bringing him to 
 the grave he seemed to covet. 
 
 " Let us leave this spot ; it oppresses me," she said. 
 
 As they arose to go, a rustling among the bushes attracted 
 their attention, and the figure of the Indian chief, in full cos 
 tume, stood before them. He wore a robe of dressed deer-skin, 
 ornamented with fringes of the same, and with grotesque 
 figures wrought in beads. Down the front, and over the shoul 
 ders, hung a fringe of hair of different shades taken from the 
 scalps he had won in battle. There were the grey locks of the 
 aged, the long and glittering tresses of women, and the silken 
 curls of childhood ; a sad proof of his title to be called a Brave. 
 On his head was a superb circlet of white and scarlet plumes ; 
 and in his belt, in place of the tomahawk, was a richly mounted 
 dagger, a present from his friend, the chief of the Pale Faces, as 
 he called Col. Alwin. He appeared surprised to find the dell 
 thus tenanted. 
 
 " Will the Glancing Eyes, and he of the gloomy brow, tell 
 me where my brother, the chief of the Pale Faces, is ? He was 
 to meet me in the Fairy Glen, when the sun cast a lengthened 
 shadow on the earth." 
 
 Before they could reply, Col. Alwin descended the pathway 
 leading to their retreat. 
 
 " I was not aware that this was a haunt of yours," he said, 
 as he glanced at his daughter and her companion. " Do not 
 let me disturb you. Come, Outalassa, we will seek some other 
 spot in which to hold our conference." 
 
 The Indian obeyed ; but scarcely had their retreating foot 
 steps died away, when the branches again parted, and a figure 
 of greater interest emerged from them. It was that of a young 
 Indian girl, and a fine specimen of her race she was ; tall, light, 
 and gracefully formed, she looked the goddess of her native wilds. 
 Her features were of remarkable symmetry, and even had they 
 been less beautiful, her magnificent dark eyes would have given 
 a sprightliness and animation to her countenance preferable to 
 mere beauty of outline. Strings of colored beads were woven 
 in the braids of her long hair, and wound around her head. 
 Large silver rings hung in her ears, and her neck was covered 
 with beads and chains, some of them of valuable workmanship.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 77 
 
 A calico robe of gorgeous colors was fastened at the waist with 
 a richly wrought wampum belt ; and moccasins, embroidered with 
 beads, covered her delicate feet. 
 
 " Innohae !" exclaimed Isabel. " What has brought you 
 hither ?" The Indian placed her finger on her lips, and bent 
 her head to catch the last lingering echo of the retreating foot 
 steps, before she replied. She then approached, and seated her 
 self at the feet of Isabel, and fixed her dark eyes upon her with 
 an expression of deep melancholy. Innohae was the daughter 
 of a chief belonging to the remnant of one of the peaceful tribes 
 of New York. She had been partially educated at a boarding- 
 school for young ladies, but on her emancipation from civilized 
 life, she had returned with delight to the wandering habits 
 of her people. The band of her father emigrated to the West, 
 and united themselves with the tribe of which Outalassa 
 was chief, and they wished to cement the union by giving 
 the young Innohae to him for a wife. She had been a frequent 
 visitor at the island during the summer, and her mysterious 
 appearance to-day filled Isabel with a vague feeling of alarm. 
 
 " Why do you gaze upon me thus ?" she inquired of the 
 Indian girl. 
 
 " Because you are beautiful. The light of the glancing eyes 
 dims the loveliness of the daughters of my race. Lady, 
 your shadow falls cold on my heart, for it is between me 
 and the Eagle of my tribe. You are, indeed, beautiful, but 
 you are not suited to the wild wood. You could never fulfil the 
 duties of the squaw. Look," and she took the fair hand of 
 Isabel and placed it beside her own dusky, though not less 
 gracefully formed one. 
 
 Isabel smiled. 
 
 " I shall never have those duties to perform. The daughters 
 of my race are too delicately nurtured to bear the same exposure 
 as their Indian sisters. Tell me, Innohae, do you prefer the 
 wildwood to the comfortable dwelling ?" 
 
 " Prefer it !" said the girl in a low quick tone. " Who would 
 not rather lie down on the green earth, with the bright eyes of 
 the Great Spirit looking out from their clear blue home ; with 
 the free air of heaven murmuring around them, than be shut up 
 in brick walls with the solitary chirp of the cricket, m exchange 
 for the untold" melodies of nature ? No ; give me the forest 
 depths, with the fresh earth beneath my tread, and a bright 
 sky above me ; then my heart bounds as free as the happy 
 waters leap and glitter in the sunshine. Shut me up in your 
 
 7*
 
 78 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 houses and I droop I die. My heart thirsts for the bright 
 earth and the guishing rill. Oh ! what is your life of form 
 and ceremonies when compared with the wild pleasures of 
 mine !" 
 
 Isabel regarded the animated face before her with an admir 
 ing eye ; but even as she gazed, the flush of excitement 
 vanished ; the girl's countenance returned to its usual state of 
 immobility ; and she sat with her arms folded on her bosom, as 
 motionless as a statue. 
 
 " I am almost tempted to try your wild life, Innohae, since 
 you are so eloquent in its praise. Will you welcome me as a 
 sister in your forest home ?" 
 
 " The Great Spirit forbid, lady, that such as you are should 
 dwell among my people ! There would then be no more room 
 in their hearts for the poor Indian maiden ; the Glancing Eyes 
 would till them with her bright magic, and her silvery tones 
 would become the music most dear to their ears. They have 
 already wiled from the Dove of the weekwam the affections of 
 him in whose presence she alone exists. Yes, lie loves you, 
 lady, and I bid you beware." 
 
 Suddenly starting to her feet, she raised her finger in a warn 
 ing manner, and continued 
 
 " I must leave you now, but remember my caution. Go not 
 forth alone, for danger lurks in your pathway." 
 
 Before the surprised Isabel could speak, the girl had glided 
 away, and vanished among the trees. 
 
 " What can she mean ?" said Isabel, turning her bewildered 
 face towards Graham. 
 
 "Just what I have suspected for some time. The chief loves 
 you, and will carry you off, if other means of obtaining you 
 fail." 
 
 " Oh, that idea is too absurd," said she, laughing. " Savage 
 as he is, he cannot be quite destitute of common sense. How 
 ever, let us go. After such a solemn warning, I suppose I had 
 better quit my vagrant wanderings." 
 
 They met Col. Alwin and Outalassa, and there was an angry 
 spot on the brow of the former, and an air of defiance on the 
 countenance of the Indian, which did not bode a long continuance 
 of the amicable relations which had lately existed between them. 
 
 Outalassa was a powerful chief. Besides his own tribe, he . 
 possessed great influence with several neighboring ones, with 
 which he was in alliance. Col. Alwin was exceedingly desirous 
 to enlist him in his meditated enterprise ; and the wily savage,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 79 
 
 seeing this anxiety to obtain his concurrence, overrated his own 
 consequence, and imagined his assistance would be secured at 
 any price. He had seen Isabel Alwin, and loved her with a 
 vehemence of passion known only to the untamed nature of 
 man in its uncultivated state. Ignorant of the wide gulf which 
 refinement and education placed between them, there was, to his 
 untutored mind, nothing ridiculous in the idea of one great 
 chief bestowing his daughter in marriage on another. 
 
 He was quite ready to stipulate, that she should never be put 
 to the employment of hoeing corn or preparing his food, and 
 he did not know what more her father could require of his 
 daughter's husband. She should only amuse his idle hours, 
 and work wampum belts ; and with the characteristic indolence 
 of a savage, he thought that a sufficient bribe to win the young 
 lady's consent. 
 
 " I will never beat her," thought he ; " and if she wishes it, 
 she shall have a big house, for there are trees enough in my 
 hunting grounds to build one." 
 
 Great was his indignation and astonishment to find his pro 
 posal received by Col. Alwin with incredulity, and when con 
 vinced of his seriousness, rejected with ill-concealed contempt. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 THE voice of music came sweetly to the ear ; a proud, yet a 
 mournful strain. It was one of Ireland's national melodies, 
 which Mrs. Fitzgerald was performing with that brilliancy of 
 execution and deep feeling, which seem almost like inspiration. 
 
 Hers was one of those rare voices which unite great compass 
 with tones of the softest melody ; and her expressive countenance, 
 now flashing with enthusiasm as the strain swelled high and 
 loud, now sad and subdued as Erin's woes formed the theme 
 of her song, wore in its turn the impress of each feeling the 
 music awakened in her heart. 
 
 What thrilling associations can a once familiar strain call up 
 from the buried memories of the past ! Strong is the spell a 
 few magical notes can cast upon the soul, recalling the boundless 
 spirit of joy, or the surging anguish of despair. 
 
 Strain after strain succeeded each other ; and oppressed with 
 many painful feelings, Julie de Bourg glided from the room, 
 taking refuge in the garden. She sought the shelter of a sum-
 
 80 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 mer-house, and wept without restraint. Her self-control had at 
 last failed her, and her sorrow overflowed in tears. 
 
 Suddenly, a cold hand was laid on hers, and starting up, she 
 beheld Russell ; his proud and lofty features wearing an expres 
 sion of mournful interest, which thrilled her heart. 
 
 " Julie, forgive me for intruding on you at such a moment. I 
 was sent to seek you. I heard your convulsive weeping. I 
 involuntarily witnessed your emotion. What cause can you 
 have for such sorrow as this ? Let me once more be your bro 
 ther, your counsellor. Why, dear Julie, is your heart sad, in 
 the midst of mirth ? Alas ! I thought my own the only one on 
 which a shadow had fallen." 
 
 Julie arose and said, 
 
 " We will return to the house. My sorrows can be of little 
 consequence to one who has been so cold, so careless as you 
 have lately been to me." 
 
 " Cold !" repeated Russell, in a voice of deep emotion. 
 " Thus are we ever judged ; how erringly, how falsely, only the 
 heart can feel. Yet, why should I complain that the betrothed 
 of another judges me harshly ?" 
 
 " I am at a loss to understand your meaning, Mr. Russell ," 
 said Julie ; with an accent of slight disdain. 
 
 "And yet I think it is obvious enough," he impetuously 
 replied. " You have once deceived me, Miss de Bourg ; how 
 bitterly, how deeply, is known alone to Heaven and myself. 
 Seek not again to arouse those feelings which have cost me 
 such suffering to discipline to resignation. Zavala calls 
 me friend and I do not wish to play the traitor towards 
 him." 
 
 "You still speak in riddles. What is Don Pedro to me, 
 that you thus couple my name with his ? Has he dared to 
 claim a deeper interest in me than friendship warrants ? How 
 oh, how has he wrought on you, who have known me from 
 childhood, to believe that I can deceive ? Oh, Charles, is this 
 just ? Is it like yourself ?" 
 
 " Are you not then his betrothed bride ? Have you not been 
 pledged to him since our first arrival here ?" 
 
 " Never ! His bride : sooner that of death." 
 
 " Then I have been greatly deceived. Blinded by my own 
 passion, I have been his unsuspecting dupe. Julie, I cannot 
 longer conceal the truth. I have been unwilling to drag you 
 from brighter prospects, to the lowly destiny 1 can offer you ; 
 but I can struggle no longer against my own emotions. I love
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 81 
 
 you deeply sincerely. Answer me in one word hope, or 
 despair." 
 
 We do not record the answer of the lady. Long and earnest 
 was the conversation which ensued, and when the two returned 
 to the house, there was a triumphant flush on the brow of Rus 
 sell, while the dark clear eyes of Miss de Bourg had a softer 
 and less troubled expression in their depths than lately dwelt 
 there. No comments were made on their prolonged absence, 
 though Zavala looked unutterable things, as he marked the 
 abstracted air of his lady love. 
 
 The two girls no sooner found themselves alone, in their own 
 apartment, than Julie threw herself on the bosom of Isabel, and 
 informed her of the explanation which had at last taken place. 
 
 " The game is played out at last," she replied with a caress. 
 " I have looked on in astonishment, to see two persons who 
 have known each other through life, as you and Charles have, 
 thus ingeniously tormenting yourselves. Tell me all about it, 
 dearest; why have you been so cold to each other of late? 
 Was it only a lover's quarrel ?" 
 
 " No, not that exactly, for until this evening we were not 
 declared lovers. The misrepresentations of Don Pedro have 
 caused the whole misunderstanding. It appears to me that the 
 avowal was wrung from Charles, more through inability to con 
 ceal his feelings, than with the wish to woo and win me. He 
 spoke of his uncertain prospects of his way yet to make in this 
 busy, calculating world, and lamented that he must take me from 
 my present position, to become the partner of his humble home. 
 Oh, Isabel, I did not dare to tell him how much brighter such 
 a fate will be to me, than the enjoyment of all the vanities that 
 wealth can purchase, if unshared by him. What is outward 
 show when compared with the deep and trusting affection which 
 can hallow the hearth of domestic love ? Then he spoke of his 
 ambition his hopes of future fame his deep desire to become 
 distinguished. How quickly my thoughts took the line of his, 
 and the future glowed with the brightness of untried hopes ! 
 Oh dearest, I am too happy. If you could have seen the strug 
 gles of feeling which have wrung my heart the deep and 
 abiding sense of wretchedness, when I thought myself neglected 
 and forsaken, you would indeed rejoice with me that this ter 
 rible state of mind is at last ended." 
 
 " I do rejoice, my dear Julie you have my fullest sympathy 
 and approbation. I ask no brighter destiny for the friend of my 
 heart, than to be united to Cnarles Russell. He is noble and
 
 82 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 honorable : g'fted with all the gentler affections which give a 
 charm to every-day life." 
 
 There was a long pause. Julie was standing before the mir 
 ror, leaning forward with her head supported by her hand, her 
 hair loosened and falling in shining waves around her graceful 
 neck. Beautiful indeed she looked, with that placid smile on 
 her chiselled lip, and the brilliant flush of happiness upon her 
 cheek. Enjoy those visions of hope, fair dreamer, for soon will 
 the misty veil which conceals the dark sorrows menacing thee 
 be torn away, and the future revealed in all its naked reality ! 
 
 She at length turned an inquiring eye on her companion, and 
 asked 
 
 " Did you never think, Isabel, that Charles might love you ?" 
 
 " Only as a sister. I have long been aware of his affection 
 for you, and his honorable struggles against it. Love is indeed 
 blind, or you could not have fancied such a thing." 
 
 " But on the day of the storm," persisted Julie, " he might 
 have exhibited more feeling, I then thought ; when he passed 
 me by at such a moment, to insure the safety of another first, 
 the revulsion of feeling overcame me, and 1 fainted. It was not 
 terror I could have died with firmness, I think ; the pang of 
 death can never equal what I felt at that moment. Oh, Isabel, 
 my sufferings were terrible that night, for I believed you to be 
 my rival." 
 
 " Silly girl," said Isabel, imprinting a kiss on her cheek, "how 
 could you fancy such a thing? Charles is my brother, my 
 friend. His coldness proceeded from the belief that you were 
 the betrothed of another, and he had no right to manifest the 
 interest he too deeply felt. A rival to no woman shall I be, for 
 one love fills my heart to the exclusion of all others. My affec 
 tion for my father is strong as death, and lasting as my life. 
 How can I ever place another in competition with him, the 
 noble, the eloquent, the peerless ? His equal I can never find. 
 To others he may not be all this, for who can appreciate those 
 lightning gleams of genius as I, his child, his companion, can ? 
 No no there is no other gifted like him, with an intellect 
 which gives a glory and a beauty to everything it flashes on ; 
 with the rich and varied stores of the learning of other lands, 
 the poetry of other climes. What wonder is it that I love him 
 with a passionate idolatry too deep, too holy for words to express !" 
 Who that had seen that fair and gentle girl in the ordinary 
 intercourse of life, would have dreamed that such intense feeling 
 lay beneath the brilliant surface of her character ? Few would
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 83 
 
 have deemed her capable of so ennobling an affection, for the 
 world judges us not as we are, but as it sees us ; and enthusiasm 
 of feeling is declared by the voice of the multitude, to be ridi 
 culous, however deep or holy the source from which it springs. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 THE dove of peace had at last folded her wings over the soul 
 of Russell, and all was calm within it as the slumber of an 
 infant's heart. The bright dream of his life was realized ; the 
 coveted treasure was his ; and he hailed his success in love, as 
 an^omen of the more dazzling meed ambition was to win. 
 ( There are few hearts that can love with that high and enno-) 
 buns; affection which alone deserves the name. The enthusiasm 
 of passion cannot be felt by a cold naturey'nor an unintellectual 
 one, and this conviction it was, which caused one of the most 
 gifted of women to exclaim, " Jamais je n'ai ete aimee comme , 
 j'aime." Such finely tuned natures find no such sympathy as/ 
 can bestow. 
 
 Bright fires burned throughout the house, for the morning 
 was cold and stormy. Heavy clouds lay piled upon the horizon, 
 and the fitful gusts of wind brought the rain in dashes against 
 the window panes. Julie stood alone in the library, watching 
 the fluttering leaves as they were whirled from their airy homes, 
 and scattered by the blast. The glad and happy heart which 
 beat within her breast had no sympathy with the wild revels of 
 nature on that particular morning, and she sang a sweet strain 
 which chimed in with the raving of the winds, though she was 
 at the moment quite unconscious of the harmony between them. 
 The low melody, scarcely trilled above a whisper, was merely 
 the music of her soul, finding unconscious utterance in sound. 
 
 Russell entered and stood some moments gazing on the 
 lovely face, half turned from him, with all the ardent admiration 
 of a lover. 
 
 " Once more, dear Julie repeat once more that sweetest of 
 all melodies," he whispered. 
 
 Julie turned to him with a bright smile 
 
 " We had much better use the few moments we shall be al 
 lowed to stay alone, in arranging our plans. I own that my
 
 84 CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 heart flutters a little, when I think of my guardian. After all, 
 he may not approve our engagement." 
 
 " I shall see him this morning, my Julie, and inform him of 
 what has occurred. We have no reason to desire concealment. 
 I have faith in his justice, therefore I do not fear to open my 
 whole heart to him." 
 
 " Do you forget his wishes in reference to Zavala ?" 
 
 " I do not ; but as Don Pedro told me a falsehood, I have no 
 right to believe any part of his assertions." 
 
 At that instant, Zavala himself entered the room. A glance 
 of vivid fire shot from his dark eyes, as he beheld the pair 
 standing together, the fair hand of Julie in the clasp of Russell. 
 " A moment more, and their lips would have met," was his 
 mental comment " That, methinks, would have been a suffi 
 cient offence to merit death at my hands. Blind fool, beware 
 how you arouse the demon of jealousy in a Spaniard's heart." 
 
 He, however, spoke aloud, and quite calmly : 
 
 " Are you aware, Russell, that Col. Alwin has been inquiring 
 for you some time since ? He seemed impatient that you could 
 not be found." 
 
 " I will go to him instantly." 
 
 Julie, after making some slight remark, turned also to leave 
 the room ; but Zavala intercepted her. 
 
 "One moment, Miss de Bourg I must again trespass on 
 your patience. Oh, Julie," he impetuously continued, " will 
 you never accept a heart which is filled with the most unchang 
 ing love for you ? Give me but a faint hope of future success, 
 and I will, as the Israelite of old, serve a long apprenticeship to 
 win you at last." 
 
 Julie listened with a degree of calmness which pierced his 
 very soul ; and when she spoke, there was a quiet coldness in 
 her tones that seemed a death-knell to his hopes. 
 
 " Don Pedro, I had hoped to be spared a renewal of this 
 painful subject. I have, before, been sufficiently explicit, in 
 giving you to understand that I can have no warmer sentiment 
 for you than esteem." 
 
 " Say not so, Julie ; let my devotion have some weight 
 with you. I love you with an affection incapable of change ; 
 without the hope of winning you, the future is desolate. With 
 that hope, I am anything you wish. Speak let me hope." 
 
 " I dare not. I will not trifle with you ; and you must have 
 seen enough to convince you that my sentiments towards you 
 are not those of love."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 85 
 
 " Esteem is all I ask now, Miss de Bourg. Time -will give 
 me your affections ; for esteem is their most solid basis." 
 
 Julie half arose from the seat she had taken 
 
 " It is useless, Don Pedro, to persist in this persecution ; for 
 I can find no softer name for your perseverance in a pursuit 
 which has become extremely annoying to me." 
 
 " Cruel cold-hearted girl ! you must love another, or you 
 could not be thus indifferent to my devotion." 
 
 " And if I do," she quickly asked, " will the certainty that 
 such is the case release me from your addresses ?" 
 
 '' No no beautiful adored ! so long as you are unclaimed 
 as the bride of another, I will not relinquish my hopes of ulti 
 mate success." 
 
 Julie could not repress a movement of scornful impatience. 
 It was not lost on Zavala ; and he set his teeth firmly together 
 to prevent the explosion of his furious anger. 
 
 " I regret it for your own sake, Don Pedro. You compel me 
 to use language which is foreign to my natural disposition. I 
 never can be moved to reverse my present decision. You will 
 find no answering emotions of tenderness in my heart ; there 
 fore you may as well cease your efforts to elicit them. I hope I 
 am now understood." 
 
 " You, then, refuse wealth, love, high station ? Think, Julie, 
 these are all too valuable to be lightly cast away." 
 
 " Wealth cannot tempt me ; you cannot elevate the station of 
 a daughter of a noble, though fallen house ; and for your love, 
 I ask it not I desire it not," replied Julie, with the glow of 
 offended pride mounting to her cheek. " Let me go, sir I 
 have listened too long already." 
 
 " Stop, Miss de Bourg, I will be heard. Nay, turn not away 
 with that angry flush on your cheek ; I would not offend, but I 
 must say all I wish, that you may know how idle is the sacrifice 
 you make in favor of one who" 
 
 " I make no sacrifice, sir," interrupted the lady. " It is no 
 sacrifice to refuse that on which I place no value. After such 
 language, I will leave you." 
 
 ' No by Heaven ! never, until I have wrung from you an 
 avowal of your partiality for Russell, or forced you to regard my 
 suit more favorably," exclaimed Zavala, in his passion forgetting 
 what was due to the object of his love, and his own character as 
 a gentleman. " You have trifled with me, Miss de Bourg. 
 You have allowed me for months to devote myself to you, with 
 out discouraging my pretensions." 
 
 8
 
 86 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " You have then misconstrued the common courtesies of life, 
 sir. Since you force me to be explicit I will avow my true 
 sentiments. Your society is as distasteful to me as your love ; 
 and but for the wishes of my guardian, I should more openly 
 have shown my aversion, long since. You will wring from me 
 neither confessions nor favorable regards by thus forcibly 
 detaining me." 
 
 She again seated herself, though scarcely able to repress the 
 tears of wounded pride and insulted dignity which sprang to 
 her eyes. 
 
 " Upon my word, Miss de Bourg, a little temper improves 
 you wonderfully. Your cheeks have a most becoming glow, 
 and your eyes flash with almost supernatural fire. You remind 
 me of a priestess in the hour of inspiration. I admire spirit 
 vastly, and I was only trying yours, to see if I could move you 
 from that changeless apathy of manner which is so chilling in 
 its politeness. Pray forgive me, Julie, and let us be better 
 friends. Before absolutely rejecting my proposals, see your 
 guardian, and hear what he has to say." 
 
 " It is unnecessary, sir ; you have my answer. It is beyond 
 the power of my guardian to inspire me with the sentiments 
 you desire. I am his dependent, it is true, and fondly attached 
 to him, but I am not a child to be either soothed or frightened 
 into obedience." 
 
 " Could you see him need what you could bestow, and with 
 hold it ? Could you behold unmoved the man who has been a 
 father to you, humbled crushed to the earth by the malice of 
 his enemies, when you could raise him from this abyss, and by 
 a word, draw around him a phalanx of brave hearts that would 
 protect him from every danger, and finally elevate him to the 
 high rank his talents merit ? Oh, Julie, think a moment before 
 you decide, for on you depends the fate of all you love." 
 
 " I do not understand you. I possess neither power nor 
 friends, and I know of no danger which threatens Col. Alwin 
 that I can possibly avert. Seek not to play on my feelings of 
 gratitude towards him, to accomplish your own views, for you 
 will find the attempt vain. I am deeply sensible of my obliga 
 tions to Col. Alwin, and I esteem him too highly to believe that 
 he will ever use the influence his kindness has obtained over me, 
 in so ungenerous a manner as to ask of me the sacrifice of my 
 own happiness, to insure his own aggrandizement; though I 
 am at a loss to see how my acceptance of your offer can affect 
 his destiny."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 8 
 
 " There are more things in heaven and earth, lovely Julie, 
 than are dreamed of in your young brain. I refer you to Col. 
 Alwin himself; he will solve the mystery. Meanwhile we are 
 friends, I trust. Nay, turn not away so disdainfully ; I did but 
 try to provoke your anger, when I spoke of Russell. Forget 
 that, and I will promise to forget your cruel language. The 
 day may come, fair lady, when to recall the words you have used 
 to me this morning, would not be agreeable to you. Nay, think 
 me not too presumptuous. I will hope against hope, until the 
 irrevocable vow is recorded which gives you to another. Let 
 me seal my forgiveness on this fair hand." 
 
 As he spoke he forcibly seized her hand, and pressed it to 
 his lips. More annoyed than she chose to betray, Julie escaped 
 to her own room, and fastening herself in, she gave free course 
 to the agitating emotions she had been scarcely able to repress 
 in the presence of her tormentor. She surmised enough of Col. 
 Alwin's projects to reveal to her the precipice on which she 
 stood ; yet she hesitated to believe that he, who had so nobly 
 snatched her from destitution, could ask of her so great a sacri 
 fice, could crush her heart by making it a stepping-stone to 
 greatness. Yet she shuddered, and her spirit trembled before 
 the vague fears which loomed dimly before her. 
 
 A servant came with a message from Col. Alwin. He wished 
 to see Miss de Bourg immediately. 
 
 For an instant Julie's heart stood still ; but summoning all 
 her resolution, she prepared to obey the summons. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 WHEN Russell joined Col. Alwin, there was a settled gloom 
 on his countenance, and the stern frown which bent above his 
 gleaming eyes was ominous of the storm about to burst over 
 the head of his secretary. He motioned him to a seat, and 
 taking a letter from his pocket, said 
 
 " Am I to understand from this paper, that as soon as you 
 have found yourself independent of my favor, you decline any 
 further co-operation with me in the expedition which I am about 
 to undertake ?" 
 
 Russell raised his head and looked him calmly though respect 
 fully in the face, as he replied 

 
 88 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " You perfectly understand me, Col. Alwin. For the cares 
 you have bestowed upon me from childhood for the education 
 which enables me to win my way through the world, I am 
 deeply grateful ; yet to evince that gratitude, I cannot think you 
 would ask or accept a sacrifice of principle. You have not 
 deceived me, sir ; you aim a deadly blow at the best interests 
 of my native land, and I dare not contribute even my feeble aid 
 to strengthen that blow. I shall, as I informed you in that 
 communication, withdraw myself from this place before the 
 tenth of December, and thus escape the imputation of having 
 any interest in the meeting which is then to take place." 
 
 " Go then, sir," said Col. Alwin, proudly passionately. " Go 
 and denounce your benefactor to the government, and obtain the 
 reward due to treachery of the basest character." 
 
 " Stop stop, sir such language you know to be unmerited." 
 
 He struck his hand angrily on the table, and went on in a 
 more excited manner 
 
 " Go, sir, and do as I bid you ; but that day will be the dark 
 est of your life, and the fiends in hell can scarcely suffer keener 
 torture than will be yours, when you learn whom you thus devoted 
 to ignominy, perhaps to death. Ingrate that you are, thwarting 
 me at every turn ! I feel that I have warmed a serpent in my 
 bosom, which would distil the deadly venom of its ingratitude 
 into my very heart." 
 
 " Oh, sir, speak not thus to me," said Russell, with proud 
 humility. "I would shield that high heart from every sorrow, 
 could the power be mine. Denounce you, who have been bene 
 factor, friend, everything to me ! Denounce him for whom I 
 would die, but cannot dishonor myself ! . Oh, no, sir, you know 
 me too well to believe that I can ever injure one who has been 
 a friend to me when I possessed no other." 
 
 Col. Alwin was softened by the earnestness and emotion with 
 which this was uttered. 
 
 " I do believe you, Charles ; but I feel your unkindness in 
 leaving me, when you may essentially serve me, and at the same 
 time secure your own fortunes." 
 
 Russell shook his head. "If anything could tempt me to 
 remain, sir, it would not be the temptation of any reward beyond 
 the gratification of serving you. I shall remain here no longer 
 than I can obtain a conveyance from the island." 
 
 " And you are resolved ?" 
 
 " I am quite so ; but before I leave, I wish to inform you of 
 a circumstance which materially affects my future plans."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 89 
 
 He then concisely stated to Col. Alwin his recent betrothal to 
 Miss de Bourg, which only waited his sanction to become an 
 engagement. From the expression of his guardian's counte 
 nance he could gather little : he appeared to be on his guard 
 from the moment the subject was commenced. When he had 
 finished, Alwin merely asked 
 
 " Were you not aware, when you asked my consent to such 
 an unworldly proceeding as this, that Julie is, so far as I am 
 concerned, pledged to Zavala ?" 
 
 " Don Pedro informed me of some such thing, but forgive 
 me, sir, if I doubted the fact. I could not believe that you 
 would require of Miss de Bourg, the acceptance of a man for 
 whom she has ever betrayed a marked dislike." 
 
 " The whims of young ladies are not to be accounted for," 
 said Col. Alwin, drily. " It is a mere caprice in Julie to treat 
 Zavala with coldness. I, as the guardian of her interests, can 
 not permit her to reject so unexceptionable an offer. What 
 could you bestow on her, as an equivalent for the advantages of 
 such an alliance ?" 
 
 "The heart of an honorable man, united with the energy 
 which is the best guarantee of future success. As my wife, 
 Julie will be far happier even in the humble privacy of narrow 
 fortune, than in a palace with such as Zavala." 
 
 " Of that you will permit me to be the best judge. You 
 remember the old adage, ' When poverty comes in at the 
 door,' &c. Believe me it is far more true than young romance 
 is willing to believe. You possess talent and energy, but years 
 must elapse the best years of your life, before they can receive 
 the meed of wealth, perhaps even of independence. If health 
 is granted, you may succeed ; if not, you sink into a premature 
 grave, leaving the being for whose sake this weary toil has been 
 endured, a victim to the anguish of vain regrets. She is more 
 than woman, not to contrast her lowly care-clogged existence, 
 with the brilliant destiny which might have been hers, had she 
 not perversely closed her heart against the arguments of affec 
 tion and experience. Is not my picture correct ?" 
 
 " No, sir ; it is too highly colored. There is a possibility 
 that such as you paint it, my destiny may be ; but still, there 
 is a brighter side to the canvas, on which Hope would fix 
 her gaze. We are both young ; and the sorrows which 
 experience gives, have not cast their shadows over our hearts. 
 The ills of life, whatever they may be, were far lighter shared 
 together than endured apart ; and its bright scenes will borrow an
 
 90 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 additional lustre from the tried affection which will cast its 
 charm around our existence." 
 
 " You are too poetic for me, sir. I know that your visions 
 will not bear the test of reality. Had you continued with me, 
 I certainly believe that fortune would soon have been within 
 your grasp ; but still I cannot hold forth the hope of obtaining 
 Julie, as an inducement to you to remain true to your duty. 
 Yes I repeat it, your duty ; for to me you owe far more than 
 to an imaginary tie of honor a scruple in favor of father land ; 
 as if any soil that yields us what we require, should not be 
 dearer than the barren spot of earth, on which, perchance, we 
 were born." 
 
 " We will not argue on that subject, sir, since my resolution 
 is irrevocably taken. Am I to understand that you refuse your 
 consent to our engagement ?" 
 
 "Undoubtedly. With my sanction Julie weds Zavala and 
 no other. Remember that you circumvent my views at your 
 peril ; there is so much depending on her union with him so 
 much of vital importance to me, that all my power shall be 
 employed to bend her to my will. Julie will not be yours." 
 
 " On that subject, sir, of course she will decide for herself. If 
 I have too confidingly trusted in the strength of her affection, I 
 must bear the bitterness of disappointment with such philosophy 
 as I may be able to command. We fully understand each 
 other now, sir ?" 
 
 " We do ; our interests are henceforth distinct, if not con 
 flicting. Go, sir; your destiny is of your own choosing; I 
 would have smoothed your pathway to eminence, but you repel 
 my services. Remember, should you ever repent this step, my 
 favor is still open to you." 
 
 " I thank you," said Russell with emotion. " Would to 
 heaven I could remain, but it cannot be. I will ever remember 
 the debt of gratitude I owe you." 
 
 He hurriedly left the room. 
 
 " By heaven, a noble fellow !" muttered Alwin. " If I held the 
 destiny of Julie less securely in my hand, I should fear he 
 might mar all my projects. She, poor girl, may struggle to free 
 herself, but like the fluttering of the netted bird, she only 
 entangles herself more deeply. I must calm myself for the 
 interview with her ; gentleness and kindness, with woman, 
 always succeeds best." 
 
 There was some shrinking of soul at what he was about 
 to undertake, for no man better understood the windings of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 91 
 
 a woman's heart ; and he knew that to crush all that was noble 
 and true in a young spirit, was now his aim. 
 
 When Julie obeyed his summons, she found him measuring 
 the floor with rapid steps, endeavoring to obtain the mastery 
 over his chafed and impatient spirit, before he addressed 
 her whom it was his policy to persuade into submission. Una 
 ble to control her tremulous emotion, Julie gladly took the seat 
 he pointed to, and shading her face with her hand, that he 
 might not see the changes which swept over it, she awaited his 
 communication in silence. 
 
 At length he approached, seated himself beside her, and 
 taking her hand in his, spoke in those soft persuasive tones 
 which no one 'knew better how to assume 
 
 " Julie, my child my beloved girl, look up at me. Do not 
 avert your eyes, as if to shut out some horrid vision from your 
 sight. My only wish is, to act in such a manner as to secure 
 your happiness. Believe me, my child, this is the paramount 
 object I have in view. I only wish to secure your future life 
 from repentance." 
 
 " Then you cannot wish me to accept Don Pedro, as he more 
 than insinuates. Oh, father, let me die sooner than become his 
 bride !" 
 
 "My dear little enthusiast, your language is too strong. 
 Zavala is a high minded, honorable gentleman, and as such 
 I have sanctioned his addresses to you. I wish to see my 
 beautiful Julie filling a station befitting her birth and the educa 
 tion she has received." 
 
 Julie's heart died within her, for now she understood his 
 wishes ; she intuitively felt all the power that would be brought 
 forward to insure their accomplishment. 
 
 " Can you who have taught me to appreciate all that is noble 
 and honorable, practise such a self-deception where this hard, 
 false man is concerned ? You cannot condemn me to a fate of 
 such unmitigated wretchedness as to will me to link my lot with 
 his ? Speak, dear sir, and exculpate yourself from such a suspi 
 cion." 
 
 Again Col. Alwin arose and paced the floor many moments. 
 His better nature stirred within him, but the voice of stern 
 necessity cried aloud sacrifice to her, or ruin to himself. He 
 knew the man he had to deal with, and he felt that the time for 
 hesitation was past. Julie must yield, or he himself be 
 ingulfed in ruin. There was deep tenderness in his manner as 
 he again drew near and looked down on her.
 
 92 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Julie, my poor child, I would not ask this great sacrifice 
 from you, but I am in the power of this man. I have tried 
 to save you. I have offered everything, and nothing else will 
 satisfy him. You are the only bribe." 
 
 " Then / can save you ; / will be inflexible. All his plead 
 ings will fall on a cold ear a loveless heart. On you 
 he dare not wreak his vengeance for my insensibility." 
 
 " Alas ! it is a false hope, Julie. No person on earth can 
 make him relinquish this marriage. My wishes too should have 
 some weight with you. Zavala offers you all that any reason 
 able woman can ask ; his faults, such as they are, will not 
 materially interfere with your daily happiness ; and I have 
 pledged myself that within a month you will become his bride." 
 
 Julie clasped her hands and wept bitterly. 
 
 " Silly girl ; thus to weep over a fate that many would envy. 
 The day will come when you will thank me for my present con 
 duct." 
 
 " Oh no I cannot I dare not Oh, father, can you condemn 
 me to wretchedness by forcing me to marry one man, when I 
 love another ? In all things else I will obey you, but in this 
 never !" 
 
 " Then I am lost ; utterly ruined by your obstinacy. Julie, 
 calm yourself, and listen to reason. I act by you as I should by 
 my own daughter, in such an emergency. Do not return all 
 my cares as Russell has done, by abandoning me to a fate 
 of which you little dream. I know that you love him, but he 
 would link your fate to poverty, wretchedness, and bitter repent 
 ance. Your destiny was placed in my hands by your dying 
 mother ; and as her representative, I save you from such suffering 
 as must inevitably follow such a misalliance." 
 
 " By the memory of that mother to whose last hours you 
 brought consolation, I conjure you to spare her child. By all the 
 affection you have hitherto borne me, I conjure you to save me 
 from this unutterable misery." 
 
 "Julie, I compel you to nothing. Your own feelings must 
 guide you in this decision. If your affection for me is what I 
 have hoped, you will not refuse to stretch forth your hand to 
 save me from destruction ; even if Don Pedro should claim it 
 as the reward of assistance, which must be obtained at any 
 sacrifice. I stand on the edge of an abyss, into which I must 
 plunge, unless you hold me back. My figure of speech is not 
 too strong ; for, alas ! I speak but the literal truth. Take this 
 letter with you to your own apartment, and, when you are
 
 THE C.ONSPIRATOK. 93 
 
 calmer, read it, and ponder on its contents. It was addressed 
 to you by your mother in her last hours. I have hitherto with 
 held it, because I wished your affection for me to be your only 
 motive for endeavoring to please me. I feared that her last in 
 junctions might have an undue influence over your mind ; but 
 now, I hesitate no longer 'tis for your own interest, as well as 
 mine, that I now give it. Read it reflect on it, and then de 
 cide your own destiny and miner 
 
 Julie took the letter, and Col. Alwin left her alone. It was 
 simply addressed to " My daughter," and long did her tearful 
 eyes rest on the lines traced by the hand which had once ca 
 ressingly clasped her infant form which were dictated by the 
 heart that had loved her with the passionate fondness of a young 
 mother's affections. Long, long was it, before those lines, so 
 touching in their utter desolation, ceased to swim before her sight. 
 She at length commanded herself sufficiently to read the fol 
 lowing words : 
 
 "My CHILD: 
 
 " When these lines speak to your heart of the mother who 
 now watches beside you, the hand that traced them will 
 have returned to the dust whence it sprang. Oh, my 
 daughter, had Heaven so willed it, I could have wished to be 
 spared to you to form your mind to love and revere virtue ; to 
 see you expanding into womanhood beneath my fond gaze, and 
 to trace in your clear eyes, and your soft smile, the strong re 
 semblance you bear to your father. The occurrences of the past 
 crowd upon me, and darken my soul when the image of that 
 father rises before me. Fancy presents to me his agony, his 
 uncertainty respecting the fate of his wife and child ; and, last 
 sad scene of the dire tragedy, the axe of the executioner reek 
 ing with the life-blood of my noble husband ! 
 
 " Unhappy France ! deluged with the blood of thy bravest 
 and thy best, when will thy smiling valleys be freed from the 
 tyranny of the vampires who prey on thee ? Remember, my 
 Julie, that you are a. native of that desecrated soil ; the descend 
 ant of a noble line, whose honors now are prostrate in the 
 dust. Thee, the sole representative of two illustrious houses, 
 I leave an orphan, without friends without a home to shelter 
 thee. I must leave thee to the cold charity of an unfeeling 
 world, in a land of strangers ! My child my child, as I gaze 
 on thy innocent brow, as thou calmly sleepest beside me, my 
 heart is torn with agony. What will thy future be? Thy
 
 94 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 orphan years untended by a mother's watchful love thy infant 
 cries unheeded, thy young heart withered by the cold blast of 
 poverty. Oh, could my hand be nerved for the deed, to save 
 thee from the ills I apprehend for thee, I would in mercy plunge 
 a dagger into thy heart, and suffer the innocent spirit to wing 
 its way to Heaven, while yet unsoiled by crime. Father of the 
 fatherless, hear a mother's agonized prayer, and in mercy remem 
 ber my orphan babe ; to thy care I commit her. 
 
 " My prayer has been heard. The widow and the fatherless 
 were not abandoned in their need. 
 
 " The last sands of life are ebbing fast, and I must hasten to 
 a close. When I had thrown aside my pen, and was weeping 
 in utter desolation over thee, my babe, the Heaven, whose mercy 
 I had invoked, sent to my aid one of the noblest of men. Like 
 an angel of mercy, he came to soothe my distracted heart ; to 
 him am I indebted for the calmness with which I look on my 
 approaching fate. He has removed the weight from my soul, 
 by promising to be a parent to thee ; to watch over thee with all 
 a father's affection. Oh, my Julie, be to him as a daughter ; 
 show to this admirable man that thou art grateful for the bene 
 fits conferred upon thy mother, and upon the helpless years of 
 thy own infancy. 
 
 " In the levity of youth, should thy heart prompt thee to be 
 unmindful of his slightest wish, turn to this letter and read my 
 last injunctions, Prefer his wishes to thy own a feeble return 
 to make to him, who has been thy guardian angel. Never 
 fail in rendering him the affectionate obedience due from a 
 daughter to a beloved father. Should thy spirit ever rebel 
 against his commands, remember the words of thy dying mother, 
 and yield thy will to his : so noble a mind will require of thee 
 only what will promote thy happiness and well-being. 
 
 " And now, my daughter, farewell ; a few more hours, and 
 the heart which overflows with such unutterable love for thee, 
 will be at rest. The past, with its bright dreams and dark real 
 ities, is vanishing before me, and, for me, in this world, there is 
 no future. I am resigned life is no longer a dream of bliss to 
 me. Too weak to bear misfortunes, the last cord of my heart 
 was shivered when I saw my country fading in the distance, and 
 knew that there was all that remained of my noble my adored 
 Adolphe. My child, farewell. 
 
 " JULIE DE BOURG." 

 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 95 
 
 "Wild and passionate were the tears which, relieved the almost 
 bursting heart of the unhappy daughter. The image of her 
 dying mother was before her, weeping drops of agony over her 
 forlorn babe, with no hope for the future, no consolation for the 
 past; and then she beheld that noble-hearted man, bending 
 over the couch of death, whispering peace to the broken-hearted. 
 
 " And shall I, her child, the object of his bounty, refuse him 
 anything he may require? Oh God, pardon my rebellious 
 ingratitude !" 
 
 Well was it for her, that Col. Alwin was not present at that 
 moment ; she would have thrown herself upon his bosom, and 
 entreated pardon for having opposed his slightest wish. She 
 would have sacrificed happiness, hope, and truth, sooner than 
 believe herself ungrateful. 
 
 She retired to her room to reflect on the wretched alternative 
 left to her, and pleaded indisposition as an excuse for not 
 appearing again that day. Her mind was tossed on a sea of 
 perplexity and doubt, and she knew not whither to turn for aid 
 or advice. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 THE apartment of Julie was on the first floor, and she could 
 distinctly hear every noise from without. In a few moments 
 after the family left the supper room, a low tap was several 
 times repeated on her window, and the voice of Russell pro 
 nounced her name. Hastily wiping the traces of emotion away 
 she drew aside the curtain, and partially unclosed the window. 
 
 " Dearest Julie," he hurriedly said, " I know all. Col. Alwin 
 commands you to marry Zavala. Only be true to yourself to 
 me, and a!l shall yet be_well. Answer me, Julie, and say that 
 you will neither be forced nor persuaded into this union." 
 
 The light from the apartment streamed on his face, and she 
 saw that he was pale as death. 
 
 " Oh Charles, if you did indeed know all ! I have been 
 writing to you : here take the letter, and this one also. It is 
 from my mother, and has nearly broken my heart. It contains 
 her dying injunctions to me. Read that first, and then mine." 
 
 " Julie," said Russell impressively, " beloved of my whole life, 
 can you be induced to waver in the faith you have plighted to
 
 96 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 me ? Can the persuasions of an ambitious man sway or dazzle 
 your mind so far as to make you forget its truth and faith ? 
 Oh Julie, Julie, such love is not mine !" 
 
 " Read your answer here" she replied, turning her pallid 
 face so as to permit the light to fall upon it. 
 
 That marble brow, those hueless and quivering lips, were 
 indeed sufficient testimony to the overwhelming struggle through 
 which she was passing. 
 
 " Forgive me for the doubt," he murmured, appalled at 
 the change which a few hours of suffering had wrought in that 
 bright and glowing beauty. " I fear his power no longer." 
 
 " Go, go," said Julie, hurriedly, " I hear steps at the door 
 pray, leave me." 
 
 " I will, but in one hour expect an answer to your letter." 
 
 Julie hastily closed the window, and Russell retired to his 
 room. He perused Madame de Bourg's letter with deep interest, 
 and felt the strong hold the possession of such a document gave 
 Col. Alwin over the mind of her daughter. Julie's was short, 
 but it breathed the anguish and uncertainty of her mind, united 
 with the strongest affection for himself. 
 
 " You have read the last words of my mother ! Oh, Charles, 
 pity and forgive me if my mind has wavered. Her voice speaks 
 to me from the tomb, and calls on me to make the sacrifice nay 
 guardian requires of me. I love you with a faith as fervent, as 
 pure, as ever woman vowed : madness may come to my brain, 
 but forgetfulness never ! When his safety is perilled, perhaps 
 his life involved, can I refuse to save him ? Never never ! 
 My heart will break, but I will not be ungrateful. Forget me 
 yes, forget. I can bid you do it, and yet live. Go forth to the 
 world, and in its many excitements forget the beloved of your 
 early years. For man there are other pursuits, other interests, 
 besides those of love. Be great, be happy ; and when 1 hear 
 of your success I shall be able to smile, even amid the wretched 
 ness of my own lot." 
 
 Russell immediately replied to her 
 
 " I have read your letter, my beloved Julie, and never will I, 
 never can I forget. With the knowledge that you love me, I 
 will not yield you to my rival : I will not suffer you to be forced 
 into the measures of Col. Alwin. Could your mother have 
 foreseen the use to which her last farewell would have been
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 97 
 
 put, do you suppose it would ever have been written ? Could 
 she, loving you as every line of her letter evinces, have com 
 manded you to immolate yourself on the shrine of another's 
 ambition ? Oh no ! believe it not. 
 
 " At present Col. Alwin's safety is not implicated. If he would 
 lay aside all thoughts of his meditated enterprise, all would be 
 well. Zavala is as deeply concerned in his plans as himself, and 
 the most that could result from his defection would be their mis 
 carriage. He must eventually fail ; and think, beloved, what will 
 be his remorse when he finds that he has forced you to seal your 
 own misery by wedding Zavala, and the sacrifice is unavailing. 
 
 " Meet me to-morrow evening in the summer house, which is 
 situate at the lower end of the grounds ; at this season it will 
 be deserted, and I have much to say that is important to both 
 of us. Oh ! my beloved Julie, I have trusted implicitly on your 
 truth ; let not my trust prove an arrow wherewith to pierce me 
 to the heart. " C. B." 
 
 As Julie folded the paper Isabel entered the room. 
 
 " Your absence has made a sad gap, Julie. You cannot think 
 how distrait we have all been. My father seems gloomy and 
 out of spirit, while his shadow, Don Pedro, looks black as 
 a thunder cloud. Russell, too a cloud seems to have settled 
 on his usually buoyant temper, though, to do him justice, he did 
 not long remain among us to sadden with his gloom. He 
 retired immediately after supper, and I have not seen him 
 since." 
 
 " I have," said Julie. " He has been to my window, and 
 this letter is from him." 
 
 " A clandestine correspondence ! Nay, you must be fond of 
 romance, for there can be no necessity for such concealment." 
 
 " Alas ! Isabel, you are wrong there. A dark cloud gathers 
 over my fate, and I know not how to escape the storm it 
 portends." 
 
 Isabel looked at her attentively. She said gravely 
 
 " I should not have been so thoughtless, Julie. I see that a 
 head-ache alone could not have produced the changes I behold 
 in you. I left you to solitude as you wished, because I thought 
 a throbbing brain was best left to silence and slumber ; but you 
 have not slept. What is the matter ? I must know ; I 
 earnestly entreat that you will conceal nothing from me." 
 
 " I cannot tell it ; read it for yourself." 
 
 Isabel took the letters she held towards her, and hastily ran 
 9 

 
 98 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 her eye over them. As she read, many rapid changes swept 
 over her expressive features ; her cheek flushed her lips 
 quivered, and at length she burst into tears. In a few moments 
 she dashed away the drops, and approached Julie with great 
 tenderness. 
 
 " I could not have believed this of my father. Dear Julie, 
 let my affection compensate you in some measure for his unkind- 
 ness. Believe me he is under some delusion. This odious 
 Zavala has thrown some spell over his upright mind, or he could 
 not act thus." 
 
 " What shall I do ? How act in such a dilemma ?" 
 
 " Meet Charles as he desires, and if my father still continues 
 inexorable, consent to leave the island with him. This unge 
 nerous advantage must not be taken of you; secure your own 
 happiness, even at the expense of his disappointment ; it is your 
 inalienable right. My father will soon forgive you, for it is only 
 the singular influence Don Pedro has obtained over him which 
 makes him act thus. I, his daughter, would prevent the 
 remorse which will prey on his mind should you sacrifice your 
 self to promote his views, and he finds that the being he 
 should have protected from the shadow of evil, is made wretched 
 through his selfishness. I know you, my dear, better than you 
 do yourself, and your heart would slowly break beneath the 
 weight of blasted hopes. A few months hence and my father 
 will thank me for having given this advice." 
 
 Long and earnest was the conversation which ensued, and 
 something like a ray of hope lit up the countenance of Julie at 
 its close. Her resolution was taken, and at least the misery of 
 indecision over. That night neither of the friends slept much, 
 though Julie was deceived by the deep regular breathing of 
 Isabel into the belief that she sank to rest soon after they 
 retired ; but in that young heart was planted the first thorn 
 that ever rankled there. Her father her worshipped, nearly 
 deified fath ^- had descended from his exalted sphere to commit 
 an act which all the sophistry of affection could not excuse ; and 
 deep and bitter were the thoughts which drove sleep from her 
 pillow. 
 
 If there is a human feeling on which angels may smile, it is 
 the deep and pure love of a daughter for her father. When the 
 hallowed tenderness of an affectionate heart is thus bestowed on 
 the altar of filial affection, it is free from the doubts and 
 jealous fears of love; calmly it flows on its placid course, 
 as unruffled as ripple the waters of the sequestered lake, sheltered
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 99 
 
 from the wild tornado's sweep. The heart securely reposes on 
 the kindness which has never failed it, knowing that love to be 
 unchanging in its warmth, undimiued by the lapse of time. 
 How agonizing was the conviction to that young and untried 
 spirit, that the first lesson of the deceitfulness, the selfishness of 
 life, was learned from the being so confidingly trusted so 
 earnestly beloved ! 
 
 At the hour appointed for the interview, Julie threw a shawl 
 around her, and stole from the house. A sensation of desolation 
 and loneliness nearly overcame her as she hurried along the 
 pathway, now covered with the autumn leaves, which rustled 
 beneath her light tread. The wind sighed mornfully among the 
 trees ; and the agitated waters of the Ohio breaking in sullen 
 waves upon the shore, were in unison with the scene. 
 
 The place of meeting was a pavilion about half a mile from 
 the dwelling. It was a small building, latticed on three sides, 
 and the fourth, which 'faced the south, opened on a scene of 
 great beauty. In summer, overreaching trees embosomed it in 
 shade, and the flashing of the winding river came in glimpses of 
 light through their umbrage. Flowers lifted their graceful heads, 
 and gave soft fragrance to the atmosphere, while their own be 
 loved season lasted ; but now they were withered and fallen, like 
 the bright hopes of her who passed sadly among them, a pale 
 image of sorrow. Within, the little building was fitted up with 
 some attention to comfort, and during pleasant weather it was 
 a favorite resort for the family. Many brilliant and happy asso 
 ciations were connected with that spot in the mind of Julie, but 
 they only saddened her more deeply, as she now pursued her 
 solitary way. 
 
 Russell met her at the entrance. In silence he led her to a 
 seat, and placed himself by her. He looked weary and wretched, 
 though a faint gleam of joy had lighted up his expressive fea 
 tures at their first meeting. 
 
 " Julie," he at length said, and the melancholy sound of his 
 deep voice thrilled painfully to her heart " I have asked 
 this interview of you, to induce you to decide your fate and my 
 own. I am about to make a request which will prove how mad 
 is the passion which can lead me to hope for an instant that you 
 will accede to it." 
 
 He paused, and Miss de Bourg faintly uttered 
 
 "Name it " 
 
 " It is this," he replied, taking her cold hand and pressing it 
 fervently to his lips " Will you fly with me from the protection
 
 100 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 of a guardian who exceeds the authority of a parent ? from one 
 who proves himself unworthy of the name of protector, when 
 he avails himself of the ties of gratitude to act the part of a 
 tyrant ? You have said you love me ; prove it now, by con 
 senting to my proposal." 
 
 " I dare not my father has declared that an impassable bar 
 rier exists between us. Oh, Charles, I dare not." 
 
 " Believe him not, dearest Julie. He would place one him 
 self by uniting you with Zavala. I have no wish to deceive 
 you, my dearest girl. In flying with me you abandon him who 
 has been a father to you you relinquish friends, wealth, home. 
 Can you give up all these, without repining, and find in my love 
 a sufficient compensation for the sacrifice ? That love, Julie, 
 shall encircle you with an atmosphere of tenderness which death 
 alone shall chill." 
 
 Earnest, full of persuasion were the manly tones of that be 
 loved voice ; and Julie suffered her head to rest upon his shoulder, 
 while she wept long and bitterly. She at length spoke in a low 
 decided tone-i 
 
 " My choice is made. I will go with you." 
 
 " Then you are mine for ever," exclaimed the lover, clasping 
 her in his arms " Yet, pause one instant, Julie think once 
 more can you assure yourself that you are consulting your own 
 happiness as well as mine." 
 
 He raised her head from his breast, and looked an instant on 
 that pale face. It was not to seek a confirmation of what he 
 already knew, but to read there his triumph over all the cling 
 ing affections she had cherished from childhood ; and his ear 
 drank in the low murmured sounds of her reply with wild 
 delight. 
 
 " All all has been reflected on. I have thought of this ter 
 mination to our love, until my heart shrank from the trial ; 
 but now it has come, that affection which you cannot doubt will 
 support me through it. Mistrust not my tears, Charles ; they 
 are not for the struggles before me, but the loved ones I must 
 leave. My heart is firm in its determination ; for it is devoted 
 to thee. Forgive this weakness ; it will soon be past, and then 
 I am thine alone." 
 
 A figure darkened the entrance, and looking up they beheld 
 Col. Alwin ! He regarded them an instant in silence ; and then 
 said in a cold sarcastic tone 
 
 " I interrupted a fine scene, I perceive, by my inopportune 
 arrival. I must beg to be pardoned for spoiling anything so
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 101 
 
 sentimental. Return home, Julie, and leave me alone with this 
 mad boy, to convince him of the folly of his present wishes. 
 Return to your room, and prepare your mind to yield its assent 
 to my wishes." 
 
 " Never" she exclaimed " Death were preferable to such 
 an alliance." 
 
 " Julie," said he in a milder tone " I will see you on my 
 return home. Leave me now ; and you, Russell, remain here ; 
 I have that to communicate which will change the whole tenor 
 of your future life. I would have concealed it, but you force 
 me to be explicit." 
 
 Julie silently obeyed ; for there was a power of command 
 about this man, that forced all to bend before his mysterious 
 sway, almost without remonstrance. As her retreating footsteps 
 died on his ear, Col. Alvvin turned to Russell, and said 
 
 " Now, sir, the secret which has been confined to my own 
 breast from the hour of your birth, must be confided to you ; 
 but under the strictest seal of silence. Even to her who has 
 just left us, you must not divulge it. I must now tell you what 
 you are, and who it is you thus recklessly brave. You are " 
 
 There was a slight tremor in his voice, and he paused. 
 
 " What ?" asked Russell, haughtily. 
 
 "I will tell you, sir," said Alwin, rising from the seat on 
 which he had thrown himself, while his form seemed to dilate 
 with suppressed passion. " You are the bane of my repose 
 the living memento of transactions it harrows my very soul to 
 recall to my mind. The basest reptile fchat crawls the earth is 
 scarcely more loathsome to me than your presence, at hours in 
 my life, has been ; yet I have endured it for years. To me, 
 you are indebted for all you have ever received ; and yet you 
 turn against me, and endeavor to win the consent of my adopted 
 daughter to elope from my protection, at a crisis when my life 
 may, in all probability, depend on her acceptance of another. 
 Even if it were possible for Julie to be yours, I would sooner 
 see her hearsed at my feet, than ^he bride of any other but 
 Zavala. Would you know the reason why she is beyond your 
 reach ? Listen, and you shall hear it learn, also, my right to 
 your obedience ; and mark me, sir, it shall be rendered. You 
 are my son.' 1 ' 1 
 
 The last words were almost pronounced in a whisper, but they 
 were fearfully distinct to Russell. He recoiled before the rigid 
 brow which frowned on him the sarcastic lips that uttered 
 such a revelation. 
 
 9*
 
 102 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " The proof ! the proof! I will not, I cannot believe it !" 
 
 " 'Tis here" said Alvvin, striking his hand upon his breast. 
 " Here it has lain for years, gnawing ray very heart-strings 
 withering joy like an unrauttered curse. But there are other 
 proofs which you shall have. You are my child, but never for 
 you has the heart of a father responded to the endearing epithet. 
 Turn away from me, boy ; there is her eye glaring on me. At 
 times I believe I hate you !" 
 
 " Why why then was I fostered by your care ? Why edu 
 cated to fill the station I occupy, if I possess no claims on the 
 affection of him who bestowed those favors ?" 
 
 " Fool fool ! Are you not my child, and hers too, who was 
 once dearer to me than life itself ? The world, 'tis true, knew 
 nothing of the tie that existed between us ; still my pride 
 shrank from permitting a son of mine to live in obscurity, with 
 out an education to fit him for the station all of my blood shall 
 hold. That feeling made you what you are. You owe me no 
 thanks for what I have done, for I never look on you without a 
 sensation of bitterness swelling up in my heart." 
 
 " Father oh ! can a father indeed behold his child with such 
 feelings as you describe ?" 
 
 " Call me not father," said Alwin, in a hasty loud tone. 
 " That title is not for you to bestow on me. The child of her 
 whose remembrance has poisoned my life shall never call me by 
 that hallowed name. I have suffered I have not conquered ; 
 and there are times when I believe I tremble on the verge of 
 madness, but they are brief. This clear intellect, this far 
 reaching ambition, were not given me to become the wreck 
 of one haunting memory though that memory is the blight 
 of humanity. Now you have heard my long-cherished secret, 
 leave me for ever. I cannot longer tolerate your presence." 
 
 " Be it so, sir," replied Russell, mournfully. " What you 
 have this day revealed, has destroyed the brightest illusion that 
 man ever cherished. That I love Miss de Bourg wildly pas 
 sionately, you well know ; but I can no longer ask her to share 
 my future destiny. I go hence immediately. I will no longer 
 be a pensioner on your bounty ; it has already been too long 
 extended to one so abhorred. Through my agency, the tie so 
 recently made known to me shall never be divulged ; and believe 
 me, sir, this is the last time I shall willingly appear in the pre 
 sence of one who cherishes such unnatural feelings towards me. 
 I ask no assistance ; I will accept of none. My profession will 
 secure to me an independence ; and he, who has now no link
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 103 
 
 to bind him to the world, will require nothing more from it 
 than a bare subsistence." 
 
 He bofred proudly and turned away, with feelings it would 
 be vain to attempt describing. 
 
 That night, a packet of papers was placed in his hands by Col. 
 Alwin, and with a heart wrung with bitter anguish, he read the 
 proofs of what he would have given worlds to believe false. He 
 wept over the faded characters of a mother's writing, and wished 
 that the same grave had closed over mother and child. Some- 
 writer says, " that men weep but once, and then their tears are 
 blood." Bitterer tears were never shed, than were wrung from 
 the haughty eyes of Russell on tha,t night. He wept for his 
 mother, his stern father, and for his own blighted hopes and 
 desolated heart. 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 ON the following morning, as Isabel was leaving the break 
 fast-parlor, Russell spoke to her, and requested an interview of 
 a few moments. She turned into the drawing-room and seated 
 herself in silence, for her heart was full to overflowing, as she 
 looked in his face, and saw the traces of deep suffering in his 
 pale cheek and heavy eyes. Russell walked up and down the 
 room for some moments, before he could command himself suf 
 ficiently to speak. He at length said 
 
 " I leave you to-day, probably for ever. I wished to see you 
 once more before we part ; though now, so many thoughts come 
 rushing on me, I know not what to say." 
 
 " Leave us ! leave my father ! Oh, Charles why will you do 
 this ? Why be so precipitate, when all may yet be well my 
 father must relent." t 
 
 " Never, Isabel, never. You do not know, you cannot con 
 ceive the gulf that separates us. I have suffered during the past 
 night what words can never express. I have read of one whose 
 hair turned white, during the age of suffering passed in one 
 night, and deemed it fabulous, but now I am no longer scepti 
 cal ; we know not how much we can suffer and yet live. I have 
 had my hopes rudely torn from my heart, and bleeding as it 
 was, a bitter caustic applied to its wounds ; the iron has entered 
 my soul, and never again can I be as I once was. Oh, Isabel, to
 
 104 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 be spurned, despised, where we have looked for affection, is bit 
 ter bitter." 
 
 He bowed his head upon his hands, and seemed struggling 
 to regain composure. The tears Isabel vainly endeavored to 
 repress streamed over her pallid cheeks, as she replied 
 
 " Surely, Charles, there must be some mistake some misun 
 derstanding. My father cannot be so cruel as you represent 
 him. He could not thus have wounded have spurned you. 
 Has he not ever regarded you as his son ?" 
 
 " His son ! his son !" exclaimed Russell, " Oh God, what 
 would I not give to believe Ah ! what am I saying ? Excuse 
 me, Isabel, my head is not as clear as it should be. I should 
 be the last person to say anything disrespectful of your father, 
 for heretofore he has indeed been one to me : let him now act 
 as he will, he can never cancel the obligations I owe to him. I 
 go to-day ; we may never meet again but should fate so order 
 it, remember my love for you. No brother could have been 
 more devoted in his affection than I have been. Let it appeal 
 to your heart, when time and absence may have taught you 
 indifference to the friend of your youth ; and then be just to my 
 memory." 
 
 " You must not go. Let me see my father. I will appeal 
 to him his affection refuses me nothing. He cannot remain 
 immovable. When he sees my poor Julie he will relent. If 
 he persists in his cruel determination to unite her fate with that 
 of Zavala, it will cause her death." 
 
 " Ah, Isabel, your entreaties will be of no avail. On that 
 subject he is immovable. I must resign all claim to her, but 
 not in favor of Zavala he is unworthy of her. I do not say 
 this from motives of envy ; such a feeling is far from my heart. 
 He is treacherous. He would win Julie, and then refuse the 
 guerdon offered for her hand. Dearest Isabel, on you I rely to 
 save her from such a fate. Mine she can never be, but I would 
 rescue her from the unspeakable wretchedness of being his wife 
 to be the idol of a week, or a month perhaps, then cast aside to 
 weep in loneliness over her desolate lot. Sustain her in my 
 absence, and let her not yield to the entreaties of your father. 
 For myself, I only ask the kind remembrance of friendship ; I 
 dare not claim more. There is a mystery hanging around my 
 conduct which I cannot explain. You have known me from 
 my childhood, and you have never known me to commit a dis 
 honorable action ; do not now let suspicion poison your feelings 
 towards me. Think of me as one more ' sinned against than
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 105 
 
 sinning ;', and remember, that wherever my lot may be cast, 
 the recollection of what you have been to me will be cherished 
 as one of the few bright spots in a life, that will hereafter be as 
 barren of interest as it is of hope. I cannot see Julie, but give 
 her this letter ; in it I have taken my last farewell of her." 
 
 Isabel took the letter, and in a voice nearly choked with sobs, 
 said 
 
 " We never can be so unjust, so ungrateful, Charles, as to 
 believe that any act of yours, however inexplicable, is not founded 
 on reason, and a true regard to honor." 
 
 " Thank you, thank you, Isabel, my dear, dear sister ; that 
 assurance is inexpressibly precious to my harassed soul : and 
 now, adieu." 
 
 She felt his arm encircle her form, his lips pressed to her own, 
 and in another instant she was alone. As the echo of his foot 
 steps died away, she felt as if for Julie the knell of hope had 
 sounded its last peal. The companion of her life, the soother 
 of her childish troubles, was very dear to her ; but selfish sor 
 row had little part in her grief. The image of the pale and 
 suffering Julie was before her, and she almost feared to impart to 
 her the tidings which were to fill the cup of misery to overflowing. 
 
 She at length summoned courage to enter her apartment. 
 Julie was lying on the couch, her cheek flushed with fever, 
 and the wildest excitement flashing from her eyes. 
 
 " You have seen him. Have you no word no message from 
 him ? Ah, there is a letter ; give it to me quickly 'tis yet no 
 crime to read it, to weep over it, to treasure its contents in my 
 heart." 
 
 She eagerly snatched it, tore open the envelope, and read the 
 following words : 
 
 " Julie, I would that I had died before being called on to pen 
 these lines, before such overwhelming anguish had fallen upon 
 me. Forgive me for having sought. your love ! Had I known, 
 could I have dreamed of the wretchedness it must bring to us, 
 I would have fled from the witchery of your smile : have torn 
 from my heart the spell your loveliness cast over it. 
 
 " Why oh why, did not some warning come to us ? Why 
 did not the voice of a guardian angel whisper, that our love was 
 destined to darken all our hopes of future happiness ? Here, in 
 this last record of my love for you, let me dare to tell you how 
 engrossingly I have loved you. It was a selfish passion, and 
 has brought with it its own punishment. I sought to make a
 
 106 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 paradise of earth, and trusted all my happiness in one frail bark, 
 which the wild waves have passed over, and shattered into a 
 thousand fragments ; yet each fragment is dearer to my heart 
 than argosies freighted with the treasures of the east. The 
 solitary light that gleamed on the dark and fathomless future is 
 quenched, as I cast from me the only hope that made life desirable. 
 
 " Dearest Julie, I have endeavored to calm my heart, and I 
 have knelt before the throne of an insulted God, to pray for 
 forgiveness for so wildly loving the being he created, to the 
 exclusion of his own image. No prayer came to my lips ; no 
 softness to my heart ; the cords of anguish were too tightly 
 drawn around it. 
 
 " I have this night read a history of suffering, and I learned 
 from it that which, if known to me one short year since, would 
 have saved us from this unhappiness. I dare not tell you why 
 we are separated, yet such is the sad truth ; and never, never can 
 we realize the bright anticipations we have indulged. 
 
 " I cast from me the hopes I have cherished, and I ask from 
 you but one favor ; the only one I am now entitled to claim 
 remember me with the affection of a friend a very dear sister. 
 I cannot say forget me, for that I could not bear. I cannot 
 think with calmness of the heart which once throbbed with warm 
 affection for me, becoming cold and indifferent ; that the eye 
 which once brightened at my approach, should flash with greater 
 pleasure on another. 
 
 " Oh, Julie, forgive this selfishness. I would say forget me, 
 but now I am suffering too keenly from the blight which has 
 fallen on my heart, to be generous. Wretched myself, I am 
 unwilling that you shall pursue the only course that can insure* 
 your happiness ; but I will not always be thus : the time will 
 come when I can bear to hear, and rejoice in the knowledge, that 
 your heart has found another home, and perchance a happier one 
 than 1 could have offered you. The chilling touch of time may 
 close the wounds that now agonize my very soul, yet never 
 again to me can life wear a smiling fe.ce. The forest tree, when 
 scathed by blighting, may as well be expected to put forth 
 bloom and verdure, as my withered heart to feel the gush of 
 affection flowing over the bitterness in its deepest chambers, and 
 again causing its pulses to thrill with hope and joy. 
 
 " Farewell, Julie ; we may never meet again. I have pro 
 mised it, and my obedience will be claimed ; and why should 
 we meet but to feel more keenly the agony of a separation that 
 must be final ?"
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 107 
 
 Julie read every word without shrinking ; tut when he had 
 finished, and the conviction came coldly to her heart that they 
 were indeed separated that all their love was but a mocking 
 phantom, spreading the darkness of desolation over the future, 
 she could no longer control the tide of anguish which threatened 
 to annihilate her reason. She uttered no shriek ; she neither 
 fainted nor wept, but sat the mute image of despair, so cold, so 
 pale, that but for the wild expression of agony in her eyes, she 
 might have been mistaken for a marble image of sorrow. 
 
 " Julie, my dear, dear girl, speak to me ; look up at me," said 
 the alarmed Isabel, stealing her arm around her, and drawing 
 her gently towards her. " Do not give up thus." 
 
 The accents of human sympathy appeared to touch a chord in 
 her heart which vibrated to some softer emotion, for large lucid 
 drops fell over the sympathizing bosom to which she was 
 clasped. 
 
 " Here ; there ; 'tis over now," she murmured. " The pang 
 was sharper than death, but 'tis past, and I can now say to hope 
 Depart, and dwell no longer with me ; I have henceforth no 
 companionship with thee. Oh, Isabel, this is deeper wretched 
 ness than I ever dreamed could fall on me, the spoiled and 
 petted child of affection ! Alas ! the present is only more 
 hideous from the brightness of the past." 
 
 Isabel had no consolation to offer, and they wept together. 
 Those bright and lovely beings who had hitherto trodden the 
 flowery paths of life hand in hand, now mingled their tears, and 
 from that sorrow sprang an affection deeper, purer than either 
 had yet known ; a love that lasted to the latest hour of exist 
 ence, brightening as time rolled away. 
 
 To Julie, life looked pale and cold ; her pathway henceforth 
 lay in shadows, for the sun of hope had withdrawn his beams, 
 and left her desolate. She knew her separation from her lover 
 to be inevitable, for if the obstacle was one that could be over 
 come, she had that faith in Russell's truth and honor which 
 induced her to believe that he would never have given her up. 
 She had not loved lightly, and time she knew would bring no 
 healing on its wings ; for time steals not one ray from the 
 diamond, and her affection for Russell had all the purity and 
 durability of that gem. 
 
 And this is life ! Disappointed at every turn, and where we 
 have trusted most, our hopes are oftenest crushed and withered 
 by a single breath. This is the life to which we cling with so 
 tenacious & grasp that neither sickness, which destroys the
 
 108 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 energies of being, nor disappointments, which waken the chords 
 of anguish in the heart, never again to be lulled to slumber 
 while a pulse beats within it, nor even the scorn and contempt 
 of our species, can loose our frantic hold. 
 
 Mysterious gift ! which is only bestowed to be withdrawn 
 when wearied with suffering and woe ; bowed down with a 
 sense of the hollowness of all we have struggled for and failed 
 to win, or taken when the bloom is on the flower and the glory 
 in the sky ! The last are happiest, though they know it not ; 
 whom the gods love die young ; and the flowers that bloom and 
 exhale their fragrance over the solitary resting-places of such, 
 are a fitting type of the unsoiled spirit which winged its way to 
 the bright abode of angels, while yet sustained by the miseries 
 and crimes of later life. 
 
 Suddenly Julie started up 
 
 " Good heavens ! what is that ? What can it mean ?" 
 
 A confused murmur of voices sounded through the house. 
 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald, pale and trembling, entered, and signed 
 to Isabel to approach her. 
 
 " What is it ?" asked Julie. " Speak ; I can bear it. Has 
 anything happened to Mr. Russell ?" 
 
 She approached the door as if to leave the room, but Mrs. 
 Fitzgerald threw herself before her. 
 
 " Do not leave this apartment, dearest Julie. A meeting has 
 taken place between Zavala and your young friend, and " 
 
 The unhappy girl heard no more : life receded from her 
 frame, and she fell into the arms which opened to receive her. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 WHILE Russell was engaged in his interview with Isabel, 
 Zavala was alone with his own dark and passionate thoughts. 
 Rejected, and with such cold contempt rivalled by one he 
 despised ! He felt that Russell's position in life was far inferior 
 to his own, and he could not lay the " flattering unction to his 
 soul," that his rival had not been preferred for himself alone. 
 
 " She shall repent it," he muttered, " deeply, dearly repent. 
 I have loved her, but that is gone with departed things. I will 
 wed her, and then show her that love has no part in my feelings 
 towards her. The wealth of her haughty line can be claimed
 
 ' * THE CONSPIRATOR. 109 
 
 and gamed, and that shall richly repay me for my present mor 
 tification. Were it not for that, I could resign her to the fool's 
 paradise she covets. Let me see a countess in her own right, 
 with the vast estates of De Bourg ; her mother a descendant of 
 a noble house, herself an heiress. The parvenu ruler of France 
 welcomes back the old nobility, and restores their estates. I 
 will claim these in right of my wife, and enjoy them ; and the 
 splendor of her rank shall be the only compensation for the 
 destruction of her romantic dreams of happiness. As my wife, 
 she shall become the slave of my caprices, shall sue to me for 
 the smiles she now turns coldly from. Yet, oh God, who can 
 look upon that matchless brow, on which heaven has stamped 
 its own impress of beauty and nobleness, and not madly love ! 
 The passion of my soul has all been poured forth at the feet of 
 this girl, and I must win her or die." 
 
 He seated himself, and wrote two notes containing only the 
 words, " Meet me in the Fairy Glen in half an hour," and 
 addressed them to Russell and Graham. These were despatched 
 by Corporal Black, and then taking out a highly ornamented 
 duelling case, he drew the charges from two pair of richly 
 mounted pistols, and carefully reloaded them. 
 
 It would be difficult to trace the varied emotions which passed 
 through his mind while thus engaged. Of these, the paramount 
 one was an intense desire for revenge on the man who had 
 stepped between him and the woman he loved with all the fury 
 of his unbridled spirit. It was not the first affair of the kind in 
 which he had been engaged, and he piqued himself on being a 
 dead shot. He had no scruples of conscience, for in that exist 
 ence which comes after death, he had little faith. All the hopes 
 and aspirations of his nature were bounded to the narrow circle 
 of our present life, and beyond it he had no wish, no aim. 
 Besides, he had no serious fears as to the result. He had too 
 much confidence in his own skill to believe his life would be 
 seriously endangered by an encounter with Russell, for he 
 knew that he was by no means familiar with the use of the 
 pistol. 
 
 When his preparations were completed he hurried to the 
 scene of action. In a few minutes Graham joined him. 
 
 " Why have you desired my presence here ?" he inquired. 
 
 " I believe you understand something of surgery," replied 
 Zavala. " I wish you to act as second to Russell and myself, 
 as well as in the capacity of surgeon, should either be wounded. 
 We fight here immediately." 
 
 10
 
 110 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Fight ! Good God ! I hope not. More blood has 
 already been shed in this world than can ever be atoned for. 
 Why should you fight?" 
 
 " He is my rival ! " 
 
 "Even admitting that to be true, what good can it do to 
 shoot this poor boy ? If Miss de Bourg loves him, is he to 
 blame for wishing to wear the jewel he has won ?" 
 
 " Graham, do not reason like a child," said Zavala, rudely. 
 " Do you think I will fight him because she loves him ? No, 
 sir ; it is because he has dared to attempt to win her from me, 
 when he was aware that her guardian had absolutely contracted 
 her to me. Ele has endeavored to break the engagement, 
 although I confided to him my attachment to Miss de Bourg. 
 I consider his conduct base, and his blood his blood can alone 
 atone for the injury." 
 
 " Do not talk thus. Listen to reason, Don Pedro. Russell 
 leaves to-day. Why can you not let this pass, and be forgotten ?" 
 
 " Forgotten !" repeated Zavala, stamping with passion. 
 " Forgotten ! Do you think mine a nature to forget, or lightly 
 pass over such an injury ? No ; I will pursue him through the 
 world, sooner than not be avenged. Julie shall yet be mine ; 
 but this presumptuous boy shall atone with his blood for the 
 crime of having rivalled me with the only woman I have ever 
 loved. Yes " he continued slowly, through his shut teeth 
 " I would bury him ten thousand fathoms below me, and then 
 stamp down the turf upon his bleeding breast : and if I thought 
 the quivering corpse could feel the suffocating earth that was 
 heaped above it, my spirit would gloat on its agony. I have 
 hitherto appeared calm, but it was the unnatural stillness which 
 precedes the tempest. I hate him. I shrink from him with 
 loathing, and I will put it out of his power ever again to cross 
 my path. I am a sure shot ; my aim has never yet failed me. 
 Oh, Destiny ! be not so cruel as to snatch from me my revenge. 
 My nerves are unstrung ; I must calm myself before he 
 appears." 
 
 The latter portion of his speech was unintelligible to Graham, 
 but he saw with astonishment, not unmingled with terror, the 
 workings of Zavala's countenance. Those haughty features, 
 which were usually so impervious to scrutiny so calm to all 
 outward seeming, even when the tempest was raging within, 
 were now convulsed with passion. It appeared as if the demon 
 of his nature had suddenly usurped entire dominion over him, 
 and he possessed no power to control his sway.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. Ill 
 
 " Don Pedro, how can you thus yield to your passions ? 
 Russell has not intentionally injured you. For God's sake, 
 command yourself, and think calmly of the consequences to 
 yourself, if you persist in this quarrel. Will you make yourself 
 more acceptable to Miss de Bourg by imbruing your hands 
 in the blood of her lover ? Will Col. Alwin pardon you for 
 embroiling yourself with a man he has reared, and looks on as 
 a son ? Will Isabel receive you with her wonted kindness after 
 such mad conduct ? Reflect, before you see Russell, and involve 
 yourself in such a terrible affair." 
 
 " Listen to me, Graham, and believe that my determination is 
 irrevocable. As to making myself acceptable to Julie, that is 
 out of the question ; yet she nevertheless must be mine. For 
 Col. Alwin, he dare not no, he dare not refuse to me, not only 
 his pardon, but seemingly his approbation for putting Russell out 
 of my way. That man, bold, haughty, overbearing as he is, is 
 in my power, and he knows it. For Isabel, I care not. I hold 
 her in subjection, through my power over her father. So long 
 as she fears to give utterance to her resentment, I care neither 
 for her shrinking from me nor for her disdainful lips. To Julie, 
 it will be a just punishment, that the hand which must at some 
 future day clasp hers as the partner of her life, shall be red with 
 the blood of her first lover. Ay had he a thousand lives, 
 their sacrifice would scarcely appease my restless craving for 
 vengeance. But, here he comes." 
 
 Russell advanced with arms folded, and eyes bent on the 
 ground. An air of profound melancholy distinguished him, and 
 he appeared unconscious of the vicinity of others until Zavala 
 addressed him. 
 
 " I am happy, sir, that you have at last thought proper to 
 obey my commands." 
 
 Russell paused ; and, looking up, he encountered his haughty 
 and fixed expression. His pale cheek flushed 
 
 " What am I to understand from this address, Don Pedro ? 
 I have received no message from you, and 1 am not conscious 
 that you can have anything of sufficient importance to say to 
 rne, to demand my presence here, or elsewhere." 
 
 " You are not ?" said Zavala, with a sneer which awfully con 
 trasted with his white and convulsed lips. " I suppose you are 
 also unconscious that you acted with duplicity and treachery, 
 when you clandestinely met my betrothed bride last evening, 
 and, but for the fortunate interruption of her guardian, might
 
 112 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 have succeeded in withdrawing her from his protection ? It is 
 for this, sir, that I call you to an account." 
 
 " Don Pedro Zavala," said the young man coldly, " you were 
 some months since aware of my views on this subject. I have 
 never concealed from you my attachment to Miss de Bourg. 
 If treachery and duplicity have been employed, your own con 
 science tells you, that / am not the one who used them. I 
 have made every effort to win her, and I flattered myself with 
 a hope of success ; but the illusion is now ended. If it will 
 satisfy you, know that Miss de Bourg can never be mine. I 
 have for ever resigned her." 
 
 " No that does not satisfy me. Can the knowledge that she 
 will not be yours efface the burning thought that her affections 
 have been bestowed upon you ? So long as you are in the 
 world, the recollection will haunt me that there is a being in 
 existence who has been preferred before me. I would bury you 
 in oblivion in her memory, no trace should remain to recall 
 your presumptuous love, had I the power to command her 
 thoughts. Come, sir 'tis idle to talk blood is the only atone 
 ment for the injuries I have borne from you. Here are pistols 
 take your choice." 
 
 Russell waved back the proffered weapons. 
 
 " What can it now avail to appeal to arms ? It will only 
 exasperate Col. Alwin against us both, for bringing the name of 
 his ward in question in an affair of this kind. Calm yourself, 
 Don Pedro, and reflect on the absurdity of compelling a man to 
 fight, who can no longer interfere with your. pretensions. I am 
 about to depart for ever from the companions of my youthful 
 hours. Why then seek to take a life whose hopes can no longer 
 clash with yours ?" 
 
 " Coward base coward ! would you shelter yourself behind 
 respect for Col. Alwin and his ward ? The plea shall not avail 
 you, for I swear that one of us shall leave this spot a murderer. 
 The consciousness that the same sun which illumes my path, 
 also gives light to yours, will be misery to me. One of us 
 must die ; so choose your weapon." 
 
 At these words, the expression of Russell underwent a com 
 plete change. From melancholy forbearance, it assumed the 
 rigid outline of stern determination. The marble hue of his 
 complexion did not change, but his lips compressed and his eye 
 dilated, as it measured the form of Zavala ; and the thought 
 came to him " It would be lawful to save my angel Julie, even
 
 THE CONSPIKATOR. 113 
 
 at the price of blood." He stretched forth his hand, and grasped 
 the pistol 
 
 " After such language, Don Pedro, it is impossible for me to * 
 refuse your challenge. Graham, if I fall, you will bear witness 
 to my moderation, and to the manner in which this quarrel has 
 been forced upon me." 
 
 " Gentlemen, for Heaven's sake, desist," remonstrated Graham. 
 " I cannot see you commit murder in cold blood. Don Pedro 
 pause one second retract your unjust language." 
 
 " Never never one or both must die. If you will not act 
 as our second, we will do without one. Mr. Russell, we will walk 
 fifteen paces, wheel, and step back until within ten, then fire." 
 
 " As you please," said Russell ; and with an indifference to 
 life which a few hours before he would have deemed impossible, 
 he walked off from his adversary. Not that he was indiffer 
 ent to the idea of appearing thus suddenly before his Creator, 
 but he felt that not on his soul would rest the guilt of murder. 
 The duel had been forced on him, and the headlong passion of 
 Zavala forced on him the necessity of self-preservation, even to 
 the extent of taking life. With a prayer for forgiveness on his 
 lips, and one brief thought of her he had loved more than his 
 own existence, he turned to meet Zavala. 
 
 He advanced with measured steps, and when within the re 
 quisite distance, both paused an instant. The eye of Zavala 
 glared with the fierce hate of the panther about to spring upon 
 his victim, as it measured the form of his antagonist ; that of 
 Russell was firm, clear, and unwavering in its glance. He was 
 fully aware of the deadly skill of his opponent, and he knew 
 that iron firmness of nerve could alone give him a chance for 
 life. Both fired at the same instant ; Russell staggered against 
 a tree, and Zavala brushed his hand over a slight scratch on 
 the temple. 
 
 " 'S death !" he exclaimed ; " my hand trembled, or this shot 
 would have told better." 
 
 His ball had struck one of the buttons on Russell's coat, 
 glanced, and wounded him slightly in his shoulder. 
 
 Graham advanced to Zavala. 
 
 " Are you satisfied, Don Pedro ? You have severely, though 
 not mortally, wounded him. Be reconciled, I conjure you." 
 
 " Have I not sworn that one or the other shall leave this sod 
 a murderer ?" he savagely replied. " No, sir, I am not satisfied. 
 There are other pistols ; I came well prepared ; nothing shall 
 turn me from my purpose." 
 
 01*
 
 114 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Don Pedro," said Russell, " I have sufficiently tested my 
 courage by receiving your fire. This affair should end here ; 
 but, if you still persist, God forbid that I should balk you of your 
 humor." 
 
 " By the living God it shall not end here ! I will not be 
 trifled with. <Take the pistol and fire at me, or submit to be 
 shot down with as little remorse as if you were not a human 
 being." 
 
 They resumed their former positions, and this time both took 
 deliberate aim. The two reports were so blended that it was 
 impossible to tell which came first. Russell fell, and Zavala 
 staggered to a seat beneath one of the trees. His arm had been 
 shattered by the ball of his antagonist, and hung dangling by 
 his side. 
 
 Graham hastened to Russell, who lay apparently without life. 
 The ball had entered his breast. 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 TWILIGHT had yielded to night, and the dim light of a 
 shaded lamp only served to make darkness visible in the sick 
 chamber of Russell. The heavy and uneasy breathing of the 
 sufferer was the only sound which broke the stillness around. 
 Graham's knowledge of surgery had saved his friend's life ; and 
 fortunately for all who took an interest in his recovery, an old 
 and intimate friend of Col. Alwin, who stood high in the medi 
 cal profession, arrived at the island the day after the duel. 
 Dr. Crawford had known Russell from his boyhood, and had 
 always manifested much interest in his progress through life. 
 He now devoted himself to his young friend with unwearied 
 assiduity. The struggle had been a severe one, but hope began 
 to dawn upon him ; and he sat by the bed-side of his patient, 
 with his fingers on his pulse, occasionally administering to him 
 such restoratives as he might need. 
 
 Russell at length spoke. 
 
 " Doctor, do you think it possible for me to recover ? I wish 
 to know the truth ; I believe I can bear it." 
 
 " We must hope for all things, my dear boy," replied the 
 doctor in a cheerful tone. " The ball is extracted from your 
 most dangerous wound ; and with good nursing, I hope soon to 
 see you among us again, as sound and as gay as ever."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 115 
 
 Russell sighed heavily. After a pause, he said 
 
 " The illusions of life are over with me. If I live I may 
 become a useful, but never a happy man." 
 
 " So every man says who is disappointed in his early hopes. 
 You will live to smile over your present despondency, and to 
 wonder how much imagination and undisciplined sensibility 
 could add to the sorrows you really have to lament. Trust me, 
 Charles, that time brings with it its own balm ; and each year, 
 as it passes, will only convince you how fleeting were the sorrows 
 of the last." 
 
 " There are some sorrows which cannot be medicined to rest. 
 I bear within my own mind that which it must ever be a misery 
 to me to remember. I speak not now of my unhappy love for 
 Julie. You have seen and known the progress of that, and I 
 may allude to it without impropriety. It is a deeper weight 
 than even disappointed love, which crushed me to the dust." 
 
 Alarmed by the strong emotion with which the last words 
 were uttered, the physician placed his fingers over his lips, and 
 said 
 
 " You are becoming too much excited, my young friend. I 
 must prohibit any further conversation." 
 
 Russell acquiesced, and several hours passed in silence. 
 
 At length, finding that his patient appeared to be resting 
 tranquilly, the doctor yielded to the somniferous influence of the 
 drowsy god, and leaning back in his large cushioned chair, was 
 soon in a sound sleep. 
 
 Russell lay for many hours in that state of dreary somnolence 
 which is not sleep, and he had just sunk into a feverish slumber 
 when the warm breath of some one playing on his cheek, 
 aroused him. He unclosed his eyes, and being accustomed to 
 the gloom, he could distinctly see Col. Alwin bending over him 
 as if to ascertain from his breathing whether he slept. 
 
 Russell had a faint recollection of seeing that revered form by 
 his side in his delirium ; and he also remembered the flitting of 
 a gentle being around his couch, whom he had no difficulty in 
 identifying with Isabel, for Julie, he well knew, would not be 
 permitted to approach him. Col. Alwin folded his arms, and 
 stood motionless beside 'the couch ; and Russell thought he 
 could read sorrow and compassion in the sad expression of his 
 countenance. He at length could not restrain the impulse 
 which compelled him to speak. 
 
 " My father !" he uttered in a low tone. 
 
 Col. Alwin started. 

 
 116 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 ' I thought you were sleeping. I hope I have not disturbed 
 
 you 
 
 " Disturbed me ? no," replied Russell, with some bitterness. 
 " My busy thoughts will not permit me to sleep. Oh, my 
 father, for such you are, I implore you, be not callous to my 
 appeal. Let the feelings of a parent for once gain the ascend 
 ency, and grant the request I am about to make. Tell me the 
 history of my mother ; all in her life is a mystery and a dark 
 ness to me. I may not live many days ; I pray you then to 
 grant this request as if 'twere my last." 
 
 ." Charles Charles you know not what you desire. Why 
 ask me to tear the veil from the harrowing past ? I cannot re 
 late that history so fraught with suffering ; let it suffice that the 
 miseries of life are over for her. Many many years have 
 passed since the announcement of her death reached me." 
 
 Russell groaned in anguish. After some moments, he added 
 in a more excited tone 
 
 " You then refuse to give me the satisfaction I ask. Oh, 
 sir, remember that I am her son, and satisfy me at least on one 
 point. Did she not believe herself to be your lawful wife ?" 
 
 " My lawful wife !" repeated Col. Alwin, starting back. 
 " Boy boy what do you take me to be ? a fiend, or a man 
 possessing the feelings of humanity ! Do you believe me 
 capable of practising a fraud on the being who was loved with 
 the wildest passion the human heart can feel ? No, boy, from 
 me your mother received no wrong. She was my wife wedded 
 clandestinely, but with all the ceremonies of the church to which 
 she belonged." 
 
 " Oh, God ! I thank thee," ejaculated Russell with fer 
 vor " Yet why, if the mother was so loved, why should the 
 child be so loathed ? What have I innocently done to embitter 
 your feelings towards me ?" 
 
 " Nothing your unfortunate resemblance to your mother is 
 the root of that bitterness. She deceived me, she wrung the 
 heart that trusted its best hopes of happiness to her. She never 
 loved me I had proof of that, and we parted. More I cannot, 
 will not say. It is the dark page in the history of my life ; 
 and if it were possible, I would for ever erase its records 
 from my memory. Let the subject be henceforth at rest 
 between us." 
 
 " I must be satisfied with what you have unfolded. I thank 
 you for even that glimpse into the past, faint and imperfect as 
 it is. It has removed a weight of wretchedness from my heart.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 117 
 
 I think I can bear to feel the eyes of men once more fixed upon 
 me, and not shrink from their gaze." 
 
 " I did not imagine that you could so have misunderstood 
 the correspondence I placed in your hands. Keep those letters ; 
 though years have hardened the feelings to which they were 
 addressed, I cannot see them without more emotion than I wish 
 to feel. To you, they will speak of a parent you have never 
 known ; to me they breathe only of perfidy, and utter reckless 
 ness of everything like truth and good faith. Yes, keep them ; 
 I would suffer the dust of time to gather over the memories 
 connected with her, until my mind shall cease even to reflect 
 her image. The time once was, when she who wrote those im 
 passioned letters might have commanded my life. It was no 
 common love ; it was the idolatry of a heart susceptible only to 
 overwhelming emotions they recoiled on myself, and for a 
 
 season But I have conquered at last all may forget if they 
 
 will." 
 
 " My father, you have felt the blight of withered affections, 
 passing over your heart you know all its bitterness think 
 then of Julie of my deep disappointment. Withdraw your 
 prohibition, and suffer us to hope for happiness." 
 
 " Charles," replied Col. Alwin sternly " Listen to me, and 
 then ask me to suffer you to wed Julie de Bourg. My very 
 existence depends on her union with Zavala ; he holds me " 
 
 ****** 
 
 When Dr. Crawford awoke, he was astonished to find Russell 
 with a burning fever, and a new paroxysm of delirium upon 
 him. Many days elapsed before he was pronounced convales 
 cent. So soon as he was able to travel, he declared his deter 
 mination to leave the island by the first opportunity. Before 
 his departure, he had a brief interview with Julie, in the presence 
 of her guardian ; but it was only an additional sorrow to both, 
 to behold each other with the belief that it was for the last 
 time. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 A FEW extracts from the journal of Miss de Bourg will ex 
 plain the transactions of the following weeks. 
 
 " Here, at least, I may freely unburden my full heart. How
 
 118 THE CONSPIRATOK. 
 
 perseveringly have I refused Zavala for two years past ; and, 
 until of late, my father appeared perfectly indifferent to it ; but 
 now all is changed. He has urged me to consent with such 
 earnestness such passion, that I have yielded. Never should 
 this consent have been wrung from me had it not been to save 
 him from some peril, which I do not fully comprehend. Yes, 
 he, the proud, the unbending, kneeled to me, and entreated me 
 to have mercy on him to save him from ignominy. Oh, 
 Father in Heaven ! what can he be meditating ? In what plans 
 can he be engaged by which even his life is endangered ? I 
 tremble when I think what the consequences may be to others, 
 although my own happiness is wrecked in endeavoring to con 
 tribute to his success. 
 
 " Russell, forgive me ! I could not refuse to give security to 
 one who has been the tenderest of parents to me I have 
 renounced you, yet even you must approve my motives. Yes, /, 
 the romantic enthusiast, the being who has loved you with all 
 the devotion of passion, without its selfishness I have said that 
 I will marry another ! And that other ! Oh, how my heart 
 shrinks back, when I see how selfish and unfeeling he is, in 
 making my wretched self the bribe by which the safety of my 
 guardian is to be purchased. 
 
 " For nothing else would I have been forced to such a sacri 
 fice of feeling. No, no, not feeling ; I no longer feel ; suffering 
 seems to have paralysed all emotions. Indeed I sometimes 
 fancy my heart has no pulsation, so torpid and heavy does it 
 appear. 
 
 " I have told Zavala how deeply I love another, and yet he 
 persists in his desire of marrying me. In two little weeks 
 I shall have renounced the privilege of even thinking on the 
 past. Alas ! how different a destiny had I sketched for myself! 
 A loveless home I enter. The spot that should be hallowed by 
 the purest feelings of affection, must be a splendid desert to its 
 mistress. I turn from the prospect of such a future, with a sick 
 ness of soul and a feeling of horror I vainly struggle to over 
 come. 
 
 " Another week, and no letter from Russell ; not even a line 
 to my father, and he left us in such a miserable state of weak 
 ness and depression. I am afraid he is ill among strangers. 
 Zavala has long since recovered from his wound, though it was 
 not very severe. 
 
 " I have been trying to read, but the words conveyed no 
 meaning to my mind. My eyes ran over the pages again and
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 119 
 
 again, but I could not think of them, and at length the book 
 dropped from my hands, and I sat gazing through the window 
 on the river. The waters were troubled as my own heart, and 
 the dreariness of the scene seemed to me sadly in unison with 
 the life I look forward to. How long I sat thus, I know not, but 
 my father uttered my name reproachfully, and I became con 
 scious that both himself and Zavala were observing me ; and 
 Don Pedro gave me such a look ! it thrills to my soul to 
 remember its expression. I felt as if withered by it, and I burst 
 into tears. 
 
 " My father said something of my criminal indulgence 
 in dreams which wrecked my health and destroyed my spirits. 
 He mentioned Charles Russell's name ; I know not what he 
 said of him, and I made no answer ; but I felt that I have not 
 yet conquered the violent emotions which once threatened to 
 madden me. 
 
 " This will not do ; I must cease to dwell upon his image. 
 Yet how effect it ? There is not an event in my past life with 
 which the memory of Russell is not entwined. They tell me 
 time will blunt my feelings, and I shall yet be happy ; and then 
 they dwell on his vast possessions the splendor that will 
 always surround me. Can gorgeous robes conceal desolation of 
 heart from their wearer ? 
 
 " Yes ; I shall be splendidly married, but beneath the glare 
 of my position, one bitter and corroding remembrance will ever 
 rest. The cup of my pleasure may bring satiety, but not for- 
 getfulness. Oh, I fear this cold, cruel heart, to whose mercy I 
 am about to trust my future life." 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE affairs of Col. Alwin were assuming a smiling aspect, and 
 in fancy he beheld himself the possessor of all he grasped 
 at. The morning brought with it despatches from the East, 
 announcing to him that several gentlemen of wealth and influence 
 had secretly embarked in his cause. Many young aspirants for 
 fame and fortune were ready to join him so soon as the standard 
 of rebellion was raised, while the elder members of the confe 
 deracy confided in his brilliant talents and well known energy of 
 character, for the success of his scheme.
 
 120 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 He had used every pretext to augment his resources and 
 multiply his adherents, without drawing on himself the suspi 
 cions of government. It was remarkable that many of the most 
 powerful of his own party knew nothing of the ultimate object 
 of the expedition. Some imagined that the Western States 
 were to be the theatre of his glory and dominion ; while others 
 were impressed with the belief that the Spanish provinces, then 
 in a state of open revolt against their government, were to be the 
 seat of his kingdom. 
 
 On this morning he was alone in his own apartment, with 
 letters and papers scattered over the table before him. He 
 finished their perusal, and threw himself back in his chair with 
 a smile of varying expression on his lips. There were pride, gra 
 tification, and scorn, each contending for the mastery, as his eye 
 wandered over the documents before him. 
 
 " I have them now," he muttered, " pledged to support me, 
 and my career shall astonish the civilized world. Let me see : 
 power, empire, renown, what more shall I reqiiire. ? Humiliation 
 to him ; aye, 'twill be sweet beyond all the rest. I will wrest 
 from his grasp the fairest portion of the broad lands he has 
 acquired by purchase ; and when the history of our common 
 country is written, he shall go down to posterity as the circum 
 vented President, who had his own treachery thrown back 
 against him, with overwhelming interest, by the man he had 
 basely injured. Time will give that mighty valley all it can 
 require to render it even superior to the Atlantic States. Popu 
 lation, wealth, refinement, will soon follow the establishment of 
 a new government, and I will be the kingly ruler over all." 
 
 His eye rested on a pile of letters which had been pushed to 
 one corner of the table, and he laughed scornfully as he con 
 tinued 
 
 " Those are from my lukewarm friends, who stipulate for the 
 safety of their country. Aye, as safe she shall be from me 
 as is the caged bird from the swoop of the eagle. So long as 
 she can defend her rights let her do so ; but so soon as my 
 power overbalances that of the United States, we will see which 
 shall be lord of the ascendant. Fools ! do they think me one 
 to hesitate about a silly prejudice in favor of fatherland, when so 
 much is at stake ?" 
 
 A slight tap on the door interrupted his meditations, and 
 Isabel petitioned for admittance. He smoothed his brow and 
 bade her come in. 
 
 It was not the least strange part of this singular man's cha-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 121 
 
 racter, with what chameleon-like rapidity he could change his 
 mood. To have seen him in his solitary and ambitious musings, 
 one would have said, that nothing like human feeling ever 
 softened that heart, seared by his devotion to self-interest ; yet 
 this was not so. His daughter he loved with ardent affection, 
 and Isabel could not remember ever having received a harsh 
 word from him. To Julie, also, he had been indulgent and 
 affectionate, and, until of late, had never thwarted her inclina 
 tions. There was tenderness in his nature ; but circumstances in 
 his early life, had repressed, and in a great measure destroyed 
 it. There was a spring of bitterness in his heart, which fre 
 quently overflowed on the whole human race ; but, even at such 
 moments, the presence of Isabel was like oil to the troubled 
 waters of his soul : again he felt himself a man and a father, 
 and suffered the sweet conviction to enter his soul, that his path 
 was not uncheered by affection, and that of the most hallowed 
 description. 
 
 Isabel looked wan and spiritless. As she stood beside him, 
 and twined her arms around his neck, he kindly inquired 
 
 u Why droops my sweet flower ? Are you wearied with the 
 monotony of your present existence ? Never mind, my daugh 
 ter, you shall be brilliantly repaid for your present rustication." 
 
 " Oh, no, dear father, it is not that," she quickly answered. 
 " Just now I prefer retirement, but I am sad for our dear Julie. 
 She has become a mere shadow ; and in spite of my remonstran 
 ces, she walks the floor of our room throughout nearly the whole 
 night. Indeed, if you persist in completing this union, it will 
 kill her." 
 
 The brow of Alwin darkened, and he inquired 
 
 " Did Julie say anything to you in reference to our last inter 
 view ? Has she, since that time, expressed a wish to retract 
 from her present engagement ?" 
 
 "Alas ! no. She only weeps when I entreat her to confide in 
 me : to suffer me to prevail on you to postpone this odious mar 
 riage, or break it off altogether. She answers sometimes in a 
 tone that wrings my heart. ' No, Isabel, I have promised, and 
 it is my wish to obey my father, although that obedience should 
 break my heart. He has reasons of which you can know 
 nothing, for desiring this connexion with Zavala.' Then she 
 turns away so sadly that I weep to see her." 
 
 Col. Alwin listened attentively, and it was some moments 
 before he replied. 
 
 " She is quite right, Isabel. It is of more importance to me 
 11
 
 122 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 than you are aware, to be connected with Zavala by strong ties, 
 or I would not thus urge Julie to accept him. After all, she 
 cannot do better in a worldly point of view, than to marry him. 
 Russell is now entirely out of the question, and any other than 
 he would just now be as distasteful to her as she finds Don 
 Pedro. If it were in my power, I would defer the marriage 
 until she has schooled her heart into forge tfuln ess, and could 
 approach the altar with him without such repugnance ; but that 
 is impossible. She must be ready on the day appointed, for I 
 have pledged my word that she shall give her hand to Zavala 
 before we leave this place, and many weeks cannot now elapse 
 before we depart." 
 
 Isabel sighed and said no more. She felt the utter uselessness 
 of attempting a further appeal, and she left him to his ambitious 
 dreams, to return to the suffering victim about to be offered up 
 at their shrine. 
 
 While events were thus occurring, fraught with the destiny 
 of others, all were so much engaged with their own feelings and 
 interests, as to have few thoughts to bestow upon the young 
 student. Occupied with Julie, Isabel had relinquished her walks 
 with Graham, and no one remarked the increased paleness 
 of his cheek, nor the deep melancholy which had settled over 
 his brow. Letters from his early home had reached him, which 
 appeared to augment the depression that preyed upon his mind. 
 
 It was that brief but delightful season, known as Indian sum 
 mer, and Graham frequently passed whole days in the woods, 
 their melancholy brightness well according with his state of 
 mind. Isabel had been with Julie during the day, but towards 
 the close of evening, she threw her bonnet on, and with some 
 thing of her former buoyancy of step, sought the forest depths. 
 She had not proceeded far, when she saw Graham listlessly 
 reclining at the foot of a tree, with a letter grasped in his hand, 
 though his eyes were bent on vacancy. He started, as her 
 light step rustled the dead autumn leaves, and a gleam of some 
 thing like pleasure lighted up his wasted features. He arose, 
 and immediately joined her. 
 
 " This is indeed a pleasure, Miss Alwin. One I had not dared 
 to anticipate. I wished to see you once more, to tell you all 
 that is in my heart, before we part for ever." 
 
 " Why speak of parting, Mr. Graham ? I fear you have again 
 suffered yourself to become a prey to sadness, since I have 
 neglected to point out to you the sunshine which may still belong 
 to your lot."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 123 
 
 "Say rather, why should I linger, bound as the victim to the 
 funeral pyre that consumes him ? Some are doomed to wretch 
 edness from their birth ; the stamp of sorrow is placed upon 
 them while yet in the cradle ; and vainly do we endeavor to 
 struggle against our destiny." 
 
 " We /" repeated Isabel, smiling ; " I hope you do not mean 
 to say that you are one of those unfortunates on whom fate 
 has set its fatal seal ? You so young so full of life believe 
 me, there is much for you yet to enjoy." 
 
 He did not appear to hear her last words, but muttered as if 
 unconscious that audible sounds escaped his lips 
 
 " Yes I am young, but there were two of us one as young, 
 and far more fitted for happiness than I have ever been ; yet the 
 spoiler came, and Oh, God ! that I could have done it !" 
 
 His eye flashed wildly, and his whole countenance was con 
 vulsed with emotion. Isabel shrank back affrighted ; but he 
 seized her hand, and said 
 
 " Tell me, Miss Alwin, are you a fatalist ?" 
 
 " No no how can one give credence to such a terrible 
 belief? It is opposed to the divine characteristics of our 
 Creator, to suppose that we are fated to do or suffer evil, 
 without the power to avert or fly from it." 
 
 "Then I am accursed," said he, dropping her hand, and 
 speaking in the low concentrated tone of deep emotion, while 
 drops of agony gathered on his brow. " Yet, tell me in mercy 
 say, do you believe that a man is accountable for what he does 
 when reason is dethroned ? When the strong throes of anguish 
 have awakened a demon in the heart never more to sleep, and 
 which, vulture-like, gnaw into it, until every soft and merciful 
 feeling is extinct?" 
 
 He stood before her with his hands clasped, his eyes glaring 
 on her as though his existence depended on her answer. Isabel 
 was startled and astonished at this ungovernable burst of 
 feeling, from one hitherto so calm and self-possessed. He had 
 often spoken of his sorrows, but always without passion. 
 Anxious to soothe him, she used many arguments to calm his 
 mind, and gradually his face resumed its usual expression. In 
 reply to some remark of hers, he said 
 
 " Have you no fatth in the belief that ' coming events cast 
 their shadows before ?' If not, why is the cheek paled, and the 
 heart saddened, we know not wherefore ? Whence arises the 
 vague terror which sometimes falls on us, without any visible 
 cause ? Who has not felt the blood chilling in the veins, and the
 
 124 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 mind quailing before some unknown and mysterious power 
 which omens the dark events concealed in futurity ? Even in 
 the trifling events of every-day life, this presentiment is often 
 acknowledged though it is not always portentous of evil. 
 When I first placed my foot upon the soil on which we stand, 
 I felt the conviction within my soul that some one here was to 
 influence the remainder of my life. I beheld you, and my heart 
 acknowledged you as its fate. I love you, Miss Alwin, as only 
 such as I can love with the fervor of a heart that is always 
 in extremes. I do not ask for love in return ; as one might 
 worship some bright star, far and unattainable, I adore you. 
 'Tis not for such as I, blasted, withered by a curse as heavy as 
 ever man endured, to aspire to the love of an angel. My spirit 
 is too weak to claim affinity with yours, and if there be less 
 of gloom within and around me, than in former days, I owe it 
 to the influence of your association. A bright spirit have you 
 been to me, casting sunshine and hope into a blighted heart. 
 Listen to my story, Miss Alwin, and, if you can, forgive my 
 presumption in daring to love you. Will you hear me ?" 
 
 " I will ; but you are agitated and suffering defer the relation 
 until you are calmer." 
 
 " No now, or never I can suffer ; it is nothing now to me. 
 It is the punishment I deserve. But promise me one thing, 
 Miss Alwin ; say that when you have heard the terrible revela 
 tion I am about to make, you will not drive me from you you 
 will still suffer me to linger near you, to hear your voice, and 
 to gaze upon the face which has ever looked kindly on me. 
 Believe me, to the desolate in heart, that is a sad gratification ; 
 one which the happy can know nothing of. Will you promise ?" 
 
 There was incipient insanity in the wildness of his eyes, as 
 he took her hands, and pressed them to his lips and heart with 
 an energy that terrified her. 
 
 " If you will be calm, I will promise." 
 
 '' Ah, that is kind is right like yourself. But let me sit 
 at your feet a few moments, and drink into my very soul the 
 softness of your glance. Oh, Isabel, you will be loved by many, 
 but none will love as I love you. (The happy could not, for 
 intense feeling is never happy?) Let me, for a few brief moments, 
 enjoy the consciousness of still possessing your esteem. One of 
 the master spirits of the age has said, ' that each of us, the best 
 as well as the worst, hides within him something some feeling, 
 or some remembrance, which, if known, would make you hate 
 him.' I feel the truth of this misanthropic remark, in its appli-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 125 
 
 cation to myself; to others, I dare not apply it, for they have 
 not one burning secret weighing them to the earth, and dark 
 ening the brain with anguish which wastes the very springs of 
 life. You, Isabel, can never feel its truth ; but to me, 'tis not the 
 language of exaggeration. I know that I deserve your scorn 
 that I merit the contempt of all the pure, the gentle, and the 
 lovely. But enough of this ; I will rend the veil from the past, 
 and show you all the desolation of my lot. Perhaps your kind 
 heart may forgive, what I can never forget. But it is. a long 
 story ; sit under this tree, and hear me." 
 
 The roots of the tree had grown up, and formed a rude 
 seat, on which Isabel placed herself, and Graham threw himself 
 at her feet. His face was ghastly, and his matted curls clung to 
 his pale brow. Isabel remembered that when she had joined 
 him, a deep hectic spot glowed on his cheeks, and she shuddered 
 at the change. As she listened to him in the shadowy light, 
 heard the heart-stirring story he was relating, and marked those 
 strangely gleaming eyes fixed on her own, a feeling of awe 
 crept over her, which, as he proceeded, deepened into horror. 
 
 " I am the last of my family, and in me will perish a 
 miserable and accursed race.* I may well say accursed ; for of 
 four generations, all, save one, have died maniacs, and all have 
 died young. My sister and myself were the only children of 
 our parents ; we were left orphans at an early age, and possessed 
 of considerable property. 
 
 " I am a native of Georgia, though I have little of the appear 
 ance of a southerner. We resided with our guardian a kind 
 but indolent man, whose injudicious indulgence fostered the 
 natural violence of my temper. It has been the misfortune of 
 my life to be too morbidly sensitive to the opinions of others ; 
 I have been rendered miserable for a day, by some trifling 
 breach of conventional etiquette ; think then, what misery must 
 have been inflicted on me, by what I considered a disgrace ! 
 
 " My sister bore the sweet, and, to me, charmed name of 
 Madeline. We were devoted to each other, and language 
 cannot express to you the tenderness of my affection for her. 
 In my fiercest moods, a word from her soft voice could tame me, 
 and bring me to her side ! 
 
 " I had barely attained my sixteenth year, when a suit Avas 
 brought against our estate, which involved the whole of it. The 
 decision was against us, and on the day it became known to 
 
 * This story is literally true. 
 11*
 
 126 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 me, I wandered around our home many weary hours, dreading 
 to return to my darling sister, with the announcement of our 
 ruin. I will describe the scene of our meeting, Miss Alwin ; for 
 it stands out in bold relief, amid the darkness that surrounds it. 
 
 " Enter with me the rustic cottage which we called our home 
 which had been the dwelling of our fathers from the first set 
 tlement of the country. It was summer ; two lofty willow trees 
 drooped gracefully over its roof, and the bright sunshine was 
 dancing over the green lawn that lay around my sylvan cottage. 
 It was a fitting abode for love, and youth, and beauty; for 
 exquisite taste had distinguished the ancestor who erected it. 
 I stood without the home I had recently claimed as mine, and 
 thought with bitterness, that it had been unjustly wrested from 
 me that strangers would dwell where I had been born, where 
 I had played in infancy ; while its rightful owners were thrust 
 forth into the wide world, a pair of young and hopeless orphans. 
 
 " The windows were open look with me into the gracefully 
 furnished apartment, and see if the presiding genius is as lovely 
 as the mistress of this fair domain should be. A table is in the 
 centre of the room, strewed with books and drawing materials ; 
 a guitar is thrown carelessly on a chair, and some leaves of 
 music scattered on the floor. A girl is arranging flowers in a 
 vase ; she is very young fourteen summers can scarcely have 
 passed over that fair brow, yet the premature development of a 
 southern clime has given to the rounded figure a perfection 
 rarely found among girls of eighteen in a more northern latitude. 
 Her features are regular, and delicately cut, with eyes of 
 Heaven's own azure, lips of the hue of the scarlet berry, and 
 hair of a bright gold color. She is attired in a loose dress 
 of snowy muslin, fastened up the front with knots of pink 
 ribbon. Her hair is hanging in silken ripples below her waist, 
 and as the light gleams on those shining curls, 'tis not difficult 
 to fancy her a radiant image of beauty, sent from Heaven to 
 show the children of earth what guise the angels wear ! 
 
 " I can see her I can see her," he exclaimed, starting up, 
 and tossing his arms wildly above his head. " That whole scene 
 is before me. Day and night it haunts me, except when I am 
 sitting beside you, and listening to the magic tones of your 
 voice. Speak to me speak to me now, and drive the past from 
 me." 
 
 " I will speak but what can I say to calm you ?" said Isabel. 
 " Pray, stop this narration ; it agitates you too deeply. For ray 
 sake, if not for your own, refrain from speaking of the past."
 
 THB CONSPIRATOR. 127 
 
 " The past ! Would it were the past, but to me it is the ever 
 present. Permit me to go on ; I think I shall be happier after 
 you know all. I will recall those scenes once more, and then 
 endeavor to forget ; for memory is killing me. See," and he 
 held up his thin white band " it is almost transparent ; you 
 will not have to bear with my love and waywardness much 
 longer." 
 
 He covered his face with his hands, and remained silent some 
 moments. When he again spoke, his voice was low and sad, 
 but quite composed. 
 
 " I stood beside the window, looking in at my sister. An 
 expression of listless weariness was on her countenance, and she 
 lingered over her employment, as though seeking to cheat the 
 lagging steps of time. She placed the last rose in her vase, 
 and turned to her guitar ; a few wild notes, full of sadness, fell 
 on my ear, and she warbled a farewell to her home, composed 
 by herself, in anticipation of the very catastrophe I came to 
 announce. I sprang through the open window, and clasped 
 her to my bosom. 
 
 " ' Edward,' said she, ' I have waited long for you. Speak 
 
 tell me in a word are we ' She could not finish, but 
 
 concealed her face on my breast. Bitter, burning tears fell over 
 her, as I whispered 
 
 " ' We are homeless, my sister.' 
 
 " She raised her head and looked around the familiar apart 
 ment, which had been the scene of all her childish joys ; then 
 fixing her tearful eyes on my face, she said 
 
 " ' I can leave all the old trees, the flowers I have nursed, 
 with few regrets, my brother, for you will go with me ; but oh, 
 my beloved Edward, how can I bear to be a clog to your future 
 efforts ? Helpless indeed I am ; too young, and too ignorant to 
 be other than an incumbrance to you.' 
 
 " ' Say not so,' I exclaimed. ' Without you, I should have 
 no object in life. I am older than you, and can easily gain a 
 subsistence for us both. You, my dear Madeline, I regard as a 
 sacred bequest from my mother. On her death-bed, I promised 
 her never to forsake you ; and from this hour I devote the whole 
 energies of my being to your service. I call on the Father 
 of the fatherless, the orphan's friend, to hear my solemn vow. 
 I will seek your happiness before my own, and never, under any 
 circumstances, will I suffer estrangement to come between us.' 
 
 " I gave up the profession of medicine, which I had studied 
 as an amusement ; and as the earliest method of acquiring the
 
 128 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 means of living, I applied for a clerkship in a large mercantile 
 establishment, the principal of which had been an intimate friend 
 of my father. 
 
 " So long as health and strength were granted to me, I was 
 resolved that my sister should never feel the change in our for 
 tunes. For myself, I cared little but I could not bear that the 
 bright being who had twined herself around the very fibres of 
 my heart, should weep over our changed prospects, that the 
 sordid cares of life should destroy the elastic buoyancy of her 
 young heart. The devotion I felt for a being thus thrown 
 entirely upon me for protection and support, was deeper and 
 holier than the ordinary affection of a brother for the most 
 fondly loved sister. She was the only near relative I possessed 
 on earth, and from infancy had been my pet and plaything. 
 We had grown up together, and I had watched the gradual 
 unfolding of the beautiful child into the lovely and intelligent 
 girl, with that quiet glad affection which we feel for those who 
 are dependent on us for their pleasures or improvement. 
 
 " I removed Madeline to the city of Savannah, and placed 
 her in a school near me. At the expiration of a year, my 
 employer made an advantageous offer to me to visit England, 
 and attend to some business which demanded the presence of 
 one familiar with the affairs of the firm. I thought of Made 
 line, and hesitated ; but M. Lagarde silenced my objections by 
 saying that his house should be a home to my sister during my 
 absence, and as long after my return as we might wish. Made 
 line was very much attached to Madame Lagarde, for she had 
 manifested much kindness towards her, and there seemed to 
 me nothing objectionable in this arrangement. My sister 
 urged me to accept the offer ; she dreaded to part from me, 
 but she could not bear the thought, that for her sake I should 
 decline a mission which promised to be so advantageous to 
 myself. I yielded ; but at the last moment, when she clung con 
 vulsively to me, and wept with that anguish which was only a 
 presage of all she was to suffer, before my protecting arm again 
 encircled her, I was near abandoning all hope of fortune, which 
 must separate me from her. 
 
 " I left her, and she became an inmate in a new home. 
 This portion of my history I lightly pass over. I transacted the 
 business confided to me, to the satisfaction of all concerned, 
 and embarked for my native land. The ship was wrecked, and 
 reported in the papers of the day as lost, together with the 
 crew and passengers.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 129 
 
 " I escaped how, it is needless to relate. In two years from 
 my departure, I again stood upon my native sod, and learned 
 the indelible disgrace which had fallen upon me in my absence. 
 The hereditary madness of my family attacked me, and for 
 months I was kept in confinement. The cause the cause was 
 this : I will give my sister's history as she afterwards related it 
 to me herself. 
 
 " Madeline was at first charmed with her hostess ; softness 
 and elegance of manner, united with loveliness of person, ren 
 dered Madame Lagarde a universal favorite. It was only those 
 who lived intimately with her, who knew that her brow could 
 contract, and those smiling lips utter the most cutting sarcasms 
 to another. Poor Madeline was at first frightened and shocked, 
 by a display of temper called forth by the most seeming trifles ; 
 but she soon learned that to be beautiful was an offence which 
 Madame Lagarde could not forgive. In admitting the young 
 orphan into her house, she had not dreamed of a rival ; she had 
 considered her too young to attract the attention of those who 
 frequented her splendid entertainments. Unfortunately for my 
 sister, such was not the case ; she was sought after, flattered, 
 worshipped by the idle crowd. But for the unhappiness of her 
 position, she might have been intoxicated by the offered incense, 
 but the memory of her absent brother appeared to be a charm 
 which prevented her from yielding to the influence of surround 
 ing circumstances. 
 
 " She heard regularly from me, until I set out on my return. 
 About that time, the only son of M. Lagarde, by a former mar 
 riage, returned from college. He was handsome, insinuating, 
 and unprincipled. Fascinated by Madeline's rare beauty, he paid 
 her the most unceasing attentions. She insensibly became 
 interested in his conversation, and a few months found the 
 enthusiastic heart of my sister completely absorbed by a passion 
 for this soulless egotist. Unhappy Madeline ! her love was the 
 poetry of passion, and her romance too bright a tissue of high- 
 wrought hopes, to bear the rude contact of reality, even had the 
 man she confided in been as true and honorable as he was base. 
 
 " Objections were urged on the score of the malady known to 
 be hereditary in her family. Lagarde pleaded for a private 
 marriage, and the infatuated girl consented. She clandestinely 
 left the house of her protectors with her husband, and accom 
 panied him to the coast, where he had provided a secluded 
 summer residence for her. There the hours were winged to the 
 fondly attached wife. Lagarde was the most devoted of hus-
 
 130 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 bands, and Madeline acknowledged that the presence of her 
 brother was alone wanting to complete her happiness. Many 
 months passed without hearing from me, when a paper acci 
 dentally reached her containing an account of a shipwreck, 
 attended with entire loss of life to all on board. A list of the 
 passengers was given, and among them was my name ! She 
 was conveyed insensible to her apartment, and for many days 
 was unconscious of all that surrounded her : in her delirium, the 
 only object which presented itself to her fancy, was her brother 
 struggling with the rushing waves, and the gurgling of the 
 waters stifling his last sigh. 
 
 " When she recovered, she looked on her husband, and 
 reproached herself with her forgetfulness of the companion of 
 her infancy. She felt that she had suffered another to engross 
 her heart, while her brother had lost his life in seeking to 
 acquire wealth, which she knew was principally valued for her 
 sake. She yielded to the indulgence of melancholy, and vain 
 were the efforts of Lagarde to arouse her from grief. Even the 
 birth of a son, as lovely as herself, could not prevent her from 
 dwelling on the recollections of the past. She called her boy 
 by my name, and for hours would sit beside him gazing on his 
 infantile features, and bathing his fair brow in the tears which 
 silently flowed over her pallid cheeks. 
 
 " Truly it has been said, ' that man's love is of man's life a 
 thing apart.' While glowing in youthful beauty with the 
 vivacity of an unbroken spirit, Lagarde had found the fair 
 orphan irresistible ; but in illness and sorrow, his affection began 
 to flag. He became weary of his home of the seclusion in 
 which they lived in fine, his inconstant heart had ceased to 
 love the being whose very helplessness and dependence would 
 have been an additional tie, to one possessed of a noble or 
 generous nature. 
 
 " He at length absented himself from home for weeks at a 
 time, and each absence was lengthened, until Madeline was 
 aroused from her sorrow to find herself a neglected, almost an 
 abandoned wife. To one of her temper, this conviction brought 
 unrningled despair. Self-destruction appeared her only refuge 
 from misery ; but she looked on her child, and the thought of 
 bis desolation determined her to live. 
 
 " One evening she sat at her window watching for the return 
 of her truant husband, when a gentleman on horseback ap 
 proached, and she rushed out to meet him, deceived by the 
 twilight into believing it to be Lagarde. He was a stranger
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 131 
 
 a cold, stern man, who regarded her with an expression she 
 could not understand. 
 
 " ' Is this the dwelling of Miss Graham ?' he inquired. 
 
 " ' No, sir,' replied Madeline. ' Not of Miss Graham, but of 
 Mrs. Lagarde. Graham was formerly my name, but I now 
 claim that of my husband.' 
 
 " ' Your husband ! Ah, how ? that is by courtesy, I suppose. 
 You must be aware that Mr. Lagarde has another wife living, 
 wedded to him while at College, and unquestionably his lawful 
 wife.' 
 
 " This man evidently believed that he was relating nothing 
 new to the unfortunate girl he addressed, or it would not have 
 been in human nature to deal such a blow in so offhand, care 
 less a manner. My sister heard no more ; she fell without 
 sense or motion at the stranger's feet. Several days elapsed 
 before she could summon sufficient composure to see him again. 
 He was a lawyer commissioned by him she had believed her hus 
 band, to see her and communicate the fact of his first wife having 
 claimed him. He warned her that a suit would be useless, as 
 their union had never been a legal one ; he had cruelly 
 imposed on her credulity and inexperience. He offered her the 
 cottage in which she resided, and an annuity sufficient for her 
 support. Her child he would take and educate, so soon as it 
 was old enough to be separated from her. Such was the man 
 on whom she had lavished the untold wealth of deep feeling ! 
 Such the being by whom she had believed herself beloved ! 
 Selfish, unfeeling, unmanly, he had forsaken, and then insulted her ! 
 
 " Rising from her seat she took her child in her arms, and said 
 to him who had borne these proposals 
 
 " ' Return, sir, to your employer, and tell him that, although 
 ruined and abandoned by him who should have been her pro 
 tector though deceived where she had most fondly trusted, 
 Madeline Graham is yet too proud to owe to him the support of 
 herself or her child. She scorns his insulting offers, as she despises 
 him who could make them. Go, sir ; I am young and help 
 less, but the Father of such will enable me to provide for my 
 unhappy babe.' 
 
 " She would not listen to the persuasions addressed to her by 
 the messenger, but left that evening for the city of Savannah. 
 She sold a few jewels which had belonged to our mother, and 
 under an assumed name struggled to support herself and infant 
 by doing fancy work, in which she excelled. 
 
 " When I heard this history, I swore in the deepest recesses
 
 132 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 of my heart to pursue Lagarde to the uttermost parts of the 
 earth to obtain atonement. On my arrival in Savannah I 
 claimed what was due to me from his father, and on hearing of 
 it, the coward precipitately left for a northern city, in which he 
 pretended to have urgent business. I followed him ; with mad 
 ness seething in my brain, and a fiend's grasp upon my heart, 
 I tracked his steps. I was not a good shot ; this I determined 
 to remedy, and every afternoon I stopped an hour before night 
 and practised shooting at a mark until I had acquired such skill 
 as to snuff a candle without extinguishing it. 
 
 " My victim went from place to place to evade me, but I was 
 unwearied in my pursuit. We at length met ; it was in a 
 public garden in New York. His wife was leaning on his arm, 
 a young and lovely woman, but not to be compared with my 
 matchless sister. He looked harassed and miserable. I did not 
 then accost him, but pulling my hat over my brows, I followed 
 him to his hotel. His wife left him at the door, and he turned 
 in another direction. I still went on, though he walked with 
 great rapidity, as if seeking to dissipate gloomy thought by 
 quick motion. We reached the suburbs of the city, and he at 
 length paused beneath the shadow of the trees. It was a retired 
 spot, and suited my purpose well. I laid my hand on his 
 shoulder and spoke. We had met once before, when we were 
 both boys. I had not forgotten him, but in the emaciated, soul- 
 stricken being before him, he did not recognise the brother of 
 his victim. 
 
 " ' What do you want ? Who are you ?' he inquired. 
 
 "' Let these answer you,' I replied, drawing my pistols from 
 my bosom. 
 
 M ' I do not know ; I do not understand,' he stammered, while 
 the livid hue of fear spread over his features. 
 
 "'Wretch, caitiff! you see Graham before you! Let the 
 sound of that name freeze your craven life-blood ! Take your 
 choice of these weapons ; one or the other dies before we leave 
 this spot. God will be with the avenger.' 
 
 " He attempted to expostulate ; he even entreated me to spare 
 his life, but I would listen to nothing. He looked anxiously 
 around, but no one was near. I will not repeat to you all we 
 said, Miss Alwin, lest you should think me less of a man than a 
 demon ; but remember my provocation, and be as lenient as you 
 can. At length, with the courage inspired by despair, he grasped 
 the pistol. I named five paces as the distance ; we fired, and I 
 left the spot a murderer !'
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 133 
 
 " I fled from the city before it was discovered, and reached 
 Savannah in safety. I possessed a few thousand dollars, gained 
 by my trip to England, and this sum was placed in the hands 
 of a merchant in that place, and the interest secured to me a 
 small independence. 
 
 " I have related my sister's history to you, Miss Alwin, as I 
 afterwards heard it from herself ; but until my return from the 
 pursuit of Lagarde we had not met. A mutual friend had 
 informed me of the particulars of the pretended marriage, but 
 he did not know what name she had assumed, nor her place of 
 concealment. I would not wait to discover her, but left instruc 
 tions with him to use every effort to do so. On my return to 
 his house, I found her there. 
 
 " She fainted upon my breast ; and as I bent over her, I saw the 
 ravages suffering had made in that young and elastic frame. Oh, 
 Isabel, you cannot imagine my feelings at that moment. I had 
 escaped the dangers of shipwreck and storm, to find my hopes 
 crushed to the earth ; my sister, in the early dawn of life, thus 
 trampled on ruined ; myself, an outcast, with the stain of 
 blood upon my hand. Wretchedness must henceforth be our 
 portion. 
 
 " For hours Madeline would sit beside me, endeavoring to 
 look cheerful ; to speak in her former tone. In vain ; the spell 
 was on me, and my demon would not be appeased. We 
 removed far from our former home, and I fancied that I might 
 be happy if my sister's child had not been constantly near me. 
 He was a miniature image of his father ; and I felt, when his 
 baby hand accidentally touched me, as if a serpent had darted 
 its fangs into my flesh. 
 
 " One day one dreadful day, I received letters from Savannah, 
 informing me that the merchant in whose hands my funds were 
 placed, had failed, and the whole of it was lost. This blow 
 severed the last cord that held me to the shadowy light of 
 reason, which for months had kept me from raving insanity. 
 
 " Madeline was not well she was sleeping on the couch in 
 her room her child was fretting, and as I looked on them, and 
 thought of the misery to which she would awake, I thought it 
 would be mercy to take her life. My health was too com 
 pletely shattered to permit me to undertake any employment 
 I knew that Madeline was sinking into a premature grave, a 
 prey to melancholy. Already forsaken by the world, she had 
 no other reliance than her penniless, half-mad brother. 
 
 " I speak calmly, Miss Alwin, but if you could look into my 
 12
 
 134 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 heart, and see the fire that is consuming it, you would shrink 
 back appalled. The fable of the vulture preying on the heart 
 is with me a reality. 
 
 " Madeline was lying there, with her long hair hanging over 
 her pillow, and sweeping to the floor. I looked on her wan 
 countenance, and thought of my vow to my dying mother. I 
 had promised to prefer her welfare to my own, and always to 
 promote her happiness. There was now but one way to save 
 her from penury, want, and sorrow, greater than she had ever 
 yet known. I felt that I was losing all control over myself, and 
 I tried to leave the room but I could not some terrible influ 
 ence, I could not resist, held me spell-bound. I played with 
 the curls of that beautiful hair I wound them around my 
 fingers I caressed them fondly, and then 
 
 " Stoop down your head, Miss Alwin lower lower yet, 
 that I may whisper it in your ear. I wound that golden glory 
 around her throat, and, spite of her struggles, her cries, I " 
 
 " Merciful God ! you did not murder her !" exclaimed the 
 horror-stricken Isabel. 
 
 " Murder ! No no do not say that her blood is on me 
 too ! I shed no blood : when it was finished, she looked calm 
 and beautiful as ever ; and when that child cried, I tied one of 
 her long fair tresses around his neck too ; there they lay side by 
 side the mother and the child both cold, and both happy. 
 I then laid myself down on the floor beside her, and sang a 
 lullaby our mother had sung to us in childhood. 
 
 " I was arrested tried, and acquitted under the plea of 
 madness. I was mad for many months afterwards. Since my 
 recovery, I have wandered from place to place without an interest 
 in life, until we met. A distant connexion of my mother heard 
 my unhappy story, and from him I annually received a sum 
 which is sufficient for my support. Recent letters inform me 
 that he is dead, and has bequeathed me a large portion of his 
 vast estates. Every night since I heard it, my sister stands by 
 my bedside, and reproaches me for taking her life. 
 
 " You have now heard all, Miss Alwin. Knowing my sad 
 story, can you suffer me to linger by your side ? No I read 
 fear in your eye aversion for the fratricide. I wanted only 
 
 this " and with a shriek and a bound he left the side of the 
 
 affrighted girl, nor heeded her calls to return. A few moments, 
 and he was lost to view. 
 
 Hurrying home, she rapidly related the outline of the 
 tragedy to which she had just listened, and despatched the
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 135 
 
 household in search of the unhappy narrator. He baffled their 
 efforts to discover him, and a night of great anxiety was spent, 
 awaiting his return. The next morning, one of the laborers on 
 the place found him lying on his face in the forest. He was 
 quite dead ; the violent agitation of the preceding evening, 
 combined with his previous exhaustion, had proved too much 
 for his weakened frame. 
 
 He was buried in a green, sunny spot, and the tears of 
 strangers watered the grave of the outcast. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE following letter from Russell to a young friend will 
 throw some light on his motions after his departure from the 
 island : 
 
 "Omo, November 20, 18 . 
 
 " DEAR DALTON 
 
 " You will perceive from the date of this epistle that I am 
 still in what you term the ' Western Wilds.' In truth, in the 
 present state of my mind I am unfit for society, and just now 
 the companionship of the eternal stars is much more to my taste 
 than the most brilliant assembly. 
 
 " I am studying astronomy ; but I must confess that a pair of 
 eyes with their tender darkness, too often arise between my 
 vision and the midnight of heaven. 
 
 " You have asked me for my history ? It is briefly told : In 
 infancy I was considered as the son of an intimate friend of Col. 
 Alwin, who, dying insolvent, left his son to the protection of a 
 man he had often befriended. My childhood was a bright and 
 happy one ; the only chill that ever fell on my spirit was occa 
 sioned by my guardian's indifference towards me. My wants 
 were scrupulously attended to, but no word of encouragement 
 ever issued from his lips ; no beaming look of welcome ever 
 greeted my appearance. I had nothing to love : my heart was 
 often saddened when I looked abroad and saw other children 
 giving and receiving pleasure from the exercise of their affec 
 tions ; and the conviction would come coldly to my heart that in 
 this bright and beautiful world, there was not a creature from 
 whom I could claim the love of kindred.
 
 136 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 "At length Col. Alwin caused a young girl he had adopted 
 to be brought home. She was a child of rare beauty and gentle 
 ness. I need not describe her to you, for you have seen Julie 
 de Bourg in the full development of her charms, and know her 
 to be lovely exceedingly. I was no longer lonely ; this orphan 
 stranger became to me, even in boyhood, my world. We forgot 
 our mutual isolation in our strong affection for each other. As 
 years rolled away that preference deepened into a passion which 
 must influence the life of both, though at that time we little 
 dreamed that such would be the result. 
 
 " As my character developed, my guardian appeared to take 
 more interest in my pursuits ; and he frequently condescended 
 to point out to me the career he wished me to embrace, to 
 dwell on the distinctions which at some future day I might 
 aspire to win. 
 
 " This fired my ambition, and I resolved to be all that he 
 anticipated. For this purpose I redoubled my attention to my 
 studies, and I was greatly elated when I discovered that I had 
 won his warm approbation. My ideas of the course I was to 
 pursue were vague and unsatisfactory, situated as I was in the 
 family of a man of such eminence as Col. Alwin. Early intro 
 duced on that stage, where I was to struggle for a name among 
 the great ones of my country, I had opportunities for observa 
 tion which were improved with avidity. I am naturally of a 
 speculative turn of mind, and if I could detect the concealed 
 motives of men, I felt a pleasure in dragging them to light. 
 Alas ! I found selfishness too often the only inducement to 
 espouse the cause of truth and virtue, and I sickened at the 
 knowledge of human nature I acquired in the school of political 
 life. I wished for power, but it was to benefit the many, not to 
 reward the few. 1 saw many grasp the glittering bauble, but it 
 was to exalt themselves above the multitude, that they might 
 trample on them with impunity. 
 
 " As my knowledge of human nature increased, I turned my 
 thoughts within, and examined my own heart. There I found 
 little sympathy with those around me ; their narrow views and 
 grasping ambition disgusted me ; and I sought for something to 
 interest me in the resources of my own mind. I had amassed a 
 vast amount of information for one of my years, but my glow 
 ing, bounding heart felt its utter insufficiency to impart happi 
 ness. I felt myself a solitary unit in creation, with no kindred 
 to exult in my success ; no eye to brighten as it read of the 
 triumphs I intended to win. I did not then know that my
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 137 
 
 weariness of spirit proceeded from the absence of one who had 
 breathed upon the slumbering pulses of my heart, and aroused 
 it to the first emotions of passionate love. 
 
 " I had glowing visions of the grand passion, and my imagi 
 nation had embodied a creation as bright as the acgel forms 
 which hover over us in slumber ; but I deemed it impossible 
 that the romantic dream of an enthusiast should ever be 
 realized. 
 
 " At this period Isabel Alwin and Miss de Bourg returned 
 from the boarding-school in which they had been educated. Our 
 childhood had been passed together, and our vacations had also 
 been spent at Col. Alwin's country residence ; but during the 
 last four years we had not met. I had only thought of them 
 as lovely and interesting children, unconscious that the germ of 
 passion was in my heart, ready to spring into flower, at the first 
 glance from those eyes from which I had so often wiped the tears 
 that flowed for some childish grief. 
 
 " Forgetful of the changes which time brings about, I was not 
 prepared for the vision of beauty which stood before me one 
 bright summer day. I was so much surprised that I forgot to 
 welcome her to her home until the tones of her clear sweet voice 
 pronounced my name. I then advanced, and offered my tardy 
 congratulations. 
 
 " I beheld the embodiment of all my fancies in a warm 
 hearted, frank, and affectionate girl, who shed the sunshine of 
 joy throughout the whole household. The servants adored her, 
 and even the superannuated dog would crawl from his kennel at 
 the sound of her glad voice, and look into her bright face with 
 an expression of affection almost human. 
 
 " Do you wonder that I loved her ? that I wished for love in 
 return ? Yet, do not misunderstand me ; I only wished her to 
 regard me in the light of a brother. I knew that Col. Alwin 
 was too ambitious to see this lovely and accomplished girl link 
 her fate with that of his obscure protege. He expected her to 
 make a brilliant marriage, I was well aware ; but I did not think 
 it wrong to endeavor to win her esteem. 
 
 " Both she and Isabel appeared to view me in the light of a 
 friend and protector ; and engrossed as Col. Alwin was by his 
 public employments, I found myself their constant attendant. I 
 would not think of the danger of such intimacy. I imagined 
 my feelings under my own control ; I thought the folly of loving 
 what I could not expect to win, would be a sufficient safeguard 
 to my heart. 
 
 12*
 
 138 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 "It was long before I discovered the origin of the charm 
 which rendered my life doubly delightful. There is but one 
 who can say, ' thus far shalt thou go, and no farther,' and I daily 
 found my resolution not to love of no avail. In solitude I con 
 sidered it as madness, and resolved to break the spell which 
 enthralled me ; but when I again stood in her presence, I loved 
 her more wildly than ever. 
 
 " First love is said to be the most delicious sensation the heart 
 can know. It may be with those who have been fortunate 
 enough to choose one within their reach. I only know that the 
 pain of loving one I dared not aspire to, overbalanced the plea 
 sure greatly. I would not ask myself what the end of this mad 
 ness was to be ? I only felt that I existed but in her presence, 
 and I would not withdraw myself from the delicious intoxica 
 tion. 
 
 " Accident discovered to me what I had made no effort to 
 accomplish what I had never hoped. It was that Julie was 
 not indifferent to me. Can you wonder that my first emotion 
 was unmingled rapture ? But it was speedily succeeded by far 
 different feelings. There was another who offered her the bril 
 liant worldly gifts I so sadly needed ; and he was one T then 
 thought might become worthy of her. I was led by him 
 to believe that Julie would sacrifice her affections for wealth, and 
 I bitterly felt the impossibility of asking her to stoop from her 
 high estate and link her fortunes with one who could offer 
 her nothing save unsullied honor, and the determination to be 
 distinguished in the future. 
 
 " I then had courage to withdraw myself as much as possible 
 from her society, and to make an effort to repress every feeling 
 of tenderness for her. All my caution was useless. One even 
 ing we met in the grounds near the island mansion. I 
 joined her, and we wandered there until twilight deepened into 
 night ; her spirits were depressed ; mine of late had constantly 
 been so. Before the close of our walk I had forgotten every 
 thing but my love for her. That love had been declared, and I 
 had drawn from her trembling eyes the confession that it was 
 more dearly prized by her than anything the world could 
 offer. 
 
 " My dream of happiness was as brief as it was bright. I can 
 not explain, even to you, the causes of our separation. I feel that 
 we are severed for ever. Words can never express the wild con 
 flict of feeling that warred in my breast when this conviction 
 came to it. I am now calm, but it is the calm that succeeds
 
 THE CONSPIKATOR. 139 
 
 the whirlwind. I am unfit at present for anything like social 
 enjoyment, and I have sought the unpeopled forest, that I may 
 indulge my sad reveries my vain regrets ; and when they 
 come in such a rush as to sweep away the barriers I have endea 
 vored to raise against them, my weak complainings shall only 
 be heard by our great mother Nature. 
 
 " Yet, I am not entirely alone ; my companion is a hunter, 
 and informs me that for many years past he has been a solitary 
 dweller in these wilds, only visiting the settlements occasionally, 
 to procure ammunition. He is evidently a man of education, 
 who in early life has mingled in the active scenes of life, and 
 acquired a polish and eloquence of manner which ever so long a 
 residence in this secluded spot has not been able to destroy. 
 
 " I accidentally discovered his dwelling while wandering' in 
 the woods with my rifle on my shoulder, more as an excuse 
 than with any intention of using it. I was benighted, and 
 accepted his invitation to his cabin. There, much to my asto 
 nishment, I found a small but well selected library, and I dis 
 covered that my host is a scholar, and a man of fine literary 
 taste. I have now remained with him several weeks, and every 
 day finds me draw more closely to this singular man. He has 
 promised to give me his history at some future day, and I anti 
 cipate in it a life of adventure and disappointment. 
 
 " I am now writing before a huge fire in his cabin, and Leslie 
 is sitting on the opposite side of our rude table engaged in read 
 ing. A lamp is between us, and the light falls on his noble, 
 though sad countenance. He has a tall and finely formed per 
 son, and features of a high order of intellectual beauty. When 
 he turns his full dark eyes upon me, it seems as if I can read in 
 their subdued expression the sorrow which has wasted his young 
 years, and driven him from communion with his kind. 
 
 " Adieu ! When this fit of misanthropy has passed away, 
 you will see me return to my former mode of life ; but never 
 again will you see the gay and joyous companion you once knew. 
 I seem in a few weeks to have passed from the flowery domain 
 of youth, with its bright hopes and golden anticipations, to that 
 period in later life when we feel how hollow and unsubstantial 
 is all we seek when we pursue the bubble reputation, or the 
 more ephemeral blossom, happiness ! Once I dreamed of a 
 futurity which the voice of well earned popularity, and the smile 
 of love, were alike to bless. In fancy, I had twined the laurel 
 wreath with the roses of enjoyment, and thus mingled, I trusted 
 that one would be as unfading as the other ; but now, the path
 
 140 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 of ambition has no charms for me ; no heart would rejoice in 
 my success, and I abjure it. 
 
 " Yours truly, 
 
 " CHARLES RUSSELL." 
 
 The following lines were added in a scarcely legible hand : 
 
 " I have just heard from the island. Oh, woman ! woman ! 
 who should trust in thee, when thy name is weakness? Julie 
 has consented to wed my bitterest foe to give her hand to the 
 man who sought my life with a savage ferocity I had not be 
 lieved in the breast of any human being. I have been to 
 Marietta, and there found the confidential servant of Zavala, 
 
 who came with a letter from his master to the Rev. Mr. B . 
 
 Zavala requests him to visit the island, and perform the cere 
 mony which is to unite this lovely and innocent victim of 
 ambition to the object of her undisguised aversion. 
 
 " Until this news reached me, I imagined that I had resigned 
 her ; but 'tis only now that I feel how linked with my very 
 being is this passion how I have hoped impossibilities. Julie 
 is lost to me for ever ! Those words contain the sentence of my 
 life ! Farewell, romance, with your train of bright but unreal 
 visions ! Farewell to the hope of a happy futurity ! The hard 
 and arid path that leads to what the world calls fame, is the 
 only one now open to me, and no motive is left to me to 
 attempt its perilous ascent. 
 
 " I will visit the island once more, unknown to its inhabitants, 
 and gaze unseen on my lost idol I must behold her before she 
 seals her own misery, by wedding one she can never love." 
 
 CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 COL. ALWIN had made his arrangements to leave the island 
 immediately after the marriage of Miss de Bourg. Accom 
 panied by Fitzgerald and Zavala, he intended travelling through 
 the state of Kentucky, hoping in his progress to add many 
 influential names to the list of his adherents. Dr. Crawford 
 was to remain with the family at Fitzgerald House, and 
 when the spring opened, Col. Alwin's two companions were 
 to return and accompany them down the river to Natchez;
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 141 
 
 from which place, the triumphant Zavala would bear his bride 
 to the bosom of his family. 
 
 This arrangement was the most satisfactory one for all par 
 ties that could be made, though Zavala demurred a little at so 
 long a separation from his bride. Dr. Crawford was a gentle 
 man of the old school, and though an elderly bachelor, he was 
 extremely fond of female society. Himself and Col. Alwin 
 had been friends from boyhood ; they had been college chums, 
 and had entered on the practice of their different professions at 
 the same time. An unbroken intimacy had always been main 
 tained between them, and it was his personal attachment for the 
 man, rather than a wish for change, which had involved the 
 good doctor in Col. Alwin's present schemes. To the ladies of 
 the household, his society during the tedious months of winter 
 was the most welcome that could have been offered. He was 
 amusing without being tiresome, and so perfectly independent 
 in his pursuits, that he placed no restraint on the mistress of the 
 mansion. 
 
 The bridal morning was as bright as lover could have desired, 
 and Zavala trusted that the brilliant sunbeams which glittered 
 on the tranquil waters of the Ohio, were an omen of his future 
 life, blessed with the companionship of his beautiful Julie. 
 
 With a sinking spirit, and a cheek from which each hour 
 appeared to steal the hues of life, the poor girl had seen the 
 day approach which was to seal her misery. Did her guardian 
 watch that fading form unmoved ? Alas ! who could tell ? 
 Calm, self-possessed as ever, Col. Alwin appeared not to be 
 aware of the alteration in the being lie had once seemed to love. 
 He would not see that she was wretched struggling with 
 memories which clung to her heart with the weight of despair ; 
 while she shrank more deeply from the approaching union, as 
 the time drew near which would give Zavala the right to 
 claim from her the love and consideration of a wife. Don 
 Pedro at first deluded himself with the belief that Julie might 
 yet learn to love him : as if the course he had pursued was 
 not well calculated to destroy every sentiment towards him, 
 save that of unconquerable repugnance. She listened calmly 
 when he dwelt on their future with the impassioned eloquence 
 of affection : and though no smile flickered on her lips, no 
 vivid blush mantled her marble cheek, he at first fancied that 
 she heard him with interest. He mistook the apathetic calm 
 ness of despair for the first dawn of affection. Strange, that
 
 142 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 one who loved, should have been so deceived in the signs of 
 that passion ! 
 
 But as the time for their union approached, he read her 
 heart more accurately. He then felt that, had she been only 
 indifferent to him, he would have deemed himself fortunate. 
 He understood the ill-concealed aversion with which she ac 
 cepted his attentions ; he saw the cold thrill that convulsed her 
 frame, the icy pallor that overspread her expressive features, 
 when their marriage was alluded to ; and his proud, passionate 
 heart registered a vow to retort on her the exquisite suffering 
 such indications inflicted on himself. He loved her with the 
 savage ferocity which the tiger bestows upon its young ; and 
 mingled with this feeling, was a strong dash of hatred, when he 
 recalled the cold scorn with which his overtures had been 
 rejected, until her affection for her guardian wrung from her 
 the consent to be his. 
 
 Late in the evening, Julie sat alone in her own room, and 
 the brilliant glare of many lights fell on her person, arrayed 
 in the white robes of a bride. All trace of violent emotion 
 had left her features ; they were calm, pale, and nearly as 
 rigid as stone. She looked as if hope, the last refuge of the 
 afflicted, had ceased to throw its halo around her heart, and 
 despair had usurped its place. 
 
 Isabel entered with a bouquet of flowers, fresh from the con 
 servatory, which she placed in the hair of her friend. Julie 
 looked up at the mirror, and a deep flush mounted even to her 
 temples ; she hastily, almost passionately, snatched them from 
 her tresses, and crushed them beneath her feet. 
 
 " 'Tis well," she said, " to deck the victim for the sacrifice, but 
 his flowers shall never bloom in my hair, when braided to attract 
 his rival. No no, Isabel there is sufficient contrast between 
 this pale cheek and gorgeous dress, without bringing nature's 
 blooming offerings to twine around my sad brow." 
 
 Isabel remembered that the white rose-buds were gathered 
 from a rare species of that plant, which Russell had brought 
 with him from a French settlement on the river, and presented 
 to Julie on his first arrival at the island ; and she regretted 
 much that she had not been more thoughtful. 
 
 In the mind of Julie, recollections were entwined with this 
 simple gift, which it was anguish to recall. She remembered 
 how tenderly it had been nursed how anxiously she had 
 watched the unfolding of the first bud, a type of their love, she
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 143 
 
 now thought, for it had withered before the leaves were fully 
 unfolded ; she remembered it now, though, in happier hours, it 
 had not been thought of. The bush was now in full bloom ; 
 and how beautiful were the clusters of snowy flowers, how 
 cheerless all within her blighted heart ! 
 
 As she leaned her head upon her hand, the emotions which 
 swept over her varying countenance so well depicted the bitter 
 struggle within, that Isabel gazed on her with compassionate 
 
 OS 
 
 sorrow. 
 
 " Julie" she at length exclaimed " my darling Julie, it 
 breaks my heart to see you suffer thus ; for my sake, for the 
 sake of all who love you, look less wretched !" 
 
 Julie suffered herself to be pressed to the sympathizing bosom 
 of her friend ; she then gently extricated herself from her arms, 
 and said 
 
 " Do not quite unnerve me, Isabel. I am cairn ; you cannot 
 expect me to say that I am happy ; for you know I have never 
 pretended to love the man to whom I am about to give my 
 hand. Ah ! could Zavala only know how joyless is the heart 
 he wishes to possess, he would scarcely deem it worth the 
 winning." 
 
 " Oh, say not so, my beloved girl. He thinks, like all who 
 know you, that your heart is warm and gentle, and he who 
 gains it will possess an invaluable treasure." 
 
 " You forget that warm feelings can be chilled, and the 
 heart which has once been scathed by passion, will never again 
 trust to its influence. 1 know 'tis weak in me thus to repine ; 
 but visions which have been cherished from my early youth, 
 are not so easily forgotten. I have made the effort, and could 
 a draught from the fabled Lethe be procured, for the coveted 
 boon of forgetfulness, I would willingly lose all memory of my 
 happy childhood of the joys of my youth. All all should 
 go for oblivion to one wild, mad dream of love." 
 
 " Time brings healing on its wings," said Isabel, in a low 
 tone ; for she did not herself quite believe in her quotation. 
 
 " As well may you say to the flower which we carelessly crush 
 to-day, that the sweet air and bright sunshine of spring will 
 restore it to life and beauty. Ah, this emotion must be con 
 quered. Leave me alone a few moments, dearest Isabel, and I 
 will gain a last victory over myself." '.-> * - : : 
 
 Isabel left the apartment, and Julie threw open the window, 
 that the cold night wind might blow upon her throbbing brow, 
 and allay the wild fever which she felt was rushing through
 
 144 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 her veins. The night was brilliantly clear, and the stars glittered 
 above in all their majestic beauty. With a cold shiver, she was 
 about to close the sash, when the hedge which grew near the 
 window was suddenly borne down, and a figure sprang forward, 
 and stood within a few paces from her. Her first impulse was 
 to shriek, but in another instant she felt as if turned to stone. 
 Russell stood before her, and he uttered a torrent of reproaches, 
 which alternately caused her to tremble with indignation and 
 melt with tenderness. 
 
 Overwhelmed by the thought that he was about to lose her 
 for ever maddened by the view of her, evidently in her bridal 
 habiliments, he forgot the suffering the poor girl had already 
 passed through he would not listen to her words of palliation, 
 but continued his strain of passionate entreaty, to come with 
 him even at that hour; he would find shelter, and a fitting 
 home for her, and save her from the fate which menaced her. 
 Julie reminded him of her guardian the mysterious power 
 Zavala exercised over him, and the stern necessity which seemed 
 to drive her into his arms. In vain ; in that hour of anguish, 
 all he owed to his protector the ties of blood which linked 
 them so closely, were forgotten ; he only beheld the woman he 
 adored about to offer herself a sacrifice on the altar of a crimi 
 nal ambition, and his soul rebelled against the decree which 
 gave her to such a fate. 
 
 Moments, which in their lapse seemed ages to the two who 
 stood face to face on that star-lit night, flitted by, and Julie was 
 momentarily expecting the entrance of Isabel. She at length 
 said in a faint tone 
 
 " I cannot go with you, for I should die before we reached a 
 shelter. I feel myself at this moment scarcely able to stand 
 beside this window I know that I am very ill ; if health glowed 
 in my veins if I were equal to the exertion, I think I could 
 not have the firmness to remain to be claimed by Zavala. Go 
 go I beg you my indisposition must postpone the mar 
 riage and 1 hear a step you must not be found here." 
 
 He seized her burning hand, and pressed it to his lips. 
 Emboldened by her passiveness, he drew her towards him 
 through the open casement, and imprinted kisses on cheek, 
 lips, and brow, with frantic energy. Then releasing her, he 
 rushed a,way, as the. door unclosed, and Mrs. Fitzger-ald entered. 
 The chilling blast of air which met her caused her to recoil with 
 an exclamation of surprise. As she advanced into the room, she 
 looked around for Julie ; a white figure was lying across the
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 145 
 
 deep recess in the window, and approaching, she beheld the 
 unhappy bride, pale as a snow-drift, and nearly as cold. Long, 
 long was it before their efforts succeeded in restoring animation 
 to that drooping form ; and when the skill of Dr. Crawford had 
 once more enkindled life within her sinking pulses, it was 
 evident that her mind no longer retained its balance. The 
 good physician ordered perfect quiet, and insisted that her life 
 would be the sacrifice, if any agitating allusion was made before 
 her, in her present state. 
 
 The constant wretchedness of the last weeks of her life had 
 wrought their usual effects on a nervous and delicately organized 
 temperament, and she had at last sunk beneath the conflict 
 between a sense of duty towards her protector, and her uncon 
 querable repugnance to the proposed union. 
 
 A burning fever, accompanied by delirium, ensued, and all 
 except Dr. Crawford and Isabel were banished from the sick 
 room. 
 
 Long and unwearied was the watch of affection over that 
 suffering couch. The skill of her physician, aided by an 
 unbroken constitution, eventually triumphed over her malady, 
 though it left her in such a state of weakness and depression, 
 that all thoughts of her marriage were for the present resigned. 
 An intimation from her guardian that Zavala insisted on the 
 performance of the ceremony before his departure from the 
 island, threw her into such an alarming state, that a relapse, 
 which Dr. Crawford declared would be fatal, was near taking 
 place. 
 
 Zavala made an outward show of yielding with a good grace, 
 but, in his bitter heart, all this was treasured, to be accounted 
 for at some future day, when the power to torment would be 
 securely his. He accompanied Col. Alwin to Kentucky, where 
 Fitzgerald joined them, leaving his wife and her young guests 
 to pass the dreary hours of winter in suspense as to the uncer 
 tain fate of all most dear to them. 
 
 Julie recovered very slowly, and Dr. Crawford was appre 
 hensive that the depression which clouded her once buoyant 
 mind would eventually destroy the health of his interesting 
 patient. 
 
 13
 
 146 THB CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THE winter, with its storms and sunshine, passed away, and 
 the river, freed from its icy fetters, flowed dark and turbid on 
 its course to that bourne towards which the thoughts of our 
 little household began to tend. Every preparation for their 
 departure was completed, and they only awaited the return of 
 Fitzgerald and Zavala to commence their voyage. Under the 
 superintendence of the Doctor, their floating house had assumed 
 quite a habitable appearance. One of the largest class of keel 
 boats had been partitioned into rooms, and such furniture as 
 was needful to render them comfortable had been removed 
 thither from the mansion. 
 
 The good doctor was chagrined to perceive that a deeper 
 melancholy appeared to have settled on the spirits of Julie 
 since the reception of the letters announcing the speedy arrival 
 of her betrothed. He had trusted to the pleasant spring 
 weather and to change of scene, for a complete restoration to 
 health, but he now feared that little was to be hoped from 
 them, if Zavala was to be the companion of her voyage. 
 
 One evening they were all assembled in the parlor. Julie, 
 as colorless as the wrapper which enveloped her figure, was 
 seated in a large arm-chair, reading letters which had just 
 arrived from Col. Alwin. In them he stated his progress 
 through the State of Kentucky, and spoke with sanguine con 
 fidence of his ultimate success. Though suspected, he had 
 been able to shroud his plans in such impenetrable mystery, 
 that he eluded every effort on the part of the public authorities 
 to arrive at a knowledge of his true aim. He concluded with 
 the hope that he would soon have the happiness of embracing 
 his beloved children ; and he trusted he should find Julie more 
 reconciled to the prospect of a marriage which circumstances 
 more imperiously demanded than ever. 
 
 Poor Julie ! how her heart sank within her at these words ! 
 How rebelliously rushed forth every feeling of her soul to 
 oppose the destiny so perseveringly thrust upon her ! She 
 would not accuse him of want of feeling, but she felt that he 
 was unkind. 
 
 Dr. Crawford and Mrs. Fitzgerald were deeply engaged in a 
 game of chess, while Isabel glanced over the public journals
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 147 
 
 which had arrived that day, eagerly seeking the name of her 
 beloved father, yet fearing to find there something which might 
 implicate his safety. She soon glided from the apartment, 
 and in a few moments issued from the house equipped for a 
 walk. 
 
 She sought the Fairy Glen, and throwing herself on the seat, 
 yielded her soul to the forebodings which filled it. Her father 
 had not hesitated to confide to her the object of his present 
 movements, and she was fully aware of all the dangers that 
 hourly menaced him. What his firm soul regarded with 
 unflinching nerve, caused her nightly pillow to be bedewed 
 with tears. High-souled as she was, capable as her mind was 
 of grasping the whole scope of his plans, she was but a girl, 
 with all the trembling fears for the safety of a beloved one 
 which must ever cling to a woman's heart. 
 
 Could Col. Alwiu have dreamed of the heart-sickening fears 
 his confidence would bring with it, he would have spared her 
 the suffering. And not alone was her sorrow for the dangers 
 which might overwhelm him : he had taught her to look beyond 
 them to the glorious triumph that he believed would soon 
 crown his wishes. She mourned over the alteration which a 
 few short months had made in his noble nature. She saw 
 each kind and gentle feeling yielding to the stern passion which 
 seemed gradually to be filling his soul, to the exclusion of all 
 other hopes, all other fears ; and she grieved with that quiet, 
 passionate sorrow that persons of deep-toned character feel, yet 
 never betray. 
 
 Absorbed in her reflections, she lingered until the deepening 
 shadows of twilight warned her to depart. As she turned 
 slowly away, the rustling of leaves startled her, and her first 
 impulse was to fly, but she checked it, on perceiving the Indian 
 chief emerge from the parted branches. 
 
 Outalassa had continued his visits since the departure of 
 Col. Alwin, looking and acting as usual ; and the warning given 
 to her by the Indian girl had entirely escaped her memory. 
 The hour and the place now recalled it, and she would have 
 given much to have been nearer the house. 
 
 " Is it you, Outalassa ?" exclaimed the frightened girl. " In 
 this dim twilight I am almost afraid of my own shadow, and 
 yours has made my heart beat more quickly than usual." 
 
 " Outalassa is sorry to make the rose on the maiden's cheek 
 forsake its home. He loves the daughter of the great Chief 
 too well to wish her to be frightened when he follows her foot-
 
 148 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 steps. Many days has Outalassa watched the Glancing Eyes 
 when she was not thinking of him." 
 
 " What could have been your motive in watching me ?" 
 asked Isabel, moving as she spoke in the direction of the house. 
 
 " Stop, lady," said the savage, striding nearer to her, and 
 laying his hand on her arm. "Listen to the words of the 
 Indian, and be wise. Fear not, for the silver light will soon 
 dance on the leaves, and Outalassa will not leave the daughter 
 of the pale-face to go through the woods alone." 
 
 He pointed to the long line of rosy light on the edge of the 
 horizon, which heralds the appearance of the full moon. 
 
 " I must return immediately, or the family will be alarmed 
 at my absence." 
 
 " The dark cloud will not long be over them. Outalassa 
 cannot keep the light of their hearts from them, though his own 
 weekwam is desolate in the absence of the Glancing Eyes." 
 
 " What can you mean ?" exclaimed Isabel, leaning against a 
 tree, and pressing her hand closely over her heart, to still its 
 agitated pulsations. 
 
 The chief stood erect before her : he stretched forth his arm, 
 and pointing to the distant forest, said : 
 
 "My people are mighty, and the tribes of my brethren 
 stretch beyond the great waters. The warriors are as nume 
 rous as the leaves of the forest, and they are true to their chief. 
 My hunting grounds are broad, and sparkling streams wind 
 through them. There the flowers are as bright and the birds 
 as beautiful, as in the homes of the pale-faces. My brother, the 
 great chief, wished me to smoke the calumet with him, and 
 send my warriors far over to the setting sun to fight his battles. 
 Outalassa will call the white chief brother, and cause the war- 
 whoop to ring throughout the borders, if the Glancing Eyes 
 will dwell in his weekwam." 
 
 Isabel listened in breathless astonishment. 
 
 " Though your services are, it seems, to be purchased, Outa 
 lassa," she at length said, " did you inform my father of the 
 price that was to be exacted for them ? Do you for a moment 
 think that he would barter his child for your whole race ? Seek 
 him, and tell him what you require, and see what his answer 
 will be. I must leave you. I have already lingered too long, 
 listening to your wild proposal." 
 
 Again he arrested her steps, by placing himself in the path 
 way, in front of her. 
 
 " Outalassa's people are mighty, and the white chief, can do
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 149 
 
 nothing without them. Will not the Glancing Eyes think once 
 more ? He of the proud mien and flashing look loves the 
 fair daughter of my brother ; why then will the Glancing Eyes 
 suffer him to stand between her and Outalassa ?" 
 
 Isabel raised her pale face to him, and asked 
 
 " What do you mean ? Of whom do you speak ?" 
 
 " Does not the heart of the young girl tell her who ? Outa 
 lassa has seen, and he knows." 
 
 At any other moment Isabel could have smiled at the mis 
 interpretation the jealous savage had put on her attachment to 
 Russell ; but now she was too heartily frightened to smile at 
 anything. The Indian continued 
 
 " Though, the services of the red men may not be worth 
 buying, their enmity is strong and deep. Will not the white 
 maiden dwell in the home of Outalassa?" 
 
 " No never your home is not for such as I am." 
 
 " And why not, maiden ? The sun is as bright, the air as 
 pure, and the birds sing as sweetly in my forest home as in 
 your own proud halls. The Indian loves the pale face, and will 
 make her happy. Come with me." 
 
 While he was speaking, Isabel had contrived to glide past 
 him, and walking by her side, they emerged from the wood 
 together. On turning an abrupt angle in the pathway, the 
 river lay before them, with the placid moonbeams reflected on 
 its smooth surface. In the edge of the land lay the canoe of 
 the chief, with a dark figure sitting in the stern, as immovable 
 as if chiselled in stone. 
 
 Outalassa reached forth his arm as if to seize his helpless 
 companion, but darting forward, she eluded his grasp, and fled. 
 The chief bounded after her, and in a moment had overtaken 
 her. She shrieked, and clung to a tree for protection. The 
 Indian threw his powerful arm around her, and releasing her 
 grasp as easily as that of an infant, raised her from the earth 
 and bore her towards the river. 
 
 He had proceeded but few steps, when a stunning blow on 
 the head deprived him of sense, and as he fell, Dr. Crawford 
 caught the fainting Isabel in his arms. In another instant he 
 was joined by one of the farm laborers 
 
 " Is she safe ?" he inquired. 
 
 , " Yes, but is insensible. I will support her, while you hurry 
 to the river and fill your hat with water. We must not linger 
 here, for I do not know how many of those dusky devils we 
 may have to deal with. The chief would scarcely attempt such 
 
 13*
 
 150 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 an outrage alone. We must get her to the house as soon as 
 possible." 
 
 The man brought the water, and a cold dash of it on her 
 brow restored animation to the frightened girl. 
 
 " Let us hurry from here," she exclaimed, starting from his 
 sustaining arm. " Oh, dear doctor, how shall I ever repay you 
 for this service ! But you have not killed the Indian ?" 
 
 " No ; only given him the headache for a week. His com 
 panion there in the canoe may help him off when he finds out 
 we have knocked him on the head for his villany." 
 
 Supported by her protector, Isabel reached the house in 
 safety. She learned that Dr. Crawford had become alarmed 
 at her long absence, and sallied forth in search of her. On his 
 way he met the man who accompanied him, at the moment 
 her shrieks resounded through the forest, and directed 
 them to the spot, on which they arrived just in time to rescue 
 her. 
 
 Isabel recounted the conversation which had taken place 
 between Outalassa and herself, and Dr. Crawford immediately 
 said 
 
 " This is no longer a safe abode for us. The Indian would 
 never have attempted such an outrage if he had not been pre 
 pared to protect himself. Before the dawn of another day we 
 must be on board of our boat, and ready to depart. I will 
 immediately despatch a messenger to Fitzgerald and Zavala, 
 warning them to meet us at the falls of the Ohio." 
 
 In pursuance of his orders, the remainder of his furniture was 
 hastily packed, and before midnight the whole family was safe 
 on board of the boat. 
 
 As Mrs. Fitzgerald stood on deck, looking back with tearful 
 eyes to the happy home she had left, a light figure emerged 
 from the shadows of the woodland, and with a half terrified 
 glance around her, bounded towards the boat. As she ap 
 proached more nearly, Mrs. Fitzgerald recognised Imohae ; 
 before she could speak, the Indian girl raised her finger to 
 her lip, and said in a suppressed tone 
 
 " Hist, lady do not speak those may be in hearing who 
 wish no good to you. As you love freedom, hurry away and 
 snatch your friend from the dangers that encompass her. My 
 race never forgive the indignity of a blow, and the chosen 
 followers of the chief are even now on their way to yonder 
 mansion, which the morning sun will find a heap of ruins. If 
 you would escape yourself, hurry from this shore. Adieu ! Take
 
 THB CONSPIRATOR. 151 
 
 with you the prayer of the Indian maiden that the great Spirit 
 will watch over your safety." 
 
 As she ceased, she turned, and rapidly retraced her steps. In 
 great alarm, Mrs. Fitzgerald immediately communicated the 
 warning to Dr. Crawford. By his command, the boat, in a few 
 moments, was loosed from her moorings, and floated down the 
 rapid current. 
 
 The whole party had collected on the deck to obtain the last 
 view of the island, when suddenly the stillness of night was 
 interrupted by the startling war-whoop which rang clear and 
 distinct over the quiet waters ; and a prayer of thanksgiving 
 ascended from each heart, for escape from the imminent danger 
 which had threatened them. But a few moments had elapsed, 
 when a column of flame shot up against the clear sky, and as 
 the fire increased, the red glare lighted up the whole horizon. 
 The savages, finding their intended prey had escaped, wreaked 
 their vengeance on the house they had left ; and as the fugi 
 tives looked with blanched cheeks on their recent home, they 
 could see many dusky figures passing before the flames, jump 
 ing and dancing around the ruin they had wrought. 
 
 Fearing their boat might become the next object of attack, 
 the men bent heartily to the oars, and gradually the scene faded 
 in the distance : a bend in the river concealed the island from 
 view, and the little vessel floated down the glassy tide, amid 
 the solitude of the unbroken forest. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVI. 
 
 IT was yet early spring, but it was the spring of a southern 
 clime. The trees were in full leaf, and the birds hopped merrily 
 from bough to bough, filling the morning air with the melody 
 of their songs. The sun was rising, and the mists of morning 
 melted from the face of the river, beneath his glowing beams. 
 
 The Mississippi sweeps by Natchez in the form of a crescent, 
 and the two banks possess all the advantages of contrast. On 
 the right, as you descend the "Father of Waters, 1 ' the fertile 
 plains of Louisiana spread away as far as the eye can reach, 
 either under cultivation, or bearing the luxuriant growth of a 
 southern forest. On the left, the bank rises abruptly from the 
 river to a height of two hundred feet, having a very narrow strip 
 of land at the foot of the precipice. The bluff is in itself
 
 152 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 beautiful; being composed principally of yellow earth, which, 
 contrasts admirably with the green oases that variegate its face. 
 From the crumbling nature of the soil, which yields easily to 
 the violent rains that often occur, huge masses have slipped 
 from the original position, carrying with them, in their descent, 
 the shrubs and wild vines which grew on them ; these have 
 formed patches of verdure on the earthen wall, that impart a 
 wildness and peculiarity to the landscape, which is extremely 
 pleasing. 
 
 On this eminence Natchez is built ; above and below the 
 city the ground slopes away in a succession of gentle hills, 
 covered with the most brilliant verdure ; dwellings embowered 
 in shade, with yards gay with the brightest children of Flora, 
 are scattered over these. 
 
 Immediately below the town, standing in strong relief against 
 the clear blue sky, are the ruins of the old Spanish fort, a 
 feature in the scene which is now solely indebted to the imagin 
 ation, and the memory of past events, for any interest it may 
 possess. The most indefatigable antiquarian can discover but 
 little difference between the broken country around, and the 
 grassy mounds which we are told once formed the stronghold, 
 from which issued those who carried destruction among the 
 most civilized and powerful Indian tribe in the territory of the 
 United States. 
 
 At the foot of the bluff, a few warehouses had been erected 
 for commercial purposes, and between fifty and a hundred flat- 
 boats were moored in front of them, forming a complete float 
 ing wharf. Some event of importance seemed to be expected ; 
 for even at that early hour the bluff was covered with groups 
 of spectators, who were watching, with eager interest, the 
 approach of several boats which had turned the curve above 
 the town, and were slowly descending the river. 
 
 A small group occupied the landing ; whether they were 
 there to honor the expected arrival by their presence, or to offer 
 resistance to their coming on shore, it was difficult to decide. 
 That they were persons in authority, was evident from the air 
 of importance assumed by the chief individual among them. 
 He was a tall, military looking figure, with the soldierly bear 
 ing of one who understood his "profession ; and the air of 
 assured confidence spoke the high opinion he entertained of 
 himself, as not only fully competent to discharge all the duties 
 of his station, but equally conscious of his claims to be called 
 the handsomest man in the territory he governed ; for such was
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 153 
 
 the boast of the acting governor of the territory of the Missis 
 sippi, at the day of which we write. A very fine-looking person 
 he certainly was, but very ostentatious in his manner, and his 
 language addressed to those around him, appeared sometimes 
 to puzzle more than enlighten. 
 
 " Here, Brutus, hold the bridle of my courser, and see that 
 he does not escape you, and escalade the bluff," he said, as he 
 dismounted, and threw the bridle of his horse to a grinning 
 black. 
 
 " Yes, Massa Gubbernor, I warrant I hoi' him fas' ; me no 
 tink um coarse doe berry fine hoss fine hoss as ebber I 
 seed. I reckin Massa Gubbernor hab caroused the bojinary dis 
 mornin'." 
 
 The governor only laughed, for the negro was a privileged 
 character, and walked forward to join a group of respectable 
 looking men, who were gazing intently in the direction of the 
 approaching boats. 
 
 " Good morning, gentlemen ; I am delighted to see you out 
 on this glorious morning, when our homes are to be invaded, 
 our firesides desolated, and the rights of man trampled under 
 the feet of of this man of daring who now approaches. By 
 the light of this erubescent sun, I swear never to yield to the 
 power of the ruthless invader." 
 
 The persons to whom this address was made bowed respect 
 fully, though a slight smile was visible on the faces of several 
 as the Governor spoke ; for he was noted for his grandiloquence, 
 and the proclamation put forth by him, commanding the arrest 
 of Col. Alwin, is among the best specimens of it to be found in 
 any language. 
 
 " Your Excellency is out early this morning," said a tall, dark 
 man, dressed in a complete suit of Kentucky jean, with a 
 long rifle over his shoulder. " I warrant me the sun has not 
 seen you up before him for a long time until this blessed 
 morning." 
 
 " Blessed do you call it, sir ! A pretty blessing truly it is, 
 to know that those are now floating down the meanderings of 
 this glorious stream, who would quench the vital spark that 
 vivifies our bodies and illumines our heaven-born intellects 
 would quench it, I say, in a stream of human gore which would 
 cry to Heaven for vengeance. But this daring innovator on the 
 customs of our republican institutions will not find us slumber 
 ing on our post, and he shall find his instant arrest but the 
 dismal harbinger of more severe punishment for his audacious
 
 154 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 attempt to revolutionize the country, and introduce the horrors 
 of civil war in our borders." 
 
 " You are severe, Governor. How do you know that such 
 are Col. Alwin's intentions ? He professes merely the design 
 of making a peaceable settlement on the banks of a river now 
 watering a wilderness. This spot has been represented to him 
 as one of the most fertile in the world, and having acquired a 
 title to a portion of it, he naturally wishes to colonize his wild 
 lands. Can you arrest a man for wishing to better his fortunes 
 in a civilized country ? 
 
 " No, sir, not for that ; but for introducing a body of armed 
 men within my jurisdiction, and for intriguing with those 
 bloody-minded Mexicans, who are destitute of philanthropy for 
 their fellow creatures." 
 
 The Governor walked away with a dignified air, and the man 
 muttered 
 
 " You will find him more than a match for you, with all your 
 high-flown words, anyhow, or I'm mistaken." 
 
 In the meantime the boats approached more nearly. The 
 deck of the foremost one was crowded with men, who appeared 
 to be anxiously regarding the crowd on shore. Apart from 
 the rest, with his arms folded on his bosom, apparently absorbed 
 in thought, was one on whose brow nature had stamped the 
 seal of command. The expression of his strongly marked 
 features indicated a haughty consciousness of superiority, and 
 his lip curled with bitter scorn, as his eye wandered over the 
 scene before him. 
 
 " Our voyage is nearly terminated," said a voice at his elbow. 
 Turning to the speaker, with a bland and peculiar smile, 
 which, like a sudden flood of light, illumined his countenance, 
 he replied though, as he continued speaking, the expression 
 changed to one of sarcastic bitterness, more in keeping with his 
 general character 
 
 " Yes, 'tis nearly ended, thank heaven ! Another week upon 
 the river would have raised a mutiny among my followers, I am 
 afraid. Here are the very men who were prepared to stand by 
 me to the death, murmuring at their long confinement in an 
 uncomfortable boat, as if they expected the spoils of fortune to 
 be laid at their feet without the trouble of propitiating her 
 smiles. Out on them," he continued in a stern and bitter tone. 
 " Out on them for a base crew of sordid wretches ! occupied with 
 their own trifling inconveniences, unmindful of what I have, and 
 still do, suffer. The agony of suspense the doubt of ultimate
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 155 
 
 success the certainty that I am a blighted man if this enterprise 
 fails. All all these sources of disquietude are not thought of 
 by them for one instant." 
 
 " To one of your temper such things are annoying, but they 
 must be borne with," said Zavala. "You can scarcely expect 
 them to enter into all your anxieties ; the stake for which you 
 contend is greater than they dream of, and while your thoughts 
 are bent wholly on the chances of success to a great enterprise, 
 theirs naturally flow in a petty channel, in the absence of all 
 employment." 
 
 " It is, indeed, a great stake ! Power, fortune, honor, on a 
 single throw ! But I shrink not from it ; I will be all or 
 nothing. My suspense will now soon be ended, for there is our 
 haven, not of rest, but our theatre of action. There will my des 
 tiny be fulfilled there I shall learn whether the vision of my 
 life is to be realized." 
 
 " If your aspirations do not soar too high, I think they are 
 now in a fair way of being accomplished. All things wear a 
 smiling aspect. You should not permit your spirits to sink 
 when our haven is in sight." 
 
 " Sink !" he disdainfully repeated. " Ha ! you little know me 
 if you suppose my resolution falters as the struggle approaches. 
 No, all the iron in my soul rises to grapple with difficulties, and 
 overcome them." 
 
 " What can this crowd mean ?" said Zavala. " I am afraid it 
 bodes no good. See, the tall man in the military costume 
 appears to be reading aloud from a paper he holds in his hand, 
 and addressing the people alternately." 
 
 "Things do indeed wear a suspicious appearance, but bold 
 ness now is our only policy. I scarcely think they can have 
 any suspicion of my intentions, after the successful ruse I prac 
 tised in Kentucky. I was acquitted there by judicial authority, 
 of any intention to disturb the peace of the government. I sub 
 mitted to the trial, because I knew there was no proof that could 
 criminate me, and they would not dare to detain me in prison 
 merely on suspicion of harboring treasonable intentions." 
 
 The crowd on shore appeared to thicken as they drew nearer, 
 and a suppressed murmur was heard among them, as the boat 
 touched the landing. The men on the deck of the boat fell 
 back, and Col. Alwin moved forward with dignity, and stepped 
 on shore. No voice of welcome was heard, although his emis 
 saries had been among them for weeks, preparing them for hia 
 arrival.
 
 156 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 The crowd still preserved its ominous silence as Alwin raised 
 his hat and bowed to those around him. He had proceeded but 
 few paces, attended by Zavala and a few of his personal friends, 
 when the Governor approached, and laying his hand on his 
 shoulder, said with an air of authority 
 
 " I arrest you, sir, in the name of the Commonwealth of the 
 United States." 
 
 Col. Alwin recoiled a few paces, and demanded in hk 
 haughtiest manner 
 
 " What am I to understand from this, sir ? And who are 
 you, who thus offer an insult to a stranger who comes to your 
 shore with peaceable intentions ?" 
 
 " /, sir, am the Governor of Mississippi," replied that digni 
 tary, with emphasis. " My country has thought me worthy of 
 holding that high post, and by virtue of my authority 1 repeat 
 that I arrest you. I turned out myself in order to do you honor, 
 by not intrusting your apprehension to any meaner person." 
 
 " Truly, sir, 'tis a strange evidence of honor you bestow upon 
 me ; but you will excuse me if I do not appreciate it as highly 
 as it may deserve. Will you be kind enough to inform me why 
 a stranger is thus molested on his arrival within your juris 
 diction ?" 
 
 " Such were my instructions, sir, from the Government of my 
 glorious country, which seems to be on the high road to eclipse 
 all the other nations of the world. You are accused of conspir 
 ing against her interests ; seeking to dim the glory of her escut 
 cheon, by filching from her the brightest emerald in her crown 
 in which to establish a kingdom. This magnificent valley has 
 been purchased with the treasure of our nation, if not with its 
 blood ; and every son of the sod feels bound to preserve it to the 
 sons and daughters that may come after him, in that freedom 
 which is the unalienable birthright of all men, as our glorious 
 Declaration sets forth." 
 
 While he was uttering this tirade, Col. Alwin's mind was 
 rapidly revolving the unexpected emergency in which he found 
 himself placed, and boldly determining on the best course to 
 extricate himself from so serious a dilemma. He bowed coldly, 
 and said 
 
 " So I am to consider myself as your prisoner, sir ?" 
 
 " Certainly, sir. A prisoner of state, you know ; your own lodg 
 ings to be your place of confinement, with a slight restriction as 
 to the reception of those who may wish to call on you. Quite 
 a prisoner of state you will be, or rather in state."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 157 
 
 While they were speaking, Col. Alwin had gradually retraced 
 his steps towards his boat. The men had already received their 
 instructions, in the event of opposition being offered to his land 
 ing, and he and his companions had no sooner touched the deck 
 in their rapid retreat, than the boat swung round and gained the 
 open stream. Col. Alwin called out to the Governor 
 
 " Command those persons who crowd around you, to fall 
 back beyond the sound of our voices, and I will enter into terms 
 with you." 
 
 The baffled governor obeyed, and once more, obedient to the 
 impulse given her by the boatmen, the craft drew towards the 
 shore. Col. Alwin descended, and held a long conference with 
 him, the result of which was a compromise between them, by 
 which the governor guaranteed the safety of himself and fol 
 lowers, provided Alwin would bind himself to appear before the 
 Supreme Court of the State of Mississippi, during the next 
 term, to answer to charges there to be preferred against him. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVII. 
 
 LETTER from Isabel to a young friend. 
 
 " NATCHEZ, . 
 
 "DEAR EMMA 
 
 " We are at last at the end of our long journey. Tedious, 
 portions of it certainly were ; yet I have enjoyed it very much. 
 Until one has descended this mighty river, seen its tributaries 
 flowing from all parts of the valley of the Mississippi, and 
 pouring their waters into its bosom, it seems to me they can 
 form no conception of the vast internal resources of our coun 
 try, nor to what greatness she is yet destined to attain. 
 
 " My father preceded us by a month, and we descended the 
 river very slowly to give him an opportunity to make his debut 
 at Natchez before our arrival. Dr. Crawford and Mr. Fitzgerald 
 were our protectors, and the good doctor has been so kind and 
 attentive to Julie that he has quite won my heart. I wrote to 
 you of her dangerous illness and lingering recovery ; she begins 
 now to show a little of her former animation, and occasionally 
 a faint smile will rest a moment on her lip, as the doctor utters 
 one of his quaint sallies. Good old soul ! the spirit of bene 
 volence appears to have made his heart its permanent abode. 
 
 14
 
 158 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Zavala found that his presence would be necessary to my 
 father, so he left us at the falls of the Ohio, and Julie was freed 
 from his society for a short time. On our arrival at this place, 
 however, we found him waiting to receive us. 
 
 " My father has taken up his abode for a short time with 
 Mr. Belton, an old friend of his, who has been residing in this 
 country several years. The most elegant hospitality is extended 
 to us in his mansion, which is situated about two miles from 
 the town of Natchez, in the midst of a most beautiful country. 
 His family consists of himself and wife, the latter being a quiet, 
 soft-spoken woman, whose voice is rarely heard except in giving 
 orders to the tribe of blacks by whom she is surrounded. 
 
 " I have already explored every nook, dingle, and ' bosky 
 dell ' in the country for miles around. You know that I am no 
 ordinary equestrian, and mounted on a beautiful and spirited 
 horse, known by the name of the renowned Saladin, I canter 
 over the country attended by my father or the good doctor. 
 Occasionally, I honor Zavala by allowing him to accompany me. 
 I miss Charles sadly in these excursions, for he was always my 
 cavalier in days of yore. Dear Charles ! I would give much 
 to know where he now is, but his name is an interdicted word 
 among us. 
 
 " What strikes me as singular, is the broken appearance of 
 this country. The' 1 undulating surface on which Natchez is 
 built, is broken into numerous bayous, or as we would term 
 them ravines. One might suppose that some terrible convulsion 
 of nature had, in times long since passed away, caused the 
 earth to rift apart, leaving those wide romantic looking gaps, 
 which give a variety and interest to the country it would not 
 otherwise possess. 
 
 " On approaching the edge of these bayous, the eye is often 
 charmed with the wild and picturesque appearance they pre 
 sent. Trees of large size hang over them, and the washing of 
 the soil causes them to descend, take root on some projecting 
 bank, often leaning forward as if ready to topple down and 
 crush the flowering shrubs and vines which grow below, or 
 wind themselves in festoons on their branches. 
 
 " Then the nights here are beyond description beautiful. 
 One does indeed behold the ' sapphire dome of night,' studded 
 with worlds of glory, and the moon seems to fold a mantle of 
 misty brightness around every object. If I could ever yield my 
 soul to the spell of passion, it would be amid such scenes as 
 now surround me ; but there is a freedom from care in the
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 159 
 
 light gaiety of such a temperament as mine, which I am not 
 disposed to exchange for the doubts and anxieties of the grand 
 passion. 
 
 " My father has given Zavala a promise to visit his mother, 
 and we are to accompany him. Julie shrinks from the projected 
 excursion, and has vainly petitioned to be left behind. For my 
 self, I must own that I feel some curiosity in reference to a 
 certain cousin, which I am anxious to satisfy. She bears the 
 name of Inez, and from Zavala's own confession, is a beauty 
 and a genius. He appears shy of speaking of her, especially 
 in the presence of Julie ; and I shrewdly suspect there have 
 been some love passages in his younger years, of which this 
 pretty cousin is the heroine. If so, I pity her, for in spite of 
 Julie's aversion to him, Zavala is not a man to be loved and 
 lightly forgotten, by one gifted with the quick sensibility of 
 genius ; by one too, who has probably derived her inspiration 
 from the passion which was unconsciously woven with the 
 thread of her existence. I do not esteem Don Pedro, because 
 he has shown me the dark and selfish side of his character ; but 
 there is a fascination about him, which I have seen exercised on 
 those who did not know him as I know him. He can, at times, 
 be generous ; I have known him to act nobly, but he is inca 
 pable of a high and consistent course of conduct. His passions 
 are perpetually interfering with his good resolutions ; and no 
 man, in my opinion, is capable of perpetrating more ruthless 
 baseness to accomplish a favorite end. Were it not that my 
 father holds him by the strong tie of interest, I should tremble 
 for his safety. 
 
 " Corporal Black has already departed on a mission to Villa 
 d' Esperanza, to announce our speedy arrival to Madame Zavala 
 and her niece. The elder lady is described as a haughty dame, 
 priding herself on the glories of her departed ancestors, for 
 getting that in a republican country we care little for such things. 
 We profess to believe that one of nature's noblemen is far 
 superior to him whose only claim to nobility lies in his power 
 to find the names of those who have gone before him, recorded 
 on dusty parchment as the honored ones of the earth. 
 
 Madame Zavala is so proud of her family name (which was 
 assumed by her husband on his marriage with her) that she 
 does not permit her son to be addressed by any other. She 
 lives in great state on one of her plantations, which is situated 
 on the coast, between this place and New Orleans. Her son 
 hopes much from this visit to his beautiful home ; he flatters
 
 160 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 himself that Julie will regard the owner of so much splendor 
 with less distaste. He will find that to a woman who loves 
 another, this display will be only vanity and weariness of spirit. 
 " Adieu, dear Emma. I hear my father's voice summoning 
 me to my evening ride. Your friend, 
 
 "ISABEL." 
 
 Miss Alwin quickly descended, and mounted her spirited pal 
 frey. A graceful woman never appears better than when 
 mounted on horseback, and Col. Alwin gazed with pride on the 
 light form and blooming face of his daughter, as the evening 
 breeze swept back the long plumes of her riding cap, and stirred 
 the curls from the fair brow on which a shade of thought had 
 fallen. 
 
 This affection for her was the solitary green spot in the desert 
 of his heart ; and when he dreamed of his future triumphs, her 
 brow was to wear the garland he won. He was dead to every 
 softer feeling save his love for that child whose opening mind 
 he had watched over whose intellect he had cultivated with 
 the most sedulous care. 
 
 CHAPTER XXVHI. 
 
 THE brief twilight of a southern sky had already passed 
 away, and the moon reigned undisputed mistress over the scene. 
 The light revealed a stately mansion, embowered in magnificent 
 forest trees. Long galleries extended entirely around the build 
 ing, both above and below ; from them, the ground sloped 
 gradually several hundred yards, and terminated in an abrupt 
 precipice which overhung the Mississippi. Two gigantic mag 
 nolia trees interlaced their boughs above the principal entrance, 
 and flowers of every hue bloomed around, making the night air 
 heavy with their perfume. 
 
 The house was built in the old French style, with a high 
 arched hall in the centre, and on either hand, doors opening 
 into the principal apartments. A spiral staircase in the centre 
 communicated with the upper chambers. 
 
 A cut-glass lamp, with a silver reflector, was suspended from 
 the arch, and its mellow light cast softened reflections on the 
 pictures which lined the walls. These represented the feats of 
 many of the renowned knights of Spanish chivalry, and several
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 161 
 
 of them were executed with a degree of skill that might have 
 pleased the taste of the most fastidious connoisseur. 
 
 The floor was covered with oil cloth, painted in a light and 
 delicate pattern, and the draperies of the windows were of 
 embroidered muslin. Heavy high-backed mahogany chairs, 
 with capacious arms, and deeply cushioned seats, were placed 
 against the walls, and small quaintly carved tables, supporting 
 vases of freshly gathered flowers, in the spaces between the 
 doors. 
 
 A sofa had been drawn beneath the lamp, and on it reclined 
 an elderly lady, deeply engaged in the perusal of a small 
 volume, while a black girl fanned her with a superb plume of 
 ostrich feathers. She was a dignified, noble looking woman, 
 with a fire in her eye and a curve on her lip which showed 
 that the pride of a haughty race was undimmed by age. 
 
 A mulatto boy entered, carrying a richly wrought silver 
 waiter, on which lay several letters. He advanced, and pre 
 sented them in silence to his mistress. 
 
 " From my son !" exclaimed the lady, as she glanced at the 
 direction. " Who brought these, Juan ?" 
 
 " Uncle. Black, marm. He stopped at de oberseer's house, 
 to give some orders from de young master, and sent dese up 
 by me. He '11 be here 'fore long, marm.'' 
 
 " And my son is on his way home at last, after an absence of 
 three years," murmured Madame Zavala. " I am glad at all 
 events that he does not n'ud this spot so tiresome as to induce 
 him to withdraw himself from it altogether. Once more by my 
 side, with the witchery of her smile thrown over his heart, and 
 he will have no desire to leave us again." 
 
 But as she read the communication of her son, her brow 
 darkened, and her eye kindled with displeasure. For the first 
 time Zavala informed his mother of his attachment to Miss de 
 Bourg. He spoke of his love for Inez as a youthful fancy which 
 had passed away, and said that his cousin herself was so much 
 of a child when he left her, that he could not imagine she would 
 attach any importance to the words of love which had passed 
 between them. 
 
 Madame Zavala was a very haughty woman. She was proud 
 of her name of the courage and chivalrous deeds of her ances 
 tors ; but more than all, of their unblemished honor. No knight 
 of her family had ever proved recreant to his faith ; it was 
 reserved for her son, the last of his race, to throw a blot on its 
 escutcheon. She thought of Inez, the gentle and devoted being, 
 
 14*
 
 162 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 who had been to her as a fond and affectionate daughter, and 
 her heart felt as if a painful blow had been struck on it. How 
 would she bear to learn that her love was thus coldly cast back 
 upon her heart by him who had spared no pains to win it ! 
 
 Bitter was the conviction to the heart of the mother who had 
 watched over his infancy and dreamed of his future greatness, 
 that he was selfish and ungrateful, seeking his own gratification 
 at any expense of suffering to others. 
 
 " Where is my niece ?" she inquired. 
 
 " On de gallery, mam. Shall I call her ?" 
 
 " No, no ; not yet. I must think," and throwing herself 
 back, she covered her face with her hands. 
 
 A voice low, but thrillingly soft, was heard, accompanied 
 at intervals by a guitar. It was a wild melody, and the singer 
 appeared to be herself scarcely conscious of the words she 
 uttered. 
 
 As the last note died away, the young musician arose and 
 crossed the gallery, to a spot on which the clear moonlight fell, 
 and that silvery radiance beamed on nothing lovelier than the 
 dark-eyed Inez. 
 
 The figure was slightly above the medium height, and most 
 exquisitely developed. Her complexion in brilliancy and softness 
 might have rivalled the rich white of the magnolia leaf. There 
 was no shade of color on her cheek, but without this charm, a 
 perfect picture of beauty was formed by the finely moulded fea 
 tures the classic tournure of the head the exquisitely curved 
 lips eyes deep and dark as night, and a cloud of raven hair 
 folded above the low broad brow. 
 
 She was a creature of imagination and intellect. Reared in 
 artificial life she would have been distinguished from those 
 around her only by her superior beauty, and the genius with 
 which she was gifted ; but the solitude in which her existence 
 had been passed, had been to her impassioned soul the nurse of 
 a sensibility as deep as it was dangerous. 
 
 The object of fond affection from infancy, she had known no 
 sorrow save that inflicted by the prolonged absence of Zavala ; 
 and her trusting spirit saw in that the stern necessity which 
 impelled his ambitious spirit to seek out a career which would 
 give him a place among the master spirits of the day. The 
 romance inseparable from the peculiar bent of his mind, had been 
 fostered by the education she had received. Familiar with the 
 language of her forefathers, its literature early became her study, 
 and for days she would pore over chronicles of the old Spanish
 
 THE CONSPIKATOR. 163 
 
 knights, and her pale cheek would light up with a transient 
 glow as their chivalric deeds found an answering sympathy in 
 her own heart. 
 
 Zavala had seen her grow up beneath his eye, and he took a 
 deep interest in watching the development of this enthusiastic 
 and generous nature. Flattered by the ingenuous preference 
 which even in childhood she betrayed for him, he fancied that 
 he loved her. He gave to her the passing preference of a fickle 
 heart, while the young Inez lavished on him the earnest affec 
 tion of an ill-regulated, but a most deeply feeling soul. His long 
 absence, his neglect, were alike powerless to win her from her 
 dream of love. She would not permit herself to doubt his affec 
 tion ; she looked into her own heart ; it returned but one 
 image, and she could not believe that he who had so long wooed 
 her love, could cast it from him as a worthless gift. 
 
 Madame Zavala joined her. 
 
 " Inez, my love, I have a letter from my son." 
 
 "And he is returned ; is it not so ? Oh, say when he will be 
 here ? Where is the letter ? Can I not see it ?" and her cheek 
 grew paler than before with intense emotion. 
 
 " No, my child. It contains nothing you would like to see. 
 I much fear that Zavala has entered into a strange alliance with 
 this Col. Alwin, with whose family he has been so long." 
 
 " Why should you think so ? Col. Alwin, as a political man 
 of great popularity, can further his ambitious views." 
 
 " His letters of late alarm me. They are strange and contra 
 dictory, and I have many fears as to the result of the league 
 which seems to exist between them." 
 
 " And what excuse does Zavala offer for not writing to me ? 
 Ah, 'tis well my nature is not a suspicious one." 
 
 " Have you never suspected anything, Inez ? any estrange 
 ment any coldness, during these long years of absence ?" 
 asked Madame Zavala, almost fearing the effect her words 
 might have. 
 
 For an instant Inez stood before her, trembling with the 
 intensity of feeling that overcame her. The moonlight falling 
 on her marble cheek, made it almost ghastly. When she at 
 length spoke, the words seemed to be forced from her quiver 
 ing lips. 
 
 " Aunt, you know there is reason to fear, or you would not 
 speak thus. Tell me at once has his heart so exclusively 
 yielded itself to ambition that there is no longer room in it for 
 me ? or has has he given his love to another ?"
 
 164 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " My child, I fear that in both he has been to blame. Yet 
 this lady, this Miss de Bourg, has been uniformly cold to his suit ; 
 and on finding her inexorable, he may return to the truer and 
 purer affections of his early manhood." 
 
 Inez turned towards her, but her cheek was no longer pale, 
 and her eye flashed with all the latent fire of her soul, as she 
 replied 
 
 " And do you think that I a Zavala one of your own 
 proud race, could brook so great an insult ! Return ! never 
 never, to claim the heart he has once scorned, and trampled on ! 
 If this be true, and I will myself test its truth, he is free as air 
 
 to bestow his love where he liketh ; and I Oh, God, if it 
 
 should prove true !" and she burst into a passion of tears. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 IT was evening when the carriage containing our party of 
 travellers entered the grounds belonging to Villa d' Esperanza. 
 It was one of the best regulated and most valuable plantations 
 in the state ; and Zavala rode by the side of the carriage, point 
 ing out, with ill-concealed pride, the improvements the place 
 had received since his majority. 
 
 The scene was a novel and interesting one to the visitors. The 
 ground, for miles around, was covered with the green and flou 
 rishing cotton, which looked like a sea of emerald slightly crisped 
 by the evening breeze. The negroes were at work in the fields ; 
 and the song with which they beguiled their labor, carne cheer 
 ily to the ear. Occasionally an ebony face, contrasted with the 
 gorgeous head handkerchief often worn by the women, would 
 rise suddenly above the high fence, and after bestowing a look 
 on the new comers, and a bow of recognition and welcome on 
 the young master, again disappear. 
 
 About a mile from the dwelling stood the quarter, which had 
 the appearance of a picturesque village. There was an open 
 green space, a hundred feet in width, with an avenue of trees 
 planted in the centre. On either side was a row of small white 
 cottages, each one possessing an inclosure in the rear, in which 
 a fruit tree and various kinds of vegetables were cultivated. A 
 number of young negroes, superintended by several aged crones, 
 were at play before tie doors.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 165 
 
 A short distance from the quarter, was the overseer's house, 
 a modest wooden building painted white, with green blinds and 
 a door of the same color. A few hundred yards further on, a 
 high arched gate was thrown open by Corporal Black, and they 
 drove into the extensive park which surrounded Villa d' Espe- 
 ranza. A turn in the road speedily brought them in sight of 
 the lofty pillared porticoes which encircled the mansion. It 
 stood on a slight eminence, and the setting sun was streaming 
 in golden splendor on the walls, and through the bolls of the 
 trees, chequering the green sward with its glowing light. Not 
 a cloud was to be seen, and the rich auburn colored rays extended 
 half over the heavens, melting in the zenith with the deep clear 
 blue of a southern sky. The first star of evening peeped forth, 
 sparkling like a diamond set in a sea of fire, as it contrasted its 
 pure lustre with the retiring blaze of the monarch of day. 
 
 " This is indeed a beautiful place," said Isabel to Zavala. " I 
 am almost moved to surprise, Don Pedro, that you should ever 
 have wished to leave so charming a residence." 
 
 " You are a woman, and therefore would be contented in the 
 narrow limits of an agreeable home ; but / am ambitious of 
 making my name distinguished for something beyond the mere 
 possession of wealth, or the empty boast of the honors of my 
 ancestry." 
 
 " A noble desire, if such is really your motive." 
 
 " Witness my alliance with your father. Does not that prove 
 nay sincerity ?" 
 
 " I imagined that you leagued yourself with him for love, and 
 not for fame," she replied, with a slight glance towards Julie, 
 who was leaning out of the opposite window, absorbed in 
 admiration of the beautiful scene each turn in the road revealed. 
 
 " I labor for both united, fair lady ; and I have yet to learn 
 that love and fame are incompatible with each other. Though, 
 if I am as unsuccessful in one as I have hitherto found myself 
 in the other, I shall indeed be unfortunate." 
 
 " You wish to purchase love ; cannot fame also be bought, 
 without the trouble of a personal exertion to obtain it?" 
 
 " I do not understand you, Miss Alwin," replied Zavala with 
 a flushed cheek. 
 
 " I like to speak in riddles ; so I shall not explain," she care 
 lessly replied, as she turned her attention to the house they 
 were approaching. She rarely allowed an opportunity of annoy 
 ing Zavala to pass ; his ungenerous conduct towards Julie filled 
 her with indignation, and she had consented to accompany her
 
 166 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 father in the present visit, with the hope that something might 
 occur, during the visit, to free Julie from his persecution. 
 
 Col. Alwin had lingered behind, but as the carriage drew 
 nearer to the house, he put spurs to his horse, and in a few mo 
 ments overtook them. 
 
 " That is your mother, I presume, standing on the gallery," 
 he said to Zavala, " and that fair sylph-like being, is that can 
 that be your cousin ?" 
 
 " The same." 
 
 " At this distance she appears the very impersonation of sen 
 timent and loveliness." 
 
 " You will find her even more than she appears. Inez is no 
 common character." 
 
 " How then did you escape love's contagion before leaving 
 these shades ? or have you only bowed before another, in the 
 absence of the true divinity ?" 
 
 " Neither. I have ever loved and admired Inez as my cou 
 sin, and as a rare specimen of her sex ; but I have not thought of 
 her in the light of a bride." His dark cheek flushed deeply as 
 he uttered the falsehood. 
 
 The carriage drew up at the door, and the Corporal threw 
 down the steps with a flourish, and a bow nearly to the ground, 
 as he said 
 
 " You is welcome as de flowers in May, ladies, and I hopes 
 you will permit me to require if you has suffered much from 
 fatigue ?" 
 
 " Oh no, not at all," answered Miss Alwin, as Zavala as 
 sisted her to descend " We are quite well, thank you, Cor 
 poral, and hope that you are quite satisfied now you are at 
 home." 
 
 " I carn't say but I is, Miss Isabel. No other place is like de 
 plantation to me." 
 
 With another low bow from the Corporal, they passed on. 
 Madame Zavala received them with a union of dignity and 
 well-bred ease, which at once charmed her guests, and made 
 them feel entirely at home. Inez, the timid and gentle Inez, 
 came forward, and her soft musical voice seemed to dwell on the 
 charmed ear of Isabel, long after it had given utterance to the 
 courtesies of the meeting. 
 
 Once only did she change color. Zavala approached her, and 
 with the familiarity of kindred affection, threw his arm around 
 her shrinking form, and kissed her ruby lips : cheek, brow, and 
 neck crimsoned, a tear glittered for an instant on her long
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 167 
 
 lashes, and then slowly rolled over her flushed face. Her eager 
 glance scanned the two lovely girls before her, and her eye 
 dwelt long and earnestly on the face of Julie. A slight shudder 
 pervaded her frame, as she murmured 
 
 " Ah ! me, how beautiful ! I no longer wonder that he loves 
 her." Yet with the intuitive delicacy of a pure soul, she veiled 
 her suffering so skilfully that no one, not even her watchful 
 aunt, dreamed of the anguish that convulsed her wrung and 
 stricken heart, destroying in its desolating course the beauty 
 and freshness of a life. She had watched Zavala as he presented 
 Julie to his mother, and the expression of that countenance, 
 which had once been to her as a tablet of divine and unutterable 
 thoughts, told her that she was forsaken. 
 
 Utterly at war with the softness and truly feminine spirit of 
 Inez, was the indomitable pride with which nature had gifted 
 her. She could die a martyr to her sufferings, sooner than 
 have betrayed the crushing sense of desolation that fell on her 
 soul, when the conviction came to it, that she was no longer 
 loved by him on whom all the treasures of her heart had been 
 poured without reservation. That brief moment sufficed to 
 blight a life ; her existence had been that of the solitary 
 dreamer, who had linked her own bright and beautiful fancies 
 in a chain which bound her irrevocably to her idol. She had 
 no dream for the future, no recollection of the past, in which 
 his image was not paramount. Hers was a woman's love in its 
 deep trustfulness its utter disregard of self, its enduring 
 strength ; yet the selfish and unfeeling Zavala had thrown from 
 him that heart which was so filled with idolatry for him) to 
 pursue one who was made wretched by the gift of his love. 
 
 All this strife of emotion was not outwardly visible. Inez 
 looked, moved, and spoke as usual, and even Madame Zavala 
 thought she had unnecessarily tormented herself with fears as 
 to the result of the first interview between those who had 
 parted as plighted lovers, and now met under such different 
 circumstances. 
 
 Madame Zavala led the way into the spacious drawing-room, 
 the windows of which all opened to the floor. Their Auslin 
 draperies were drawn back, to admit the evening air, which 
 wafted in the delicate perfume of flowers. The floors were 
 covered with fine Indian matting, and the walls were nearly 
 lined with magnificent mirrors. The furniture was rich and 
 elegant, the greater part being of foreign manufacture. An 
 exquisitely carved cabinet, placed in one corner, was filled with
 
 168 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 rare and valuable curiosities, collected from various parts of the 
 world. A lamp of violet-colored glass hung from the centre of 
 the ceiling, and though it was scarcely night, was casting its 
 softened light throughout the apartment. 
 
 " Ah !" said Mrs. Fitzgerald, as she viewed her graceful figure, 
 reflected on every side " I could almost fancy myself again in 
 my own beloved home." 
 
 She sighed heavily, and Col. Alwin said 
 
 " I trust you do not regret its loss, dear madwi. Of late, you 
 have seemed to enter into the spirit of the gaiety with which 
 you have been surrounded, and I had hoped all regrets were 
 lost in the bright promise of the future." 
 
 " Ah, I was happy there, though my restless spirit sometimes 
 made me feel that a country life is not my true sphere. I love 
 society intellectual, refined people, who give a charm to every 
 thing in which they are concerned, and of that you know I 
 could command but little in my island solitude, in the heart of 
 a newly settled country. I was willing to live there, because 
 my husband found the pursuits he created for himself congenial 
 to his taste. Except at moments when I think of the sad fate of 
 my beautiful home, I do not regret the change." 
 
 " I am happy to hear you say so, madam, as I would not have 
 you retire from the pleasures which court your acceptance." 
 
 He then turned to Madame Zavala, and with that courteous 
 eloquence which so strikingly distinguished him, he soon com 
 pletely fascinated her. He so judiciously mingled flattery with 
 the topics he supposed would most deeply interest her, that 
 Madame Zavala no longer wondered at the influence he pos 
 sessed over her son. 
 
 In the meantime Zavala proposed to the young ladies a pro 
 menade around the galleries, for the purpose of seeing the differ 
 ent points of view from them. He offered his arm to Julie, who 
 smiled as she linked hers in that of Inez, and said 
 
 " I will leave Isabel to your gallantry, while I endeavor 
 to become acquainted with your cousin." 
 
 " You are very good," murmured Inez, but the expression of 
 her countenance eloquently expressed her willingness to have 
 been spared the courtesy. This was, however, unnoticed by 
 Miss de Bourg, who was deeply interested by the singular 
 beauty and reserve of her companion. As she looked on the 
 fair face, hueless as polished marble, the light nymph-like figure, 
 whose every motion was grace, she thought she had never 
 beheld a creature so formed to claim sympathy and affection.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 169 
 
 The interest she felt deepened almost into sadness, when she 
 looked into her spiritual eyes, and fancied she could there read 
 the doom of a being whose feelings had outstripped her years, for 
 Inez was yet almost a child 
 
 " Her dark eye had misfortune's doubtful presage ; 
 It had such troubled melancholy loveliness 
 'Twas like the fabled flower of woe, that tears 
 Of sorrow in its cup of beauty bears." 
 
 " Have you always resided here ?" asked Julie. 
 
 " Since I was quite a child. My father died here, and since 
 that time, with the exception of a few brief months spent in 
 Natchez, I have known no other home." 
 
 " The life of your aunt would be solitary without your 
 society. In the absence of her son you must have been every 
 thing to her." 
 
 " Oh, yes ; we love each other sincerely. I do not remember 
 my own mother, but when I feel that heaven had given me so 
 kind a one in her place, I cannot repine at her early removal, to 
 dwell with angels." 
 
 " Inez," said Zavala, stopping, and turning towards them, 
 " shall we show the ladies our woodland bower ? I can fancy 
 how much improved it is since we were last there together." 
 
 For an instant Inez stood motionless, an expression of 
 painful surprise on her features, for on that spot their last 
 parting had taken place; beneath its green shelter he had 
 clasped her to his breast as his plighted bride ; there tears of 
 delicious rapture had filled her eyes, and she listened to the 
 tender avowals of his love. 
 
 " No," she at length said ; " the bower you will no longer care 
 to see. Let us not go there." 
 
 " What ! Have you then neglected my favorite haunt in my 
 absence ?" replied he, with an air of chagrin. " Let us go at any 
 rate. I wish to see it." 
 
 " If it is your wish to go, I cannot prevent you from doing so, 
 though I could wish that you would defer it until to-morrow 
 morning, as some of my own things are scattered about, and " 
 
 " Oh, in that case we will go by all means. I like above all 
 things to gain admittance within the sanctum of a young ^ady, 
 and look over the various things she collects around her. It 
 gives one such insight into the character." 
 
 " My character you never have known ; you never will know. 
 15
 
 170 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Not that it is too intricate to be read by one who takes interest 
 enough in me to attempt to fathom its depth, but " 
 
 " Who ever fathomed the depths of a woman's character ?" 
 interrupted Zavala, with a sneer. *' Come, let us profit by the 
 few moments of twilight yet left to us." 
 
 A tear started to the eye of Inez, but it did not fall, and in 
 silence they proceeded down a winding pathway which led to a 
 cliff above the river. Within a few yards of it was the bower 
 they sought. Several young trees had been planted in a semi 
 circle, and their pliant branches twisted together in such a man 
 ner as to form an arch overhead. Four light pillars were 
 placed in front, with lattice work between them, on which the 
 multiflora rose, coral honeysuckle, and star jessamine, were 
 trained. These were now in full bloom, and their clusters of 
 gay flowers contrasted beautifully with the deep verdure of the 
 interior. In the centre was a table with a drawer half open, which 
 seemed to be filled with music and manuscripts. Inez stepped 
 forward to close it, but Zavala laid his hand on her arm and said 
 
 " One peep, my fair cousin ; only one, that I may discover 
 of what you have been dreaming during my long absence. You 
 do not know, young ladies, that my gentle cousin is gifted with 
 the genius of the poet. Pray, Inez, show us some of your pro 
 ductions." 
 
 " Not for worlds !" exclaimed Inez, closing the drawer, and 
 locking it, " I have nothing worth showing, and my dreams, 
 such as they were, would now have no charms for you." 
 
 Zavala bit his lip, and turned away, touched by a tone in her 
 voice which conveyed reproach, and yet chagrined at her ob 
 stinacy. His eye fell on a piece of paper which the wind had 
 wafted among the moss on the floor. He stooped, and quickly 
 grasping it, saw that it contained several verses, which appeared 
 to have been recently written. Inez sprang forward, and with 
 a face glowing with emotion, entreated him to restore it to her. 
 
 " No no 'tis my turn to be obstinate now. It is too dark 
 to read it here, but we can see what it contains when we return 
 to the house. Let us go." 
 
 " For shame, Don Pedro !" exclaimed Isabel, " return the 
 paper. See how you distress your cousin." 
 
 Julie held out her hand for it, and merely said 
 
 " You will not keep it ?" 
 
 " Not if you bid me restore it," said he, bowing low as he 
 placed the paper in her hand. Then turning to his cousin, he 
 continued
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 171 
 
 "It is, I suppose, an address to the genius of the place, or 
 perchance to one on whom my gentle cousin has bestowed the 
 boon of her affections." 
 
 " My affections," repeated Inez, in a tone of scorn, as she took 
 the offered paper from Julie's hand, and tore it into fragments, 
 " are not lightly bestowed. Though," she added, in so low a 
 tone that no one understood her, " they have been prized lightly 
 enough by one I once thought capable of better things." 
 
 CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 A FEW evenings after their arrival the family had assembled 
 on the gallery, and Col. Alvvin, after commenting to Madame 
 Zavala on the beauty of Villa d'Esperanza, spoke of the scenery 
 around Natchez. 
 
 " One of the wildest scenes I have ever beheld is within two 
 miles of that place," said he, " I vainly inquired what was the 
 origin of the singular name it bears." 
 
 "You allude to the Devil's Punch Bowls," said Madame 
 Zavala, smiling. " Inez, I believe, can throw some interest around 
 that strange, wild looking place, though she cannot inform you 
 why it was named for the drinking cups of his Satanic majesty. 
 She has a legend which is connected with it." 
 
 Petitions from all present, to hear the legend, were showered 
 on the shrinking Inez, who vainly drew back, protesting that 
 what her aunt had dignified with the name of a legend, was in 
 fact an imperfect translation made from an old Spanish manu 
 script, which was said to have been found in a small cavern 
 scooped in the side of one of the gaps. An iron box, containing 
 the manuscript and a few articles of jewelry of trifling value, 
 had fallen into the hands of Zavala's father. Many years after- 
 Avards, she had, with difficulty, deciphered the faded characters, 
 and made a fair translation of them. 
 
 " Let us hear it by all means," said Isabel. " My romance is 
 already beginning to conjure up ' thick coming fancies,' and I 
 expect a story of hair-breadth escapes." 
 
 " I fear you will be disappointed then," replied Inez, " for 
 the story in question is rather a record of feeling than incident. 
 However, I can no longer refuse to gratify you with the perusal 
 of it."
 
 172 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 | 
 
 In a few moments she produced a manuscript, from which, 
 she read the following story : 
 
 THE LEGEND OF THE DEVIL'S PUNCH BOWLS. 
 
 " Mine and me, 
 
 Of which she was the veiled divinity 
 The world, I say, of thoughts that worshipped her." 
 
 " The joy 
 
 With which I heard one tread, 
 And the earnest blessings which I flung 
 In showers on one dear head." 
 
 " Should these lines ever fall into the hands of one acquainted 
 with the language in which they are written, let him read the 
 record of a life stained with crime, and darkened by despair, 
 and receive a warning therefrom. It will teach him to avoid 
 the indulgence of the impetuous passions, which have plunged 
 me into an abyss of misery, from which there is no escape. 
 
 "Born to wealth and high station, gifted with talents which 
 might have raised me to any height within the scope of a 
 reasonable ambition, I end my life a miserable outcast from all 
 human sympathy. 
 
 " I am a native of the beautiful city of Mexico, and the 
 descendant of a line of proud ancestors, who would disown their 
 representative could their shrouded forms rise from the silence 
 of the tomb to behold his degradation. I was an only child, 
 and unfortunately for me, my mother died while I was yet an 
 infant. Had she lived, the hallowed influence of her affectionate 
 precepts might have saved me from future misery. But it was 
 fated to be otherwise. 
 
 " My youth was passed amid the most profuse indulgence. 
 My fond father, proud of my fine person and precocious talents, 
 fostered all the evil in my disposition by the unlimited liberty 
 he allowed me. I was taught to look to the attainment of future 
 greatness as the aim of my existence ; and, strange inconsis 
 tency ! I was at the same time taught to look upon the multi 
 tude, whose breath is fame, with the most sovereign contempt. 
 I only regarded them as creatures who were to minister to my 
 pride and gratification, without reflecting that the humblest 
 among them was endowed with the same capacities to suffer 
 and enjoy the same affections, the same impulses which ani 
 mated my being. 
 
 " Ambitious, and possessing an ardent thirst for knowledge,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 173 
 
 I 
 
 I diligently applied myself to the acquirement of an education 
 befitting the station I expected to fill. My time was divided 
 between literary pursuits and the pleasures of the gay city in 
 which I resided. One day would find me bending over the 
 glowing page of history, my heart responding to the noble 
 energies which animated its heroes, in fancy beholding myself 
 emulating their career ; and the next would probably see me in 
 the haunts of dissipation, holding her orgies with those with 
 whom I knew I had no fellowship in feeling or taste. 
 
 " In such desultory pursuits my character was formed. The 
 gratification of the moment, my only incentive to exertion, what 
 results could any expect from such an education, save reckless 
 selfishness, and an utter disregard for everything but my own 
 whims ? My father's aim was to make me a great man ; whe 
 ther I was to be a good or useful one, he left chance to deter 
 mine. His only care was to foster my eager wish for distinc 
 tion, and it is possible he would have been gratified in his 
 highest aspirations, had not the master passion of the soul 
 thwarted his hopes. Love was destined to counteract ambition. 
 Love has been the theme of many tongues and pens laughed 
 at and scorned by those whose iron hearts have n 3ver yielded to 
 the witchery of woman's influence ; yet to others it has brought 
 misery, madness, death. 
 
 " The object of my choice, in her gentleness, purity, and con 
 fiding affection, was the very opposite of myself. Until I knew 
 Celeste I had thought myself incapable of loving ; bright eyes 
 and thrilling tones had been passed unheeded by, and I deemed 
 myself secure from all the wiles of the sex. In proportion to my 
 former coldness, was the impetuosity of my passion. I only 
 enjoyed life in the presence of my idol, and in absence my 
 thoughts hovered perpetually around her. 
 
 " Don Alonzo Montejo was the most intimate friend of my 
 father ; like him, he possessed vast wealth, with an only child to 
 inherit it. While yet in her childhood, Leonora Montejo and 
 myself were betrothed by our parents, and taught to look for 
 ward to our union as an event that must unavoidably take place 
 in the course of time. We were then thrown much together, and 
 this intercourse did not contribute to inspire in us the sentiments 
 our fathers so ardently desired. Both spoiled by injudicious 
 indulgence, equally capricious and ungovernable, 'tis not surpris 
 ing that we seldom met without quarrelling. As we grew older, 
 however, we became better friends ; we had been deeply im 
 pressed with the mutual advantages of the proposed union, and 
 
 15*
 
 174 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 in the meantime, by a tacit agreement, we never interfered with 
 each other's whims. Leonora flirted with every cavalier who 
 offered his homage, and provided I paid my daily visit to inquire 
 after her health, the remainder of the twenty-four hours was 
 entirely at my own disposal. 
 
 " One morning Leonora informed me that a cousin was coming 
 to reside beneath her father's roof. She added that she was the 
 daughter of Don Alonzo's only sister, who in early life had eloped 
 with a young Frenchman, and from that time had been dis 
 owned by her family. The parents were both dead, leaving 
 their only child dependent on her haughty and unknown rela 
 tive. This information had nearly escaped my memory, when, 
 on going to pay my daily visit to my betrothed, I found her 
 new companion with her. 
 
 " I will here describe Celeste as she first appeared to me. 
 The two girls were standing in the shrubbery, in the shadow of 
 a large lime tree, and the young stranger was trimming a 
 wreath of its fragrant flowers ; an occupation completely in 
 unison with her simple and childlike beauty. Her form was 
 slight and graceful, and the black robe she wore served to give 
 additional purity to a complexion I have never seen rivalled. 
 Long curls of raven hair strayed over her graceful neck, and on 
 that fair young brow were the shadows of thought and feeling 
 thus early suppressed by suffering. 
 
 " Though struck with her exceeding beauty, and pleased with 
 the retiring timidity of her manner, I did not fall in love at first 
 sight. No ; without being conscious of my enthralment, the 
 chain was slowly but surely wound around my heart. 
 
 " During the first months of her residence with her uncle, 
 Celeste was grave and taciturn ; occasionally yielding to bursts 
 of wild sorrow, when she thought of the loved ones she had lost, 
 and the far away home of her childhood, where the fond affec 
 tion of her parents had made her life one glad summer day. 
 
 Time gradually lessened her grief, and once more she glided 
 over the bright earth, one of its happiest creatures. Often have 
 I stopped and listened to the ringing laugh of mirth which burst 
 from her lips, and thought it a fit echo of the joyous spirit 
 within. 
 
 "And this being, so formed to receive and bestow happiness, 
 the gift of my fatal love was to destroy ! To that heart I would 
 freely have died to save one pang, I was destined to bring 
 wretchedness. 
 
 " Many months glided away, and Leonora did not appear to
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 1*75 
 
 observe my lengthened visits, nor the interest with which I 
 lingered around her fair cousin. I knew she did not love me, 
 and therefore thought of breaking the ties which fettered me 
 without hesitation. 
 
 " In the grounds attached to Don Alonzo's residence were the 
 remains of an old temple, supposed to have been erected by the 
 natives of the country before it was conquered by the Spaniards. 
 The broken walls were covered with ivy, and other wild vines, 
 throwing the trappings of nature over the ruins of art. There it 
 was I first breathed my passion to its object ; before the ruined 
 altar which had witnessed the sacrifice of thousands to the idol 
 it once supported, I offered my devotion at the shrine of my 
 divinity. The temple was partly unroofed, and the pale lamps 
 of heaven looked down on us, as if smiling on the pair who 
 kneeled before that pagan altar, and vowed to live for each other. 
 The moonbeams came through the broken windows, and cast a 
 holy light on the youthful face of my Celeste, as she turned it 
 towards heaven, as if invoking a blessing on the engagement we 
 had just formed. I could not bear to behold her by this fitful 
 and shadowy light ; to my excited fancy it seemed to shroud 
 her with the misty light belonging to beings of another world, 
 and I drew her from the spot. 
 
 " As we emerged from the ruins, Leonora stood before us, 
 with a face pale with anger. She immediately addressed 
 Celeste 
 
 " ' Ungrateful girl ! Is this the return you make for all the 
 kindness that has been lavished on you beneath my father's 
 roof? You have stolen from me the affections of my affianced 
 husband, by your arts ; but your benefactor shall be informed 
 of your perfidy. For you, sir,' turning to me ' there is but one 
 feeling in my heart, and that is utter scorn and contempt. 
 While yet bound by every tie of honor to me, you have dared 
 to insult me by wooing another. I love you not I never have 
 loved you ; but in return for this baseness, I trust the day will 
 yet arrive when you will feel the pang of being deserted by her 
 whom you have preferred before me. When that hour arrives, 
 the slight you have offered Leonora Montejo will be remem 
 bered, and avenged.' 
 
 " Before I could reply, she turned and left us. Celeste lis 
 tened to her words in indignant surprise ; for until that moment 
 she had believed me as free to offer, as she was to accept my 
 love. It needed all my eloquence to reconcile, her to the course 
 I had pursued ; and I returned to the house with her, with the
 
 176 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 determination to have an explanation with Don Alonzo without 
 delay, and exonerate Celeste from any participation in the 
 deception, if such had been practised ; for I had never designed 
 deceiving Leonora. 
 
 " We found the household in the greatest confusion ; Don 
 Alonzo had been inquiring for his daughter, who was not to be 
 found ; the search was continued for several hours without suc 
 cess, and at length it was decided that she must have eloped. 
 In the morning, a letter was delivered to Don Alonzo, in which 
 she related the discovery she pretended to have made only on 
 the evening before ; she informed him she had merely antici 
 pated my desertion, and named as the companion of her 
 flight a young Castilian, who was travelling through Mexico 
 for amusement. 
 
 " Don Alonzo was furious ; he refused to believe his daughter's 
 assertions in reference to myself, and insisted she only made 
 them as an excuse for her own conduct. I viewed them in the 
 same light ; though I did not doubt that her haughty temper 
 was exasperated, that her poor and friendless cousin should 
 have been preferred before herself, even by one for whom she 
 had no affection. 
 
 " Don Alonzo's passion soon exhausted itself. Leonora was 
 his only child, and after due concessions from the newly wedded 
 pair, they were again received with favor. I succeeded in 
 making my peace with the fair bride, and all that remained for 
 me to do, was to inform my father of my intentions relative to 
 Celeste. 
 
 " He was very angry at the turn events had taken. He 
 represented to me the folly of marrying without gaining some 
 solid advantage, as a counterpoise to the loss of my liberty. 
 When convinced that all his arguments were ineffectual, he raved 
 he swore that I should never ruin myself by marrying a girl, 
 who had no recommendation, except a pretty face. Finding 
 that fury did not move me, he became pathetic ; he entreated 
 me not to destroy all his towering hopes by my obstinacy. He 
 insisted that wealth and influential connexions were absolutely 
 necessary to elevate me to the position he had set his heart on 
 seeing me attain. He entreated me to sacrifice my happinpss to 
 strive for the glittering bait he had so often and so successfully 
 held out to rue before. He implored one who had never sacri 
 ficed the idlest whim that ever took possession of his fancy to 
 give up the treasure of his heart ! With as much effect might 
 he have preached to the dashing billows, or the wild simoom,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 177 
 
 and commanded them to stay their course. I was immovable, 
 and he left me in deep anger. 
 
 " He went to Celeste, with the hope that she could be fright 
 ened into renouncing me. I hastened to her support ; and 
 although I knew she loved me with all her heart, she refused to 
 marry me while my father withheld his consent. Maddened 
 by such opposition, T solemnly vowed to him that if he did not 
 withdraw his prohibition to our union, I would abandon him for 
 ever, become an exile from my native country, and seek in 
 other lands the happiness he denied me in my own. 
 
 " Terrified by these threats, he at length agreed to a com 
 promise. He consented that I should marry Celeste, if I would 
 agree to spend a year at an University in Spain, and another in 
 travelling over the continent of Europe. During that time, no 
 letters should be allowed to pass between Celeste and myself. 
 He trusted that time, and the novelty of scenes so interesting to 
 my mind, would gradually obliterate all traces of my ill-placed 
 affection, and on my return I would be quite willing to relinquish 
 its object. I knew that he would be disappointed. I felt that 
 with me to love once, was to love for ever ; my heart was not 
 formed for a light and passing passion deep in my soul it 
 burned its indelible traces, and no second dream could spring 
 from the ashes of the first. 
 
 "I eagerly accepted his proposal, and hastened to communi 
 cate it to Celeste. She rejoiced that a definite period was 
 named, which would put an end to our suspense. We once 
 more exchanged vows in the old temple, and although we were 
 not to commune by letter, we agreed that each night we would 
 look on a certain bright star, and permit our spirits to mingle 
 while gazing on that glittering orb. 
 
 " I took with me the key of a private door, leading into the 
 garden, and in two years from that evening we were to meet on 
 that spot, and again repeat the vows we then pledged to each 
 other. I will not dwell on our parting. I then thought that 
 no deeper wretchedness could fall on me than to be separated 
 from my Celeste ; but now I look back upon that hour as one 
 of happiness, when compared with those which have suc 
 ceeded it. 
 
 " It is not my purpose to give a detailed account of my 
 travels. I crossed the ocean in safety, spent a year at the uni 
 versity of , and commenced my tour. I have trod the 
 
 halls of princes ; I have drunk inspiration from the bewitching 
 lips of high-born beauty, and have feasted in the halls of lux-
 
 178 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 ury and pride, bearing myself as gaily as if my heart were in 
 the revelry of the moment. I have wandered over the fairest 
 climes ; now treading the solitary and deserted halls of the 
 Alhambra, yielding my spirit to the deep fascination of the 
 associations connected with its history ; and now bending in 
 silent reverence before some monument of man's genius in the 
 city of the mighty dead, imperial Rome ; I have glittered in the 
 gay throng of a Parisian assembly ; I have stood in the senate 
 of the sea-girt isle, and listened with breathless interest to the 
 eloquence of her sons ; yet amid all my wanderings, my appoint 
 ment to meet in thought with my beloved Celeste was never 
 forgotten. That hour was held sacred from the intrusion of the 
 outer world. 
 
 " At length the time for my return rolled around. I was in 
 Paris and had made every arrangement to embark for my 
 native land, when a packet from my father was placed in my 
 hands. He informed rne that the greater portion of his fortune 
 was invested in a mercantile house in London which, from all 
 accounts, was on the verge of bankruptcy ; and he required me 
 to hasten, with all the speed I could command, to rescue his 
 wealth from the threatened peril. I immediately wrote to him, 
 inclosing a letter for Celeste, in which I informed her of the 
 cause of my delay, and set out for London. 
 
 " This business detained me several months, and at last ended 
 in disappointment. I embarked for my native country with the 
 conviction that my father would now be more averse than ever 
 to the proposed union, for his once vast wealth was reduced to 
 what he would scarcely consider a competency. 
 
 '' I beheld my country in the distance, and I stretched forth 
 my arms as if I would have clasped it in my embrace. My own 
 beautiful land, with its gorgeous skies and sunny plains, was 
 before me ; the home of my childhood and the dwelling-place 
 of the woman I adored. As a fountain casting its crystal 
 waters in a desert, was the memory of Celeste to me. She 
 alone had ever touched the spring of tenderness in my nature, 
 and caused my heart to unclose to the influences of a refined 
 and genuine affection. I regarded her with a feeling more like 
 the softened affection of a loving mother for the babe over 
 whose fragile existence she watches with unwearied care, than 
 the overflowings of a passionate spirit which had sought hap 
 piness in the most luxurious pleasures the world could bestow,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 179 
 
 and turned in disgust from all to repose in the consciousness of 
 loving and being loved with all the ardor of young affections. 
 Oh could that dream have remained unbroken, I might 
 have been all the fondest heart could have desired ! 
 
 " As I stood upon the deck and beheld the uplands crowned 
 with the richest verdure, rising each moment more distinctly to 
 view, my heart bounded with unchecked rapture. Not a doubt 
 of the faith of Celeste crossed my mind. No ; I looked on the 
 cloudless azure depths above me, and exultingly exclaimed, 
 ' Yonder vault is not more unsullied than the faith and purity 
 of her I love.' Even as I spoke, as if ominous of the future, a 
 dark cloud arose from behind the distant hills, and slowly 
 swept over the horizon, veiling the fiery disk of the sun and 
 intercepting his rays. I shuddered, for I loved too well not to 
 be superstitious where Celeste was concerned. 
 
 " At length we landed, and I lost not a moment in setting out 
 for my native city. I arrived there after night had thrown its 
 mantle over the well-remembered scenes of former years. I 
 alighted in the outskirts of the town, near the residence of Don 
 Alonzo, and sent my attendant and baggage on to my father's 
 mansion, instructing him to say I would be at home in two 
 hou rs. I then bent my steps towards the old temple. It was 
 the very hour in which our spirits had been wont to mingle in 
 communion, and, though we had been so long separated, I was 
 certain that I should find Celeste on the spot where I had last 
 parted from her. It was a soft, balmy night, and the moon 
 shone brilliantly over the garden. I paused and looked around 
 to recognise each familiar object. There was the same thick 
 shrubbery, with each walk of which was linked some dear as 
 sociation. On this spot we had lingered to pluck a flower, and 
 on that I remembered the arch smile with which Celeste had 
 replied to some remark of mine. Like faded flowers which 
 still retain their perfume, the recollections of a love like mine 
 could throw a charm over the most trivial incidents. 
 
 " In the distance the ivied walls of the ruin arose to view. As 
 I passed along, the breath of the orange flowers was wafted 
 towards me ; remembering that in their beautiful language they 
 are a type of constancy, I plucked a sprig as a fit offering from 
 me to Celeste. I reached the temple, and beheld a white robe 
 fluttering in the faint breeze. Fearful of startling her, if I 
 appeared too suddenly before her, I stopped and sang a few 
 notes from an old ballad which had been a great favorite with 
 her. A half suppressed shriek met my ear ; so agonizing was
 
 180 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 that sound that I stood as one paralysed. That wail of anguish 
 could have sprung from nothing save a breaking heart ; I rushed 
 forward and in another instant Celeste was clasped in my arms, 
 and her head lay on my shoulder powerless as an infant's, 
 while she wept with uncontrollable violence. 
 
 " ' Oh, Celeste ! Celeste !' I exclaimed, ' what is the meaning 
 of this anguish ? Why are you thus, when I fondly hoped my 
 presence would bring nothing but joy to your heart ?' 
 
 " She started from me 
 
 " ' You have not then heard, you do not know my crime 
 against you. Oh, Leon, leave me, and let me die, there is 
 nothing else now left to me ;' and she threw herself on a seat, 
 and covered her face with her hands. 
 
 " ' Leave you, Celeste ! What means this reception ? Have 
 I not returned to claim my promised bride ? Have you too 
 changed, and am I again without a tie strong enough to bind 
 me to life ? Beware, girl ! you know not the spirit with which 
 you have to deal. Woman as you are, and loved as God alone 
 can see, by the bright Heaven above us, if you have dared to 
 trifle with me, I will fearfully avenge myself. What ! am I to 
 be the dupe of a heartless woman ? All the deep affections of 
 my soul wasted on one incapable of appreciating their value ! 
 Speak ! tell me all, while I yet retain reason enough to under 
 stand the tale. Blast me with the knowledge of what will scorch 
 and wither with as sure an aim as the fiery bolts of Heaven.' 
 
 " Terrified at the deep passion breathed in the tones of my 
 voice, and the expression of livid rage in my countenance, 
 Celeste sank from her seat, and, kneeling before me, raised her 
 clasped hands in supplication. 
 
 " 'Be calm, oh, be calm, I conjure you, Leon, and hear me. 
 Do not look thus, or you will kill me ; I cannot bear it. I was 
 not false to you ; that I am here and at this hour should be a 
 sufficient evidence of my truth. I am a deceived, broken 
 hearted, perjured wretch, unworthy of the esteem of any crea 
 ture; for I love you wildly, fervently, while my vows are 
 plighted to another. That I was deceived, and in a moment 
 of anger destroyed your happiness and my own, by becoming 
 the wife of another, is the only excuse I can offer. Now you 
 know all, leave me for ever.' 
 
 " I was overwhelmed. The concentrated agony of years was 
 crowded in that brief moment. An aimless existence was before 
 me ; the only hope that had animated me to struggle through 
 life's feverish dream annihilated. At length, I spoke.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 181 
 
 " ' Who has done this cruel deed ? Who has wantonly 
 severed two hearts that beat alone for each other ? Celeste, 
 could / have been wrought on to forsake you ? Oh, woman 
 woman, weak where you should have been most strong ! Tell 
 me who you claim as a husband, and how you came to be his 
 wife ? Let me hear the whole maddening story at once.' 
 
 " In a low broken tone, Celeste revealed a tale of iniquity 
 that made my blood seethe in my veins. In compliance with 
 my compact with my father, we had forborne to write to each 
 other, and he had taken advantage of the honorable fulfilment 
 of that promise to destroy my happiness. He caused forged 
 letters to be shown to the friends of Celeste, in which I spoke 
 of my engagement as a childish whim, which was only remem 
 bered with a smile. I returned thanks to my father for his 
 wisdom in not permitting me to shackle myself with a wife, 
 who must in a short time have become tiresome and odious 
 to me. 
 
 "At first, Celeste indignantly repelled such insinuations, and 
 professed the most unbounded confidence in my honor. She 
 was laughed at, for her romantic faith ; but at length, when 
 wearied by the persecutions of those around her, a letter pur 
 porting to be written by me, was conveyed to her, in which I 
 demanded a release from all promises I had ever made to her, 
 as I was about to bestow my hand upon another. The letter 
 appeared genuine, and she could no longer doubt my perfidy. 
 In a moment of wounded feeling and insulted pride, she wrote 
 an answer which my crafty father took care should never reach 
 me, and in one month became the bride of one who had long 
 wooed her. The commands of her uncle, and the persuasions 
 of Leonora, hurried her to the altar, from which she had 
 scarcely returned, when her cruel cousin informed her of the 
 deception of which she had been the victim. Leonora, to avenge 
 the fancied slight I had offered her, entered with alacrity into 
 my father's plans for separating us. 
 
 " I heard all without shrinking. I rushed from the garden 
 with curses on my lips, and a feeling of rage -within my crushed 
 soul that seemed as if 'twould suffocate me. I blindly hurried 
 forward as if motion could stifle the keen sense of suffering 
 which thrilled through every nerve in my frame. At length I 
 fell insensible in the street, and was found in that condition by 
 my servant, who had set out in search of me, when I failed to 
 reach home at the appointed hour. 
 
 " Many days elapsed before I recovered from the delirium 
 16
 
 182 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 consequent on severe fever. I was in my father's house ; but 
 from the moment I became conscious of what was passing 
 around me, I drove him from my presence. He besought me 
 to permit him to watch beside my sick couch, to soothe, and 
 endeavor to amuse me, but I repelled him with scorn and 
 loathing. He had reduced me to this condition, and I took a 
 savage pleasure in inflicting misery on him in return. I would 
 sit for hours, gazing through my windows in listless silence, and 
 no effort could arouse me from my abstraction. 
 
 Months passed away, and still I refused all companionship. 
 As a last resource, my father humbled himself to ask Celeste to 
 visit me. She came, accompanied by her husband, and the 
 sight of him aroused me from the state of stupid insanity into 
 which I was falling, and made my heart burn with jealousy. 
 The blast of selfishness, that sirocco of the heart, had passed 
 over me, and I feared Celeste might learn to love him, for as I 
 gazed on his noble features, and heard the eloquent words which 
 imparted a grace to the merest trifles from his lips, I felt that he 
 had every advantage over me, save of being the first one 
 beloved. Though separated from her by her union with 
 another, I could not brook the thought that she might become 
 attached to him ; and when he urged me to mingle again in 
 society, I resolved to do so ; determined that absence should not 
 dim the recollections of that love which had been my fate. 
 From that time I saw her daily without her society I was like 
 a wretch condemned to perpetual darkness. 
 
 " I watched Celeste with unceasing interest, and I soon dis 
 covered that she was not less unhappy than myself. Young, 
 noble, possessing all those qualities most likely to win the affec 
 tions of a woman, I deemed it impossible that she should continue 
 indifferent to her husband. A short time convinced me that he 
 would never gain the heart of his wife. Knowing himself 
 secure of the casket, he appeared to consider the gem it 
 enshrined of little value. When the first gloss of his passion 
 had worn off, he became inattentive, and finally neglectful. 
 Often have I watched her footsteps, and heard the half-repressed 
 sigh which burst from her bosom, as she witnessed his indiffer 
 ence, and contrasted it with the wild idolatry with which she 
 had been regarded by one heart. 
 
 " Her husband was not intentionally unkind. He was care 
 ful that every whim was gratified ; he crowded his splendid 
 mansion with gay company, and in all his arrangements, her 
 tastes were scrupulously consulted ; but in vain did he invoke
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 183 
 
 the spirit of revelry, to bring happiness to the young creature, 
 who, though in a crowd, was in that worst of all solitudes, the 
 solitude of the heart. Often have I seen her walk through her 
 stately home, her pale brow crowned with the fresh roses of her 
 clime, destined, like herself, to wither in their brightest bloom ; 
 and the listless step and heedless glance revealed a tale of suf 
 fering, few would have believed could enter so fair a paradise as 
 the one around her. And where was her husband, while she 
 tli us wasted her young spirit in sadness which the voice of mirth 
 and flattery was powerless to charm ? Absorbed in the pursuit 
 of pleasure, he sought for newer and more varied enjoyments 
 than his own home offered. I knew that in her own mind, 
 Celeste must contrast this conduct with the watchful tenderness 
 with which I would have guarded her from the approach of 
 unhappiness, and I could not feel sorrow that it was so. 
 
 " As my health became re-established, my father informed 
 me that the change in his circumstances rendered it necessary 
 for me to choose a profession, or turn my thoughts to a wealthy 
 marriage, as the surest means of repining our broken fortunes. 
 The last alternative, I scorned ; and after some delay, I decided 
 on entering the army. I was speedily promoted to the rank 
 of Colonel, as the influence of my father was still great, not 
 withstanding his loss of fortune. 
 
 "At this crisis the husband of Celeste was seized with a 
 malady which for many days baffled the skill of his physicians. 
 I dare not record the tempest of joy that filled my soul, when I 
 learned that in all probability he would be removed from my 
 path. I visited him, to ascertain for myself the chances in his 
 favor. The physician was in his room, and he said the disor 
 der was near its crisis, and on the care and attention of the 
 approaching night his life would depend. 
 
 " I listened to his words, and for the first time a thought darted 
 into my brain, which seemed to scorch it as it passed. I tried 
 to drive it away, but it would come again and again. That 
 night I was to watch beside him, and I felt that his life was in 
 my hands. I went to the table, took up the medicines, and 
 requested particular directions as to their use. As the physi 
 cian turned away, I raised a small parcel, and inquired, ' if that 
 was to be given ?' 
 
 " ' No,' he replied. ' In his present weak state, that would be 
 certain death. It is a powerful narcotic.' 
 
 " I carefully replaced it, and turned again to the patient. As 
 I gazed on his pale features and closed eyes, my heart was
 
 184 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 almost turned from the fell purpose that filled it. My better 
 angel might have triumphed, had I not glanced at the bowed 
 head of Celeste. There was a touching expression of sorrow 
 on her countenance, which maddened me. She regretted him ! 
 the young, the noble, thus early doomed to darkness arid the 
 worm. I could not bear it. 
 
 " ' Celeste,' I said, in a tone scarcely above a whisper, ' do you 
 wish him to recover ? Does your heart wish it ?' 
 
 " It was the first time I had dared to breathe a syllable in 
 reference to the past. She cast on me a look which chilled 
 me to the soul as she replied 
 
 " ' Oh, cruel cruel ! to ask such a question at such a moment. 
 Can I wish to be thus freed ?' 
 
 " From that instant his fate was sealed. I resolved that his 
 eyes should never unclose to the light of Heaven, nor his heart 
 bound with the consciousness of renewed life. I determined to 
 delay giving him the medicines, and suffer him to perish through 
 neglect ; but this plan was frustrated by Celeste. She held her 
 watch in her hand, and punctually required the draught to be 
 prepared. I vainly endeavored to induce her to leave him to 
 my care, and seek a few moments^ repose. She merely said 
 
 " ' No no my place is here, and I will not abandon it.' 
 
 " At length I thought of the narcotic. It appeared to be my 
 only resource to accomplish the end I had in view ; for, towards 
 midnight, the breathing of the invalid became less labored, and 
 a few drops of moisture appeared on his parched brow. 
 
 " ' He will recover,' I madly thought, ' and all my hopes be 
 again dashed to the earth. Let him die ! Death death ! what 
 is it to the misery he has inflicted on me ?' 
 
 " My hand, obedient to the impulse of my heart, clutched 
 the fatal powder, and in another instant it was mingled with the 
 last draught I was called on to prepare. Coward that I was, I 
 dared not see him swallow it ; and pretending sudden faintness, 
 I called an attendant to support him, while Celeste, herself, held 
 the deadly potion to his lips. I -rushed into the open air, and 
 walked about to calm myself, before again appearing in the sick 
 room. 
 
 " When I returned, I found them all in commotion ; the sud 
 den change which had taken place convinced them that death 
 was about to claim his victim. I looked into the face of my 
 rival ; I beheld death written on his convulsed features, and a 
 fearful and insane joy filled my soul, as I saw him wrestle with 
 the grim tyrant. I knew that he must die ; no human skill
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 185 
 
 could save him ; the decree had gone forth, ' he must die,' and 
 fearful was the rapture that tilled my whole being, as these 
 awful words rang through my brain. 
 
 " The only barrier which separated Celeste from me was about 
 to be removed, and I exulted in the crime which had secured 
 her to me. My heart thrilled with joy, as I repeated to 
 myself ' She is mine, she is mine once more ;' and my eye 
 followed every movement as she hung over the pillow of her 
 expiring husband, and wiped the death-dews from his brow. 
 Will any one believe that even at that moment I was jealous ? 
 I could not bear that her tenderness should soothe even his last 
 moments." 
 
 Here the manuscript was defaced, and several pages lost. 
 
 " The death of my father, and the orders I received to go on 
 a frontier service, would, I feared, postpone my marriage to an 
 indefinite period. The prospect of leaving Celeste was terrible 
 to rne ; yet I could not think of exposing her to the chancos 
 of so perilous a voyage, nor a residence in a country where she 
 would never be secure from danger. The station to which I 
 was ordered, was Fort Rosalie, on the Mississippi river. The 
 Indians had recently made several incursions, and it was 
 necessary to protect the colony. I would have resigned my 
 commission ; but when ordered on a dangerous service, such a 
 course would have exposed me to imputations on my courage 
 which I could ill brook. I informed Celeste of my dilemma, and 
 left it to her decision. She instantly said ' I must not think 
 of resigning my commission. She was as willing to accom 
 pany me to the wild province to which I was ordered, as to 
 remain in her own beautiful home.' Vainly did I dwell on the 
 dangers to which she would be exposed ; she thought lightly of 
 them, in comparison with a separation from me, and I at last 
 consented that she should be my companion; for with her 
 society, even in the wilderness, I felt that I could be perfectly 
 happy. 
 
 " Once more Celeste stood beside the altar, and breathed the 
 vows of love and faith, and this time her heart ratified them ; but 
 she was not the same being, except in her unchanged affection 
 for me. I could see that she was often languid and feverish, 
 and her complexion was daily becoming more transparent. 
 
 " She was restlessly impatient to commence our journey ; I 
 would have deferred it until her health became more settled, 
 16*
 
 186 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 but her physicians said that change of air and scene would 
 probably prove the best restoratives. Our preparations were 
 soon completed, and after taking leave of our friends we left 
 Mexico, and in a few days embarked for the place of our desti 
 nation. Everything that could contribute to the comfort of our 
 voyage, or our woodland home, I had obtained ; and I pleased 
 myself with thinking that Celeste would be surrounded with 
 many of the luxuries of civilized life even in our wild and dis 
 tant residence. 
 
 " We coasted along for several days, occasionally losing sight 
 of land. We were at first favored with delightful weather, and 
 flattered ourselves with a speedy and prosperous voyage, but 
 while crossing the Gulf a violent storm arose ; the vessel sprang 
 a leak, and to prevent her from sinking we were compelled to 
 throw overboard a large quantity of her stores. We hoped that 
 a fair wind would soon waft us to the nearest settlement on the 
 river, and want of provisions would not be felt. Alas ! all our 
 calculations failed : a dead calm ensued, which lasted a week. 
 On the seventh evening a faint breeze sprung up, atid once more 
 we proceeded on our voyage. On the following night we entered 
 the Mississippi. The navigation of this dangerous and rapid 
 stream was much more difficult than anything we had yet 
 encountered, and our progress was necessarily very slow. From 
 the mouth of the river to New Orleans, the banks offered one 
 unbroken wall of verdure, so matted together with undergrowth 
 that it seemed impervious to the tread of a human foot. We 
 slowly continued our progress, uncertain when our voyage would 
 end. Celeste faded daily, and I saw but one fate for her, which 
 was to pass away from him who so madly loved her, before he 
 had scarcely realized the happiness of claiming her as his own. 
 She was at length so weak that she only sat up a few moments 
 each day. We reached New Orleans, and procured fresh pro 
 visions. With renovated spirits we recommenced our voyage, 
 and I fancied Celeste was much better. Alas ! it was a deceit 
 ful hope. 
 
 " I soon knew that consumption had laid its wasting hand 
 upon my idol, and as she grew worse 1 watched beside her 
 couch day and night. I would scarcely suffer myself to sleep, 
 fearing that her spirit might pass away while my senses were 
 steeped in forgetful ness. Had the struggle continued much 
 longer, my reason must have sunk beneath it. Remorse, which 
 I had succeeded in stifling while hope remained that Celeste 
 would be spared to me, was gnawing at my heart-strings. When
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 187 
 
 I looked upon the past, the form of her murdered husband 
 arose before me, with eyes that seemed to reproach me for my 
 treachery, and claiming even in death the wife from whom he 
 had been so iniquitously separated. When I looked forward, I 
 beheld nothing save rayless, hopeless wretchedness. 
 
 "I was sitting beside her, watching her feeble respiration, with 
 my fingers pressed on her fluttering pulse, when I heard a 
 shout. I rushed on deck, and before me was the Fort. I had 
 reached the bourne I had watched for with a sickening heart, 
 when it was of no avail. A wild hope rushed into my heart, 
 Celeste might yet revive. What wonders could not the fondest 
 care achieve ! Beneath the influence of these hopes I rushed 
 into the cabin, and throwing myself on my knees beside her 
 couch, I bathed her brow with my burning tears, as I mur 
 mured 
 
 " ' Live, live, Celeste, for my sake live, and all will yet be 
 well ! Here in the deep forests we will find peace ; and the 
 bland airs that play around our home shall bring life to your 
 heart, and health to your frame. Oh my adored, arouse 
 yourself to life and happiness.' 
 
 "A faint flush crossed her pallid cheek, and looking into my 
 eyes with an expression of tender sadness, she said 
 
 " ' 'Tis too late. A few days earlier, perhaps, I might have 
 rallied, but now I feel that I have but a few more hours to re 
 main on earth with you, my beloved. Oh, Leon, in the years 
 that are before you, do not forget your Celeste.' 
 
 " ' Forget ! O Heaven, can I ever forget ? Cannot love, 
 such as mine, save its object ? would that I could die for you, 
 life of my life ! Oh ! agony intolerable, to feel that all the mighty 
 passion in my breast cannot gain a few brief hours of existence 
 for the object of my love ! What avails all I have done ? I 
 have perilled my soul, and stained myself with crime of the 
 darkest dye, to gain the object of my adoration but to lose 
 her, and thus !' 
 
 '' I paused, for Celeste appeared endued with a degree of 
 energy, as terrible as it was unexpected. She started up, and 
 fixing her large eyes on me, with an expression of such agony 
 as will haunt me to my grave, gasped 
 
 " ' Tell me, tell me, what crime ? Oh, holy Virgin ! I see it 
 all. A murderer, and I the cause !' 
 
 " With a cry that froze me, she fell back on her pillow. I 
 hastened to her, I called her by all the fondest terms of endear-
 
 188 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 ment ; I kissed her cold lips. All, all was vain ; in that moment 
 of horror, life had fled for ever. 
 
 " We anchored about two miles above the fort, and imme 
 diately in front of us were three gaps in the high and preci 
 pitous bluff, of a most romantic and singular appearance. The 
 cliff rose almost perpendicularly from the river nearly two hun 
 dred feet ; and some terrible convulsion of nature, or the natural 
 crumbling of the soil, had caused the earth to cave in, nearly in 
 the form of half circles, with a strip of land about twenty feet 
 in width between each one of them. The sides of these gaps 
 were clothed with trees to their very summits, among which the 
 gloomy pine predominated. The crumbling of the soil had 
 caused many trees to slide from their original position, and 
 taking with them a large portion of the earth in which they 
 were imbedded ; successive ridges had been formed near the 
 lower part, which offered a fitting place of refuge for one who 
 henceforth desired to dwell alone, a hermit in the wilderness. 
 I selected one of these knolls for the grave of my Celeste, with 
 the determination to build me a shelter near it, and remain so 
 long as life lasted the guardian of those beloved ashes. I assem 
 bled the officers under my command, and in defiance of their 
 remonstrances I resigned my authority to the next in rank. 
 
 " It was not until the sods were laid on her grave, and I 
 kneeled above them, that I felt how utter how hopeless was 
 my bereavement. The beloved the worshipped one was gone 
 for ever ! Then the desolation, which had overwhelmed me, 
 overcame me ; I tossed my arms in fruitless anguish, and called 
 on Him who had thus blasted me, to take the life which was 
 a burden to its possessor. 
 
 " In mercy, were my frantic cries unheeded. I have been 
 allowed time to repent of the evil I committed ; and to see in 
 its punishment the hand of that merciful Providence which 
 permits not a sparrow to fall to the ground unheeded. I 
 humbly hope I have made my peace with Him, before whose 
 tribunal I must shortly stand." 
 
 Inez put aside the manuscript, and all present earnestly 
 thanked her for the pleasure its perusal had afforded them. 
 Zavala said 
 
 " In truth, my fair cousin, you write very gracefully. Tell us 
 now, ma chere, have you embodied your own feelings in the 
 vivid picture of passion you have painted in that legend, or only 
 drawn on your imagination." 
 
 " You appear to forget," said Inez evasively, " that it is a
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 189 
 
 mere translation, and I am in no way accountable for the sen 
 timents expressed. I have merely performed the duty of an 
 honest interpreter, in setting down the feelings of the hero as 
 he has himself described them." 
 
 " Well, my pretty Inez, I must perforce believe you, though 
 as you read, I fancied I could trace a deeper sympathy with the 
 feelings expressed, than that of a mere translator." 
 
 Inez turned away without reply, and the bitter tears of 
 wounded pride and outraged affection sprang into her eyes ; 
 but they were only allowed to fall in solitude : and when she 
 again returned to their guests, her manner was as calm as usual. 
 Not one around her dreamed of the struggle that wrung her 
 heart, of the anguish that deepened day by day, until death 
 would have seemed to her a welcome release from suffering. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 " INEZ," said Zavala, " I have a letter from my uncle, and he 
 will be here to-day." 
 
 Her face brightened 
 
 " That is good news indeed ; I did not know my uncle could 
 leave his command just now. I must go and inform my aunt, 
 that she may share my joy." 
 
 " Stay ; you need not be in such a hurry to leave me ; I can 
 not get you to remain alone with me a moment. My mother 
 is already apprised of General Zavala's arrival ; and a portion 
 of her letter contains something of interest to you. He says 
 that Don Henriquez de Montery will accompany him. Ha ! 
 you change color ; is it so, then ? Has this Montery won my 
 fair cousin, in my absence ? If I mistake not, this is not his 
 first visit to Villa d'Esperanza." 
 
 " No, it is not," said Inez, recovering from her momentary 
 embarrassment. " Don Henriquez has before visited us in 
 company with my uncle ; but the inference you draw from it 
 is not correct. I have not been won by him." 
 
 "My uncle appears to think differently. He speaks of 
 Montery in such terms as induce me to believe that he wishes 
 and expects him to stand in a nearer relation to him than he 
 now does."
 
 190 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 "The wishes of my uncle have always been respected by 
 me ; but in the present instance, my own feelings must be con 
 sulted before them. I shall never be more to Don Henriquez 
 than I now am." 
 
 " Have you weighed all the advantages of this union, before 
 you decided to refuse it ? Of your own nation and faith noble, 
 wealthy devotedly attached to you what more can you 
 require ?" 
 
 Inez felt as if a grasp of iron had been laid on her heart ; 
 but she struggled against the emotion which threatened to suf 
 focate her. She calmly replied . 
 
 " Nothing more from him ; but do you think me capable of 
 rewarding that devotion, by giving him a hand which cannot 
 bestow the heart which should accompany it ? I cannot love him." 
 
 " Pooh ! nonsense ! you are too sentimental. You do not 
 adore him, perhaps, as you ladies of genius and exalted senti 
 ment expect to love ; but you can care for him as much as a 
 sober, rational man will desire." 
 
 " If a diamond, of great beauty and value, were bestowed on 
 one, who, in a moment of caprice, should reduce it to ashes, 
 and another should offer all that is dear to him, for the remains 
 of what was once as valuable, would it be honest to accept his 
 offer ?" 
 
 Zavala shrank before the clear eye that rested on him 
 
 " I must understand you, Inez ; you speak in riddles pray, 
 explain yourself." 
 
 " Yet, methinks, my meaning is obvious enough. However, 
 we will talk no "more of this. Let it suffice, that I neither can 
 nor will marry Don Henriquez. My uncle is always kind and 
 considerate, and will not urge me to sacrifice my feelings to 
 his wishes." 
 
 " It must be so, if it is your will ; but I could wish that you 
 would consider your own interest, and " 
 
 " Interest" interrupted Inez, with an expression of contempt. 
 " 'Tis well for you to speak to me of interest ; yet I am not so 
 lost to the nobler feelings of my sex, as to make a marriage of 
 mere interest. Much as you may sneer at rny exalted senti 
 mentality, I never will marry a man for whom I do not feel an 
 affection so fervent that it will enable me to endure all evils to 
 shrink from no suffering, if shared with him. Such love I can 
 never cherish for Don Henriquez ; this love is felt by such as 
 I am, but once, you best know if it has been known, and 
 what chances there are for a new suitor."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 191 
 
 " Nay, Inez, you cannot mean that the childish caprice we 
 felt for each other before we parted, is so seriously to influence 
 all your future years." 
 
 " I do not know what it was to you ; but to me, it has been 
 my destiny, childish as it was." 
 
 " All things change, Inez ; why should you deem yourself 
 exempted from the general law ?" 
 
 " You have shown that you at least are not," replied Inez, 
 bitterly. " I have no desire to recall the heart that has wan 
 dered. I no longer deceive myself with the hope which has 
 been clasped to my breast with the convulsive strength of 
 despair. For one of my faith, there is always a refuge 
 when bankrupt in joy and happiness ; a convent can receive 
 me." 
 
 " Good Heaven ! Inez, are you mad, to talk thus ? What 
 will become of my mother, if you should abandon her for the 
 gloom of the convent?" 
 
 " She will find consolation for my loss in the endearments of 
 your new love. Never more can I be to her what I once was. 
 Wherever I move, the shadow of the past is around me ; and 
 this home, once so dear to me, is now a cheerless desert. I 
 know that you have ceased to love me, and I have resigned 
 the dream of my life ; the struggle is past, and I have crushed 
 every aspiration after that happiness I once believed securely 
 mine ; yet I would gladly go far away from the scenes amid 
 which this blight has fallen on me." 
 
 " My own dearest Inez, you inflict tortures on me by your 
 words," said Zavala, in a tone of awakened sensibility. " Were 
 it not for one consideration, I never would resign you but with 
 existence. I love you, Inez indeed, I do ; not with as pure 
 and noble a passion as yours, but with the love of a fond brother 
 for a very dear sister. I wish to promote your happiness, in 
 every arrangement I make." 
 
 " I do not wish to draw any avowals from you," said Inez 
 calmly. " I have been betrayed into the expression of my 
 feelings by your importunities relative to Don Henriquez. You 
 have forced me to it, by acting as though you supposed the 
 memory of the past has become to me, what it has long since 
 been to you, a wearisome record of events, which time and 
 change have deprived of all interest." 
 
 " What then would you have me do, Inez ? All my interests 
 in life are at stake. If I do not marry Miss de Bourg, more 
 than you dream of will be lost to me. Oh, Inez, believe that I
 
 192 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 am not intentionally unkind or inconstant ; I am the victim of 
 circumstances." 
 
 " Zavala," said Inez almost sternly, yet sorrowfully, " do not 
 seek to deceive me now. I know that you love Miss de Bourg. 
 I have seen you at her side, 1 have marked your manner to her ; 
 why then speak of the force of circumstances ? I do not seek 
 to fetter you with the remembrance of what is due to me ; for 
 if you were freed from your present ties, you could be to me 
 nothing more than you now are. The heart I have failed to 
 keep will never again be accepted by me. "Tis far better even 
 thus, than as your wife to have endured the misery of seeing 
 you grow cold to me, for such I now feel would have been my 
 d>H>m. Adieu, we have said quite enough on this subject, and 
 I do not choose that it shall be again renewed." 
 
 Some hours later, the beauty of the evening tempted Isabel 
 to walk in the spacious garden. As she wandered down one of 
 the long and densely shaded avenues, she approached a part of 
 the inclosure, separated from the rest by a row of cedar trees, 
 planted so closely as to interlace their boughs. Surprised to 
 hear a low moaning sound, as if some one was there in deep 
 distress, she carefully parted the branches and gazed in surprise 
 at the scene they disclosed. An area of about fourteen feet, 
 was entirely encircled by the gloomy cedar, and in the centre 
 of the level turf a marble tablet, supported by four light 
 columns, marked it as the spot where the honored dead re 
 posed. By the faint and imperfect light she beheld Inez ex 
 tended on the monument, her brow pressed to its cold surface, and 
 her long hair sweeping in dishevelled masses around her form. 
 
 " my father, why didst thou pass away from earth, and 
 leave me to bewail the bitter boon of existence ? Let me die, 
 O God of Heaven, and I shall indeed believe thee merciful !" 
 
 Such was the prayer which struggled for utterance amid the 
 sobs of anguish that burst from her bosom. For some moments 
 Isabel stood uncertain whether to leave her to the indulgence of 
 her sorrow or to reveal herself. Pity for one so young and so 
 unhappy, prevailed over a feeling of delicacy which prompted 
 her to withdraw, without offering sympathy to one apparently so 
 desolate. Softly approaching, she laid her hand on that of the 
 young sufferer. Inez started up, exclaiming 
 
 " Who are you ? What would you with me ? Ah. Miss 
 Alwin, you are kind to seek me, but I am only fit to be left 
 alone just now. Pray, pray go, I cannot bear companionship at 
 present."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 193 
 
 " Dear Inez," whispered Isabel in her softest tone, as she drew 
 nearer to the young girl, " permit me to stay with you, and 
 lighten your sorrow by sharing it. Believe one who has herself 
 known grief, that it will be lessened by sympathy." 
 
 Overcome by the tones of tender interest, Inez threw herself 
 upon the bosom of Isabel, and wept without restraint. 
 
 " Forgive me," she at length murmured, " I would have 
 repulsed you, for I forgot that all are not so cold as he is. I 
 thank you for your sympathy, it has reconciled me to an exist 
 ence which but a few moments since I would willingly have 
 parted with." 
 
 " Talk not thus, dear Inez. In losing you, the happiness of 
 your aunt, of Don Pedro would be" 
 
 " Speak not to me of Zavala," interrupted Inez, passionately 
 " in his estimation I am nothing. Were it not for my aunt I 
 could envy the dust that lies beneath this tablet in quietness, 
 and wish to share its resting-place." 
 
 " Were you not then weeping over your lost parent, Inez ?" 
 
 " Why should I weep when he is at rest ? Ah, no, my 
 tears were not for the passionless and peaceful dead, but for the 
 wrecked hopes of the living. Ah, Miss Alwin Isabel I will call 
 you may you never know how great a weight of wretched 
 ness the heart can bear, and yet fail to break !" 
 
 For the first time, a suspicion of the truth flashed on the 
 mind of Isabel. She knew the grief of slighted love was all 
 that could trouble the life-current of the young Spaniard, and she 
 instantly comprehended the whole state of the case. A deeper 
 shade of dislike was added to her feelings towards Zavala, as 
 she looked on the drooping form of this romantic and sensitive 
 girl, mourning over the love that had been wasted on one so 
 utterly unworthy of it. 
 
 " Inez," she commenced, but her voice died away, uncertain 
 what she could say to soothe or console her. 
 
 " I understand you," she mournfully replied. " In my weakr 
 ness I have laid my heart bare before you ; you have read its 
 secret, and scorn me for ray unwomanly sorrow. This much, 
 however, I may surely say, although you are her friend, I was 
 not won unsought." 
 
 u No, no, dear Inez, you misinterpret my silence. Believe 
 me, I understand and appreciate your feelings- Permit me to 
 tell you what may render- them less bitter. Julie ia not willingly 
 your rival : she does not love Don Pedro, she never has loved 
 him, and the knowledge of this will prove an additional barrier 
 
 17
 
 194 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 to her union with him. Believe me, she will rejoice in any 
 excuse to free herself from his importunities. Permit me to 
 inform her " 
 
 Inez threw back her hair, and stood before her, with the 
 brilliant flush of pride on her cheek 
 
 " Never ! never more to me, shall the ollering of a rejected 
 heart be made. If all my devotion failed to preserve it, do you 
 think I would reclaim it, when another has appropriated its 
 warmest affections ? No, weak and foolish as I am to mourn 
 dver his falsehood, such degradation as this I could not bear. 
 Forget what you have just now witnessed, Miss Alwin, and 
 above all, hint it not to my rival. 1 could not bear to receive 
 pity from her. Come, let us leave this gloomy place." 
 
 She rapidly wound her disordered tresses around her head, 
 and while she sought for the comb which had escaped from 
 them, she continued 
 
 " Look not, speak not as if you had ever heard this con 
 fidence, and I will thank you. I am not so lost to the pride 
 and delicacy of my sex, as to be willing to receive pity where I 
 would fain claim respect." 
 
 " Respect, as well as affection, you must have from all who 
 have the happiness of knowing you, Inez." 
 
 " Thank you," she said with a faint smile. " Your love I would 
 gladly obtain, but there are few from whom I would care to 
 claim it. Let us return to the house ; my aunt will be expecting 
 us to tea." 
 
 They slowly walked forward, Inez making an effort to con 
 verse on indifferent subjects, in order to drive the remem 
 brance of their recent conversation from the mind of her com 
 panion. 
 
 That evening they had dancing. Several ladies and gentle 
 men, from a neighboring plantation, came over to visit them, 
 and the hours passed in light-hearted enjoyment. Isabel gazed 
 in astonishment at Inez. She appeared wildly gay, and as she 
 saw her floating fairy-like through the dance, and heard the 
 tones of her voice which seemed to awake a glad echo in the 
 heart of each listener, she wondered if it could be the same 
 Inez she had seen a few hours before, weeping over the desola 
 tion of her lot with that passionate sorrow which only persons 
 of deep sensibility can feel. As their eyes met, Inez read her 
 thoughts, and she seemed to exult in the perplexity which ap 
 peared on the countenance of her new friend. She approached 
 and whispered
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 195 
 
 " You see I am not always the weak, repining creature you 
 have thought me. I can conquer myself." 
 
 At that moment a slight bustle was heard in the hall, and 
 immediately afterwards, a tall superb looking figure, in a mili 
 tary garb, entered the room. The stranger had a dark animated 
 face, with large whiskers, and a moustache. He had the air of 
 a person accustomed to command, and there was a slight degree 
 of hauteur mingled with the courtesy of his address. He was 
 accompanied by a young man, also in uniform, who possessed 
 the regular features, flashing black eye, and aristocratic mien of 
 the Castilian race. 
 
 " My brother welcome thrice welcome," said Madame Za- 
 vala, as she saluted the elder stranger with great cordiality. 
 Zavala performed the ceremony of presenting him to Col. 
 Alwin with much emphasis ; and then Inez came forward and 
 impulsively threw herself into his arms. The emotion she had 
 repressed throughout the evening with such painful effort, would 
 be restrained no longer, and she wept bitterly. Gen. Zavala 
 bent over her, and addressed her in the liquid tones of his own 
 tongue ; and his fine face looked yet handsomer, as it wore the 
 impress of awakened feeling for the agitated girl who clung to 
 his bosom. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXII. 
 
 IT was yet early dawn, when two figures issued from the 
 house, and took the pathway leading towards the river. One 
 was the stately form of the Spanish general, while in the lighter 
 and more agile figure might have been recognised that of 
 Zavala. Neither spoke, until they stood on the edge of the 
 overhanging precipice, and beheld the turbid current which 
 flowed beneath. Gen. Zavala was the first to break the silence. 
 
 " What do you propose to yourself, nephew, in playing a 
 double part with this American ?" 
 
 A peculiar smile flitted over the face of Zavala, as he heard 
 the question ; and he answered 
 
 " To keep him in my power, of course, and to make him feel 
 thfit he is so. He is blind enough to think that all the influ 
 ence of my connexions is to be exerted to elevate him to the 
 post his ambition seeks, while to me, he is contented to give
 
 196 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 only a promise of future recompense, when he has won all ho 
 now hopes for. It suits me not, my good uncle." 
 
 " And why not ? The promise of such a man is sufficient 
 guarantee for the fulfilment of his word ; for an honorable 
 man, all concur in considering him. He cannot reward you 
 before success crowns his schemes." 
 
 " I demanded but one reward," replied Zavala. " The hand 
 of his adopted daughter was the price of my assistance. She, 
 like the rest of her sex, refuses what courts her acceptance, and 
 I can see that, in the event of his success, my suit will be 
 rejected. All I ask of you is, to delay your assistance ; amuse 
 him with the belief that you are waiting for advices from Mex 
 ico, and I can easily manage the rest." 
 
 " I dare say you can, but not exactly to my satisfaction. The 
 case seems to stand thus : Alwin trusts me, and I deceive him ; 
 I confide in you, and probably receive the same reward. What 
 becomes of my ascendency in Mexico, if his plans are 
 frustrated ?" 
 
 " Would not a handsome sum from the government of this 
 country be a more substantial benefit to you, than a voice in 
 the wavering councils of such a nation as Mexico ?" 
 
 "I do not place money in competition with faith and honor," 
 was the haughty reply. " You are a degenerate son of your 
 mother's house, if such are really your views. Can the owner 
 of these broad lands, which annually yield a revenue that the 
 utmost prodigality should scarcely enable you to dissipate, be of 
 so grasping a spirit as to seek to increase them by the basest 
 treachery to his friend ? Worse than the wandering Arab, who 
 at least respects the rights of those with whom he has broken 
 bread, you are ready to betray one who has made you the 
 confMant of his hopes and intentions. I trust, for the honor of 
 man, that you were but jesting when you spoke of such 
 treachery to Col. Alwin." 
 
 " And pray, my good uncle, what are you yourself proposing 
 to do, but betray your country into the hands of a stranger, and 
 assist him in designs against his own ? Methinks your con 
 science is tender where another is concerned, while your own 
 interests have blinded you to the consequences of the course you 
 are determined to pursue." 
 
 " No," replied Gen. Zavala ; " the cases are widely different. 
 The government of Mexico is feeble, and at the same time 
 oppressive. In freeing my countrymen from the yoke that 
 enslaves them, I shall confer on them an obligation which will
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 197 
 
 entitle me to their eternal gratitude. 'Tis true we take a 
 stranger into our counsels, but we will so effectually clip his 
 power that " 
 
 " Believe it not," interrupted Zavala. " Give Alwin a place 
 in your councils, and see what will be the result. I tell you, he 
 will soon bend every man among you to his will. He aspires 
 to nothing less than sovereign authority ; and under his rule, 
 the situation of your country will be but little improved. It 
 will be merely exchanging anarchy for an iron despotism. Con 
 sent to my proposal ; temporize with him, and we shall speedily 
 have him in our power. Then we can- make our own terms, 
 and by clipping the pinions of his soaring ambition, compel 
 him to wing a lower flight than he now contemplates." 
 
 " But how shall this be managed ? I do not think a man 
 of his penetration can be deceived, or one of his energy of pur 
 pose easily baffled." 
 
 " All men possess their weak points, and his is overweening 
 confidence in himself. Wait a short time, sir, and observe the pro 
 gress of events. The country is already in a state of excitement. 
 Alwin is strongly suspected ; every effort is making to fortify 
 New Orleans, and to collect a sufficient force to defend the city 
 in case of an attack. Delay pledging yourself to his cause, 
 until it will no longer be in his power to make terms with us ; 
 and the game is in your own hands. Ah, here he comes ; 
 pray be wary, and remember my words. I must leave you ; 
 for I do not wish him to know that we have held a private 
 conversation this morning." 
 
 As he concluded, he rapidly walked away in an opposite 
 direction from that in which Col. Alwin was approaching. Gen. 
 Zavala looked after him, and muttered 
 
 " I could not have believed that such a perverted mind dwells 
 in so goodly a form. Treacherous to his friend without even 
 the excuse of self-interest ; for surely the success of Alwin opens 
 to him a wide and elevated sphere of action. I cannot under 
 stand him." 
 
 He turned to greet Col. Alwin, who had made an appoint 
 ment the night before to meet him at sunrise on that spot. 
 
 "You were out earlier than I anticipated," said Alwin. "I 
 have been up since three o'clock looking over the papers you 
 gave me last night. Had I known you had left your room, I 
 should have requested the favor of an interview at even an 
 earlier hour than this. Some of the information I derived from 
 them was entirely new to me, though I know not by what mis- 
 17*
 
 198 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 chance I have been kept so long in ignorance of what so nearly 
 concerns me." 
 
 Gen. Zavala appeared surprised. 
 
 " You were not then aware that General W has requested 
 a detachment of troops from the Governor of Mississippi, which 
 was refused, as he could not produce any authority for such a 
 requisition. He has employed a number of men to repair the 
 old fortifications, and place the city of New Orleans in a state of 
 defence." 
 
 " All this he may well do as a cover to his real designs. I 
 think he is too deeply pledged to me to desert my cause. By 
 our agreement he places himself in a commanding position in 
 New Orleans ; and when my standard is raised, he immediately 
 joins me with the troops under his authority ; this corps is to be 
 the rallying point for my followers. You are aware that my 
 ostensible object is to settle the lands I have purchased, lying 
 between the Sabine and Nachitoches. That pretence will serve 
 to further my designs on Mexico, and I have such assurances of 
 support as render me sanguine as to the result. W , after 
 establishing himself on the borders of Mexico, will strike the first 
 blow when it is deemed expedient, and thus the commencement 
 of hostilities will apparently be made under the sanction of the 
 American flag." 
 
 " But this W , are you certain of his co-operation ? I have 
 held an interview with him, and I judge him to be one who 
 will desert the cause to which he is pledged, on the slightest 
 suspicion of its downfall." 
 
 " If such a catastrophe were threatened, I believe myself he 
 would play the traitor. However, he understands his own 
 interests too well to break faith with me, and his present show 
 of patriotism is a mere ruse to deceive the government. He is 
 bound to me by ties he dare not break, and so long as the 
 chances of success are in my favor, he will have no desire to 
 break them. Should fortune show a frowning face, I am well 
 aware he would desert me, and throw his influence into the 
 opposing scale." 
 
 " You do not yet know him thoroughly. Read this paper, 
 and you will see that he is more deeply treacherous than you 
 supposed." 
 
 He presented a closely written paper to Alwin, who perused 
 it carefully, and after pondering over its contents a few moments, 
 he said with a smile 
 
 " I still adhere to my own views. If success is ours, he will
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 199 
 
 become one of our warmest supporters ; if not, one of our 
 bitterest foes, for he would know himself to be in my power, and 
 fear I might implicate him in my downfall. I am aware that I 
 stand on a precipice from which there are no means of descend 
 ing without being crushed ; yet I fear not the result. What my 
 ulterior views may be, is known only to myself, and I defy any 
 man to prove a treasonable design against me ; yet, if I fail, the 
 mere suspicion will be ruin. It is no treason to my own country 
 to aid a people who have revolted from oppression to establish 
 their freedom. The project we have discussed in our correspon 
 dence in regard to revolutionizing Mexico, has been long 
 matured in my own mind, and I have obtained from the British 
 government the promise of a naval squadron to aid in the 
 attempt." 
 
 " Ah, that sounds well, but are you aware that W has 
 despatched one of his aids to Mexico for the purpose of apprising 
 the Viceroy of the dangers that menace him from this projected 
 invasion ?" 
 
 " I am fully informed that such was his ostensible purpose ; 
 but beneath that was a design first formed by myself, of thus 
 discovering the exact topography of the country, and the mili 
 tary defences which intervene between the Sabine and the city 
 of Mexico. T also know that the messenger was coldly received 
 by the Viceroy, and has already returned. He however suc 
 ceeded in obtaining what I desired, as this will convince you." 
 
 He drew from his pocket a correct map of the route pursued 
 by the messenger, and displayed it to the astonished general. 
 
 " Besides this," he continued, " I have despatches from the 
 Spanish minister, offering every inducement to me to proceed. 
 Indeed he assures me that my enterprise is so popular in Mexico, 
 and the people so anxious to escape from the thraldom of the 
 home government, that I confidently expect to be received as a 
 deliverer. The Catholic Bishop of New Orleans is also one of 
 my strongest partisans." 
 
 General Zavala seemed impressed by these statements, which 
 were adroitly thrown out to confirm his wavering intentions. 
 
 " The influence of the clergy in a Catholic country is incal 
 culable ; if they approve, the people will rise en masse. Since 
 first listening to these plans for subverting our present govern 
 ment, I have twice visited Mexico, and have held many confer 
 ences with the most influential persons in the city. The intelli 
 gent portion of the inhabitants are unanimous in favor of a revolu 
 tion, and the lower orders can be led by the priests. Co-opera-
 
 200 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 tion on the part of the Mexicans, you thus see, is certain ; your 
 only difficulty now lies with the management of your own 
 countrymen." 
 
 " Never doubt my ability to accomplish that," replied Alwin, 
 with a proud smile. " I pique myself on my power to mould 
 others to my will." 
 
 " Why then,'' said Gen. Zavala somewhat abruptly, as 
 he fixed his piercing glance on the face of his companion, 
 " why did you not secure to yourself the highest authority in 
 your own country, when it was in your power to do so ?" 
 
 " Because I would not barter my integrity for a precarious 
 power," replied Alwin calmly. " Had it been held for life, 
 I might, perhaps, have been less scrupulous ; but for a few brief 
 years to be set up at the head of government only as a conspi 
 cuous mark for the arrows of a party to be launched against, 
 and those arrows often barbed with falsehood and malevolence, 
 was a species of greatness I cared little for. Yet, the post 
 would have been fairly and honorably mine, had justice been 
 awarded me." 
 
 " I cannot comprehend why you should have dreaded the 
 defamation of newspapers, when no man of the age has 
 had more abuse heaped on him from such sources, and, except 
 in one instance, you have paid no attention to it." 
 
 " No ; I rarely read it. When it did by chance meet my eye, 
 I considered it beneath my notice." 
 
 " Yet your passiveness has given your enemies license to say 
 much that has impaired you in the estimation of the public." 
 
 " I do not doubt it now, and it was this conviction which 
 induced me to resent the aspersions thrown on my character in 
 the instance to which you allude. I then vindicated myself 
 at the expense of a life which was valuable to my country. 
 I have since made an unalterable determination to suffer 
 the hireling scribblers of party to assert what they choose of 
 me. The falsehood of their charges must be their own refuta 
 tion. Let us return to my room. I have documents of import 
 ance there to exhibit to you." 
 
 He linked his arm in that of Gen. Zavala, and the two pro 
 ceeded to the house in earnest conversation. The result of their 
 interview was a pledge on the part of the Spanish chieftain, to 
 hold himself in readiness to proclaim himself a follower of Col. 
 Alwin whenever the course of events rendered it expedient 
 to do so.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 201 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIII. 
 
 GENERAL ZAVALA remained several days, and it was observed 
 that Inez held many animated conversations with him. She 
 appeared to be earnestly imploring some favor he was unwilling 
 to grant. Her extreme coldness to Don Henriquez de Mon- 
 tery, caused him to depart after a stay of only one day, and 
 the penetration of her uncle was not long in detecting the cause 
 of her earnest wish to leave Villa d'Esperanza. 
 
 On the eve of his departure, as Inez left him, he said 
 
 " Ah well, you little gipsy, I suppose it must be as you 
 wish, though it is a foolish whim. In less than two months 
 you will be besieging me with letters to take you from the dull 
 place in which you seem so anxious to immure yourself." 
 
 " We shall see, uncle. I can but try this change, which I so 
 much need. I feel that I shall die if I remain here." 
 
 "Ah yes, we shall see," muttered Gen. Zavala, as she left 
 him. " A pretty place truly has she chosen, in which to forget 
 the disappointment that has caused her so much unhappiness. 
 That graceless nephew of mine deserves punishment for his 
 conduct to his orphan cousin. I will leave Inez in the convent 
 as she desires, until affairs in Mexico are in a more settled state ; 
 then I will remove her to her native city, proclaim her the 
 heiress to my wealth, and marry her to some worthy fellow. By 
 that time all this fantasy about first love and eternal fidelity will 
 be out of her pretty little head." 
 
 Inez knew that such opposition would be offered to her in 
 tended departure, that she had exacted from her uncle a pro 
 mise not to betray it to any one. She spent the greater portion 
 of the night in writing, and bidding farewell to the home which 
 had been to her heart the Eden of the world. She knelt and 
 bowed her head in prayer ; she madly prayed for strength to 
 bear the burden which was crushing her young heart ; yet while 
 the holy name of the Eternal was on her lips, the form of him 
 who had forsaken her was on her mind and before her aching 
 vision. She beheld him by the side of another, engrossed by 
 his love for her, while she was forgotten. Ah, how she had 
 prized that inconstant heart ! With what fond affection had she 
 treasured every word, every look, which had told her she was 
 beloved. In her girlish fantasy she had preserved many trifling
 
 202 THE COKSPIRATOR. 
 
 tokens of affection, but on this night they were all immolated 
 on the altar of principle. To forget this love which had been 
 interwoven with her very existence, was henceforth to be 
 the object of the dreary years that lay darkly before her 
 imagination. 
 
 Gen. Zavala departed at daylight, and when breakfast was 
 announced and Inez did not make her appearance, a servant 
 was sent to her room to ascertain the cause. She immediately 
 returned with several letters, which had been left on the dressing 
 table. Zavala hastily tore open the one addressed to himself, and 
 read the following : 
 
 " Let thy heart tell thee whence it came, 
 
 Oh loved too well in days of yore, 
 Linger again upon my name, 
 
 And yield thy soul at least once more 
 Unto the spell by memory cast 
 Upon the unforgotten past. 
 
 " Give unto me one fond bright dream, 
 
 Fleeting it may be, yet more dear ; 
 And as thou readout may'st thou deem 
 
 My darkened spirit hovering near, 
 A blessing on thy heart to pour, 
 And then to leave thee evermore. 
 
 " Zavala, when these lines reach you, I shall be far away. I 
 trust that we have met for the last time. Oh that I should live 
 to trace these words, to feel their bitter meaning, and yet bear 
 my bleeding heart away from all I have most fondly loved. It 
 will not break, although it throbs so wildly with the weight of 
 wretchedness that presses on it. Cruel, false, and unfeeling as 
 false, it .was not enough to desert me for one who loves you 
 not, but you added to the bitterness of that desertion the pro 
 posal to wed another. It needed but this to add the last drop 
 of insult to the overflowing cup your hand offered me. 
 
 " And thou art the man before whom my haughty soul has 
 bowed with a blindness of idolatry worthy of a pagan altar. 
 Worthy of such worship was the divinity, for it has proved 
 itself as hard and cold as stone. Oh cruel, selfish cousin, thou 
 hast trampled on my agonized heart with as little remorse as 
 though it had been the withered leaf of autumn. And to gain 
 what ? A heart that recoils from you. 
 
 " If you had deserted me for one who loves you with as pure 
 a love as I have lavished on so worthless an idol, it had been 
 something to mitigate my anguish ; but I am rivalled by one
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 203 
 
 over whose spirit you hold the mastery of fear, but not of affec 
 tion. The cheek of her who loves, pales not when her betrothed 
 approaches and whispers love's fond words in her ear. 
 
 " Yet think not that I would recall your truant vows. We 
 never could again be what we once were to each other. I have 
 been purtured in solitude, and my heart has made for itself 
 but one dream now others will come to it. I will seek other 
 sources of happiness, and the name of love shall become to 
 me a sound destitute of meaning; for such natures as mine 
 cannot love, forget, and love again. Though a rock may in 
 time gather moss on its cold hard surface, the heart over which 
 the lightning gleam of passion has passed, is seared and blighted 
 for ever. 
 
 " You wish to promote my happiness ! such were the 
 words you used in mockery. Give back my first fond dream 
 of perfection give back my trust in human nature my young 
 spirit's bounding joyousness give me back all these, and then 
 bid me be happy, and your words will not seem an insult. 
 
 " Yet I shall be happy. Think not that my life can be made 
 permanently wretched by such a being as you have proved your 
 self. No I will force myself to scorn you. The waters over 
 which my bark of life may glide, may be dark, but they shall 
 be untroubled by the memory of the past ; and in a few fleet 
 ing months the rainbow of hope will cast as bright a halo over 
 them as in days of yore. 
 
 " Even now, as I write alone, with the dew of anguish start 
 ing on my brow, I hear the voice of revelry, and you are in its 
 midst, with my rival by your side ! yet I can see no dream of 
 the bright future in her eye as your stately form passes before 
 her. Oh, Zavala, you have chosen your lot, and I can breathe 
 a prayer for your happiness amid my own desolation ; yet 
 yours, like mino, will be a loveless one. The eye of the one 
 you seek, will never, for you, kindle with affection's glance ; and at 
 some future day, when feeling its great need amid the emptiness 
 of life, you may think with sorrow of the heart you have slighted." 
 
 Such was the letter of Inez ; with pride and passion so 
 strangely blended, it was impossible to tell which predominated. 
 It painted well the state of the writer's mind ; now weeping in 
 helpless anguish over the broken idol of her youth, then wiping 
 away her tears, as the glow of insulted pride and wounded 
 affection crimsoned her cheek, determined to cast his image 
 from the shrme he had so ruthlessly desecrated.
 
 204 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Alas, poor girl ! It was far easier to resolve than to accom 
 plish ; her memory was only of him, and to forget him, she 
 must blot from its records her past existence. It was a hard 
 lesson for a creature of impulsive sensibility to learn. 
 
 Her letter to her aunt was written in a more composed spirit. 
 It ran thus 
 
 "My beloved aunt, my more than mother, think me not 
 ungrateful for leaving you. It has cost me a bitter struggle to 
 gain my own consent ; but I feel that I must depart from your 
 side, or my reason will be the sacrifice. Words can never 
 express to you what I have suffered in the past week ; you 
 thought me calm, when I was in torture ; for pride as indomita 
 ble as that of the Spartan boy sustained me. I cannot no, I 
 cannot longer stay and behold him devoted to another. She is 
 doubtless far worthier of his love, but she can never feel for him 
 a thousandth part of the wild idolatry with which I have 
 regarded him. Oh, God ! that I could so love, and yet be 
 scorned ! Had it been the affection of a few brief months, I 
 think I could have torn it from my breast ; but it has been to 
 me as the very pulse of my heart, since reason first dawned on 
 my mind. Yet, do not think that I blame him too deeply. 
 Oh, no the fault the want of attraction is in myself; I know, 
 I feel that the object of his choice is lovelier far than I am ; 
 yet methinks my love should have had some weight with him ; 
 it should have withheld him from casting me off too recklessly ; 
 less as if the past were to both of us an unsubstantial dream. 
 That past, which I dare not look on, yet which is all that I 
 possess ! 
 
 " I leave you, beloved friend, although I never loved you so 
 deeply as in this sad parting hour. I go forth from this once 
 happy home with my uncle ; he will protect and place me in a 
 safe asylum. There I shall learn to subdue my uncurbed spirit, 
 and find peace in devoting myself to Heaven. My resolution 
 to take the veil is fixed. I do not name to you the convent 
 in which I intend seeking an asylum, because I would save 
 myself from solicitations which would be useless, and only har 
 rowing to the minds of both. 
 
 " Adieu, beloved protectress. Give your prayers to your once 
 fondly-loved Inez, and think of her as one who has escaped the 
 snares of the world, to find .that peace which only Heaven can 
 bestow." 
 
 There was a third letter from General Zavala to his sister,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 205 
 
 informing her that he had yielded to the urgent entreaties of 
 Inez, in the belief that absence from the scene of her recent 
 sufferings was necessary to the health of both mind and body. 
 He promised, if such should be the desire of Inez, to restore 
 her to the protection of her aunt at some future day, when she 
 had recovered sufficient calmness to look on the wreck of her 
 happiness, without -the bitter anguish she now endured. He 
 animadverted with severity on the conduct of his nephew, and 
 informed him that he waived the right of Inez to the provision 
 bestowed on her by the will of his father, as he charged him 
 self with her future fortune. 
 
 Madame Zavala was at first deeply wounded by the desertion 
 of Inez, but a little reflection convinced her that it was the 
 best course she could have pursued ; and she consoled herself 
 with the reflection that she should soon be able to discover the 
 convent in which she had immured herself, and use all her elo 
 quence to bring her back. 
 
 Zavala rejoiced that he was freed from the presence of one 
 he had injured, and the reproaches of his uncle he cared little 
 for. An excuse for the unceremonious departure of Inez was 
 easily made to their guests, as she had herself taken leave of 
 the young ladies after they retired to their apartments inform 
 ing them at the same time, that her uncle intended taking her 
 with him to New Orleans. 
 
 Isabel knew enough to guess the cause of her departure ; 
 and Julie received her adieux with quiet politeness, without 
 seeking a deeper motive for her conduct than she chose to avow. 
 She regretted her departure, though she had not been able, 
 during her whole stay at Villa d'Esperanza, to penetrate 
 beneath the chilling exterior which Inez had worn towards 
 her. She thought her an eccentric being, ever acting from the 
 impulse of the moment ; and she sometimes regretted that one 
 who appeared so kindly disposed towards others, should be so 
 cold and repelling to herself. 
 
 As Madame Zavala would be entirely alone on the departure 
 of her guests, her son urged her to accompany them on their 
 return to Natchez. She at length consented, and the whole 
 party left Villa d'Esperauza at the same time. 
 
 18
 
 206 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIV. 
 
 IT was the hour of sunset, and the rich crimson clouds shed a 
 halo of red and glowing light over the busy town of New 
 Orleans, which even at that day was a place of considerable 
 commercial importance. However, it is not with the busy, 
 bustling crowd we have to do at present. Far from the 
 " noise, the shock, the hum of life," stood an old moss-covered 
 mansion, several stories in height. A grove of orange trees 
 surrounded it, and the air was laden with the perfume of their 
 blossoms. 
 
 The sun streamed into the open door of a room panelled 
 with oak, with niches in the walls, in which bookcases 
 were fitted. A small table was placed near a glass door which 
 opened on a thickly shaded garden, and beside it sat a 
 lady considerably advanced in life. Her flowing black robes, 
 and the rosary and cross which hung from her girdle, pro 
 claimed her one who had renounced the pomps and vanities of 
 the world, and vowed herself to seclusion from their temptations, 
 though there was little of that meekness in the countenance for 
 which we naturally look in one devoted to heaven. A prayer- 
 book lay open before her, on which her eyes were fixed, 
 but from the occasional start she gave whenever a footstep 
 approached, it was evident that her mind was not occupied with 
 the words before her. 
 
 In the deep recess of one of the windows, almost shrouded 
 from view by the falling draper}', stood a young girl clothed in 
 the same gloomy garb, only relieved by a white veil which was 
 thrown back, and fell in many folds around her slight person. 
 Her regular and chiselled features were placed in strong relief 
 against the dark curtain which fell at her back ; and as she stood 
 pale and motionless, with her eyes fixed on vacancy, one might 
 have fancied her a marble image, but for the tears which rolled 
 over her death-like features, and fell like rain at her feet. 
 
 " Daughter," said the elder lady, and something like a gleam 
 of compassion crossed her rigid features as she looked on 
 the drooping form of the young novice. " Daughter, I may 
 have been too severe in my denunciations. Your penance 
 is ended \ come hither. 1 ' 
 
 The girl approached, and knelt before her.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 20*7 
 
 " I would not be too strict with you, my child, but your sin 
 is a grievous one. The heart that has vowed itself to the service 
 of heaven, should cease to indulge the feelings which bind 
 us like bonds of iron to earth." 
 
 " Oh, mother, I have been taught that God is love. Can He 
 then place such clinging affections in our hearts, and yet require 
 us to sacrifice them on his altar, before we are prepared to enter 
 the paradise over which he reigns? Must I subdue myself 
 into a mere automaton before I am worthy to call myself 
 his follower?" 
 
 " Alas ! my daughter, your eyes are sealed to the beauty 
 and fitness of his requirements. I would open them to a sense 
 of his great mercies " 
 
 " His mercies !" interrupted the novice, clasping her hands. 
 " Ah, what have they been to me ? A broken heart, and now 
 all I ask, an early grave, is denied me." 
 
 " Child child, this is blasphemy. Return to your station ; 
 remain there another hour, and return thanks to heaven that 
 your penance is not more severe." 
 
 The girl made an effort to rise, but overpowered by weak 
 ness and emotion, she fell forward fainting at the feet of 
 the Superior. 
 
 At that moment a step was heard without, and a young man 
 attired in the Spanish uniform entered the apartment. The lady 
 made a sign to him to stand out of view while she made efforts 
 to restore the insensible novice. In a few moments her eyes 
 unclosed, and with a faint shudder she attempted to release her 
 self from the supporting arm of the Superior. She was, 
 however, unable to stand, and was compelled to accept her 
 assistance from the room. 
 
 While this scene passed, the new comer stood silently looking 
 on, and many varied and painful emotions flitted over his 
 expressive features. When the Superior returned he eagerly 
 asked 
 
 " My dear aunt, what can have reduced Inez to such a state ? 
 You have not " 
 
 " No, no, my son, I have done nothing that you would dis 
 approve. I have used all my influence to draw her mind from 
 the contemplation of the past, to fortify her against the regrets 
 which she so madly indulges, to the destruction of health and 
 happiness. You know there is no hope for you, Henriquez, 
 until she has abjured her first dream. If it were not for the 
 desire of her uncle that she shall in time return your affection,
 
 208 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 I would cease my endeavors to break the ties which bind her 
 to her absent relatives. She is gentle and patient, but I much 
 fear there is a latent firmness in her character which will baffle us 
 all, even if she lives through the trial." 
 
 " Lives ! Ah heaven, is her life then endangered by my sel 
 fish passion. Oh, my dear aunt, I conjure you, if it adds to her 
 unhappiness, cease to use your power over her in any way. 
 Far rather would I pass through life unblessed by her love, 
 than purchase it by giving another pang to that already too 
 deeply wounded heart." 
 
 " Silly boy ! would you thus idly throw from you the oppor 
 tunity of possessing wealth and power ? She is the darling of 
 her uncle's heart. Gen. Zavala possesses immense wealth ; he 
 is destined at no distant day to be the first man in Mexico, and 
 you, as the husband of his niece, may rise with him." 
 
 " Aye, madam, but you seem to forget that Col. Alwin strug 
 gles for preeminence in Mexico ; I have seen the man, and I tell 
 you, if I read him aright, he will brook no rival. When he has 
 once obtained a footing there, he will compel all to bend be 
 neath his sway. General Zavala must play a subordinate part ; 
 and his nephew, that detestable Don Pedro, will rise with his 
 patron, even above the level of his uncle." 
 
 " But there is a way to trammel his power, or even of pre- 
 . venting him from acquiring the dominion over Mexico, to which 
 he aspires." 
 
 " How ?" eagerly inquired Montery. 
 
 " By intercepting the communications between Alwin and 
 your commander. You are aware that their correspondence 
 passes through my hands. The fate of Mexico I can decide, for 
 at any moment it is in my power to cause this conspiracy to 
 fall through. To promote your interest, I would not hesitate 
 to do it. You are the last of my family, you love this girl, 
 and the only road to the possession of power and Inez, is 
 over the disappointed hopes of this ambitious man. Say the 
 word, my son, and the council of Mexico shall be apprised of 
 the plans now in agitation. I will stipulate for such a reward 
 as will place you foremost among the men of our nation." 
 
 Don Henriquez turned away, and after a pause, said 
 
 " Do not tempt me to be false to my country and the cause 
 to which I am pledged." 
 
 " Mere words which mean nothing, when placed in compe 
 tition with power, place, and wealth. What is existence with 
 out them ? A miserable dragging through so many days of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 209 
 
 breathing nothingness, at last to end in the silence of the 
 grave. Grasp all that comes within your power, and you will 
 be great and honored. Prate about conscience, and perform 
 what you consider your duty to others, and who will thank or 
 reward you for it ? Nameless, unknown, you shall live and 
 die ; a man cursed with ambition, while he lacks the power of 
 gratifying his longings for fame and fortune." 
 
 The young man gazed with astonishment at the excited face 
 of the speaker. 
 
 " This from you a professed devotee the superior of a con 
 vent celebrated for its sanctity. I can scarcely credit what I 
 hear." 
 
 The lips of the nun curled with a scornful smile 
 
 " Such as I really am, you now behold me ; a woman with 
 the capacity to have ranked with an Elizabeth or a Catharine, 
 condemned in youth to the life I have led. A curb has ever 
 been on my spirit a cloud on my soul yet even here, my am 
 bition made me the superior of all who surround me. Through 
 out my whole life, I have regarded you as the prop of my house, 
 as the restorer of the honors and wealth it once possessed ; and 
 now when the means of elevating you to the station your father 
 fell from, are within my grasp, you hesitate. Is not this 
 American seeking to overreach us all ? He would become 
 great at the expense of every tie. Why shall you shrink from 
 acting as other men, who live in the world and are swayed by 
 worldly motives ? Seize every advantage that offers itself with 
 out regard to others, and you may triumph over Zavala in 
 power as well as love. Waver in your course, and he triumphs 
 over you ; even his fickle heart may resume its allegiance to 
 his cousin, and she at last become his bride." 
 
 " Anything but that ; you have conquered, madam. Bend 
 me to your purpose, provided you win the consent of Inez to 
 become mine at some future day." 
 
 The temptress smiled, and promised all he desired. After an 
 animated conversation the aunt and nephew parted ; the former 
 to sit beside the couch of the suffering Inez, and the latter to 
 join a friend in the city. 
 
 Donna Clara de Montery was the sister of a man who had 
 headed an unsuccessful revolt against the government of his 
 country. He was executed, his estates confiscated, and his 
 family degraded from the station they had occupied. His sister 
 was on the eve of marriage with one whose high position grati 
 fied her most ambitious hopes; but when fortune forsook 
 18*
 
 210 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 her, her lover proved faithless, and she retired into a convent to 
 conceal her disappointment and mortification. Having constant 
 communication with the clergy in Mexico, she had been selected 
 as a fitting instrument to further the views of the conspirators, 
 and through her hands the despatches of the two parties all 
 passed. At first she was disposed to assist their views ; but 
 when she remembered the fate of her brother, she trembled at 
 the possibility that her nephew might be involved in the same 
 ruin. 
 
 While thus wavering, Gen. Zavala placed his niece under her 
 charge. He informed her of his earnest desire to see Inez, at 
 some future day, the wife of De Montery, and requested her to 
 use every exertion to overcome the passion which now threat 
 ened to undermine her existence. This opened a prospect 
 of future distinction to her nephew for which she had scarcely 
 dared to hope ; and satisfied with the position already attained 
 by Gen. Zavala, she resolved that he should not risk the loss of 
 all he now enjoyed, by irrevocably uniting his fate with that of 
 the ambitious American who sought for empire in her dis 
 tracted country. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 LETTER from Russell to a friend 
 
 "NEW ORLEANS, , 18 . 
 
 " MY DEAR DALTON : 
 
 " You will be surprised to find me in this place, and 
 will probably think me strangely troubled with migratory pro 
 pensities. In truth, my mind is in such a state I cannot remain 
 at rest. 
 
 " I informed you of my visit to the island and my return to 
 my singular companion. Within a few days afterwards he 
 received a communication which appeared to agitate him 
 deeply, and he announced to me his intention to set out imme 
 diately for a Southern city, where he expected to meet some 
 very dear friends. I of course had no inducement to remain 
 in his hermitage after his departure, so I accompanied him 
 to Marietta. There strange rumors reached me of conspiracy 
 and treason, in which the name of Col. Alwin was alarmingly 
 mingled. I heard him denounced as a traitor by many, while
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 211 
 
 others appeared to view his proceedings with an indulgent 
 eye. 
 
 "I have followed him step by step, and here I am in the 
 emporium of the South West, gleaning all the intelligence 
 I can, in the hope that I may be enabled to serve him materially. 
 If possible I would save him from the gulf into which he 
 is about to plunge, for I can see the extent of the alarm which 
 has seized on the authorities, and the efforts that will be made 
 to crush him. The people appear to be quite passive, and from 
 that I judge that the emissaries of Col. Alwin are in the 
 city. Genera] W. has already entered into an agreement with 
 the commander of the Spanish forces to break up his camp on 
 the Sabine, and orders have arrived to repair and equip for ser 
 vice every piece of ordnance in the city. Forts St. Charles and 
 St. Louis are immediately to be placed in a state of defence, and 
 orders have been sent to every important point on the Ohio and 
 Mississippi rivers, to employ the civil authority in seizing 
 all boats and stores provided for this enterprise, and arresting all 
 persons concerned therein. 
 
 " Since my arrival, I have lodged in the same house with a 
 young Spaniard who, I am certain, is an officer in General Zavala's 
 troop, and that he is here either for the purpose of making 
 arrangements with the commander of this post, which will 
 seriously implicate Col. Alwin's safety, or of communicating 
 with the agents of the latter. From some trifling circum 
 stances I am induced to suspect that too good an understanding 
 exists between him and W , and some days since 1 traced him 
 to the convent of Le Coeur Sacre, the Superior of which is his 
 aunt. This lady I know is one of the persons intrusted 
 with the communications which pass between the Spanish 
 general and Col. Alwin. She is represented as a woman 
 whose fiery soul has not been subdued by the restraints of con 
 ventual seclusion as one who holds all things subordinate to her 
 aspiring ambition. Such a woman is scarcely to be trusted. 
 
 " I have cultivated an acquaintance with Montery, who 
 seems to be a good specimen of his nation and caste. I have 
 learned from him that the niece of General Zavala is under the 
 care of his aunt and when she emerges from the walls of the 
 convent, it will be as his bride ; from some of his expressions I 
 fancy there is some reluctance on the part of the young lady 
 herself, which his aunt is endeavoring to overcome. 
 
 " While wandering around the grounds of the convent, a 
 few days since, I obtained a glimpse of this secluded fair one,
 
 212 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 and a lovelier or more unhappy looking creature could scarcely 
 be imagined. She was leaning against a leaden statue of one 
 of the saints, and it did not need his harsh features to act as a 
 foil to the fair and coloress face of this interesting girl. I 
 stood gazing on her through a broken place in the wall, without 
 being observed, for her eyes were closed, and the expression of 
 utter weariness and desolation, on so young a face, touched me 
 deeply. 
 
 " A footstep startled me, and I hastily moved from the spot. 
 The next instant I heard the voice of Montery addressing her, 
 and she answered in a tone that touched me deeply 
 
 " ' You here again, Don Henriquez ! Ah ! why will you not 
 permit me to have a moment's peace ? Am I not sufficiently 
 wretched in struggling with my own wild thoughts, without this 
 persecution ? Leave me, I conjure you, and let my heart break 
 in silence.' 
 
 " I retreated precipitately, and his reply was lost to me. 
 Here is food for my romance, you will say. If I had time to 
 turn knight-errant, I should be tempted to do so in favor of 
 this young girl, and rescue her from the ' durance vile' in which 
 she must be held. 
 
 " You will very naturally inquire what has become of my 
 own true love, while I am dreaming of the unhappiness of the 
 beautiful young Southerner ? I answer, it is in my heart in 
 my soul a portion of my very being ; and spite of all appear 
 ances to the contrary, a hope yet lingers with me that I can 
 save Julie from this dreaded marriage, and as my reward, claim 
 her as my own. 
 
 " I saw her in a crowd as I came down the river : all my 
 endeavors to obtain an interview were fruitless ; but I managed 
 to have a few lines conveyed to her, containing assurances of 
 my unchanged love. The extreme delicacy of her health 
 defers the marriage, though Zavala is impatient at the 
 delay. 
 
 " And now adieu ; my purpose in coming hither is to serve 
 Col. Alwin ; and I lose no opportunity of gaining information, 
 without subjecting myself to the suspicion of being leagued 
 with either party. Yours, 
 
 "C. RUSSELL." 
 
 While sealing this letter, Russell was startled by an abrupt 
 knock on the door, and the voice of De Montery demanding 
 admittance in an excited manner.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 213 
 
 " What brings you here at this late hour ?" asked Russell as 
 the other entered, looking haggard and wretched. 
 
 " The wish to escape from myself;" replied the Spaniard ; 
 " I know of no other reason. Come let us walk the air of 
 the room oppresses me." 
 
 " You cannot surely be in earnest, De Montery. It is 
 now nearly one o'clock. This would be a strange hour of the 
 night to start out, in a city under military surveillance." 
 
 " No matter; I must go. If the streets are guarded I have 
 the pass-word. Come ; will you go ?" 
 
 " What can be the matter with you ? You are in a strange 
 mood to-night?" 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! You must be unacquainted with human life 
 if you think my mood an uncommon one. No ; I tell you 
 I am in man's most familiar mood, for is not misery more 
 common to all than happiness ? I tell you," he continued, 
 approaching Russell, and grasping his arm convulsively, " I am 
 this night the most wretched being this whole world con 
 tains. Oh, Russell, I am accursed !" 
 
 Russell looked on the blanched face and wandering eye of the 
 young man, and his first thought was that he must be suffering 
 from the delirium of sudden fever. 
 
 " Come, Don Henriquez," he said, " you are too ill to leave 
 the house. Let me prevail on you to lie down while I send for 
 a physician." 
 
 " A physician," he scornfully repeated. u Of what use can he 
 be to me ? Can he medicine the mind to rest ? Can he take 
 from my soul the arrow that is rankling there ? If he can do 
 this, you may bid him come, but not otherwise. No ; I am not 
 ill in body, but my mind is a chaos of dark and miserable 
 thoughts. Sit down and I will tell you all about it; no, not all, 
 for there are some secrets in this coward soul of mine which 
 must never be divulged, or my name will become a hissing and 
 bye-word among honorable men." 
 
 Russell seated himself in silence, and after a pause De Montery 
 asked 
 
 " Have you ever loved ?'' 
 
 "I have." 
 
 " Then you can give me your sympathy. Yet such souls as 
 yours, which have been taught to control their impetuous pas 
 sions, cannot measure the wild emotions that master mine, 
 I loved one who cared not for me one who in heart and 
 soul was devoted to another, yet I, madman that I was, allowed
 
 214 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 myself to love her as the hot in blood and reckless in nature 
 love. She disdained me repulsed all my advances with the 
 most chilling reserve. Circumstances threw her into the power 
 of one devoted to my interests. I listened to her persuasions, to 
 my own impetuous feelings, and the life of the woman I adored 
 was made a bitterness to her by my persecutions. This night I 
 went again to her abode, with the intention of using every 
 argument to overcome her avowed indifference to me. She was 
 not there ; she had been some hours missing, and search 
 had been made for her in vain. Oh, Russell, the most horrible 
 suspicions fill my soul ! The river this terrible river sweeps 
 by the garden walls, and in despair at the persecutions which 
 beset her on every side, Inez must have destroyed herself." 
 
 " You cannot mean that Donna Inez Zavala has found a 
 watery grave ?" exclaimed Russell, " and that you have driven 
 her to it ? Man man ! do not approach nearer to me lest 
 I forget that God is the avenger." 
 
 " Would to God that you would rid me of this wretched 
 existence. Oh, Russell, I have stood for hours this night on the 
 brink of this boiling current, and fancied, as the waters rushed 
 past me, that I could hear the death-shriek of the perishing Inez 
 mingling with their moan. Come come with me ; let us visit 
 the same spot again. I cannot stay here ; I. stifle in this close 
 atmosphere." 
 
 He threw open the door, and afraid to trust him alone in his 
 present state of mind, Russell threw on his hat and followed 
 him. He proceeded some distance along the dimly lighted 
 streets in silence. At length a glare of light flashed across the 
 pavement, and looking up, Montery saw that they were opposite 
 a coffee-house. Pressing his hand to his brow as if to recall his 
 scattered thoughts, he said 
 
 " I have an appointment here which I have forgotten. I must 
 go in a few moments, for more than life depends on keeping it. 
 Pray come with me ; I will not detain you long.'' 
 
 " Don Henriquez, this is a gambling house. What business 
 can you possibly have here in your present state of mind ?" 
 
 " Yes, I know it is a gambling house, or what is more 
 properly termed a hell, and therefore my state of mind qualifies 
 me to be a fit inmate of such an abode. I do not wish to join 
 in the amusements of the place, but I must go in. I have an 
 appointment to meet a person here who must not be disap 
 pointed. I have papers of importance to confide to his care. 
 Will you come ?"
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 215 
 
 Russell assented, and they entered. Montery called for some- 
 thir.g to drink, and after swallowing several glasses of wine, he 
 took the arm of his companion and led him towards the saloon 
 for the reception of company. They crossed a narrow and im 
 perfectly lighted passage, and threw open a door at the further 
 end, from which issued the mingled sounds of voices, laughter, 
 and the rattling of dice. They paused an instant on the 
 threshold, and regarded the scene the room presented. It was 
 brilliantly illuminated, and the windows were draped with crimson 
 damask hangings. The motley crowd it contained was multi 
 plied by the reflection of large mirrors on every side. The mix 
 ture of Americans, French, and Spaniards, that filled the room, 
 many in uniform, with an occasional masked figure, formed 
 a scene entirely different from any to be met with in any other 
 city in the Union. The greater portion of the company were 
 engaged in playing different games of chance, and the entrance 
 of the two gentlemen scarcely caused one to raise his eyes from 
 his absorbing occupation. Russell and his companion approached 
 a table at which a party were playing rouge et nair, and Mon 
 tery whispered 
 
 " Remain here while I seek him I came to see." 
 
 He complied, though determined to keep a wary eye on the 
 movements of his companion, for he was convinced that the per 
 son Montery came to meet was connected in some way with the 
 plans of Col. Alwin. He saw him join a tall man standing 
 aloof from the crowd, who did not appear to take part in 
 the amusements of the night. The upper part of his face was 
 concealed by a mask of black silk, and a large handkerchief was 
 tied in loose folds around his throat, as if to conceal the contour 
 of the head as much as possible. As Montery joined him he 
 withdrew with him to a distant corner, and they appeared 
 to converse earnestly together. Russell distinctly saw the 
 young Spaniard draw a small casket from his bosom, and place 
 it in the hands of his companion. 
 
 At length Montery rose and said 
 
 " I must leave you now. I fear that Russell is already wearied 
 with waiting so long for me in a scene like this." 
 
 The mask started, and eagerly inquired 
 
 " Russell, did you say ? Does he know that you came to 
 meet me ? " 
 
 " No not the individual I was to see, though he knew that I 
 had an appointment with some one. Why do you ask ? " 
 
 " Because he is devoted heart and soul to Alwin, and must
 
 216 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 know nothing of the cause of this interview ? Where does 
 he lodge?" 
 
 " At Mrs. Smith's in street." 
 
 " Ha ! a singular coincidence. I went there myself this eve 
 ning, but as I was not in to supper, I suppose I missed seeing 
 him. You must not join him again leave him to me ; I have 
 those within call who will deal with him as he deserves. I 
 wonder how he dares to show himself openly in this city ? " 
 
 " No, this must not be ; he came hither at my request, and 
 while with me no harm must befall him." 
 
 The mask mused a few moments ; then, speaking as if to 
 himself, he said " yes, that will answer as well." 
 
 Then addressing Montery, he continued : 
 
 " Your presence protects him to-night ; but if the sun rises 
 on him in the city, let him beware ! " 
 
 He then glided away, and was soon lost amid the crowd. 
 In the meantime Russell had watched the motions of the two 
 with an interest quickened by the vague belief that the mask was 
 not unknown to him. He had gradually drawn nearer to them, 
 and the last word of the stranger fell on his ear with startling 
 distinctness. The tones of that voice were too well known to 
 be mistaken, and, forgetful of Montery in the train of emotions 
 it aroused, be kept his eye on the retreating figure, and hurried 
 after him. 
 
 Pulling his hat over his brows, he followed him with rapid 
 steps. In the outer room the mask paused, and gave some 
 directions to a coarse looking man, who appeared to be 
 lounging about with no object in view. This delay gave Russell 
 an opportunity of passing into the street without being observed, 
 and he stood in the shadow of the wall until the other came out 
 and proceeded down the pavement at a quick pace. He fol 
 lowed a short distance in the rear, revolving in his own mind 
 the possibility of accomplishing his designs. They soon reached 
 a cross street which was not lighted, and the mask had pro 
 ceeded but a few rods, when Russell sprang forward, and grasped 
 his arm. 
 
 " Zavala, I know you ! Traitor that you are, your disguise 
 is penetrated ! My pistol is cocked, and one cry sends you to 
 your last dark account ! Give me the casket you have just 
 received from Montery give it instantly, or take the conse 
 quences ! " 
 
 " Really, Mr. Russell," said Zavala, in a tone of surprising 
 coolness, " I should scarcely have expected this of you. I
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 2lY 
 
 hardly imagined that you would turn street robber, considering 
 the station you have held. Here is the casket you are so 
 obliging to take charge of, though I fancy you will find it a 
 rather dangerous commission. Pray, loosen your hold on me, 
 and suffer me to proceed ; I have no fire-arms with me, and can 
 do you no injury." 
 
 " I fear you not if you had," replied Russell, placing the 
 casket in his bosom ; " I now hold the means of convicting you 
 of a secret league with the enemies of him you call friend ! 
 Adieu when we meet again you shall be known to him in 
 your true character." 
 
 He turned away, and Zavala gazed after his retreating figure 
 in the obscurity, and laughed scornfully as he muttered: 
 
 " Tis well, the foolish boy rushes into the net without any 
 endeavor on my part to ensnare him. I only intended to have 
 him confined a short time, but he must take from me what, if 
 found on him, will establish all the charges I wish to bring 
 against him. Ha ! ha ! fortune favors me more than I had 
 dared to hope ! I must go at once to headquarters, and get a 
 warrant for my proceedings." 
 
 In the meantime, Russell hastened towards his own lodgings, 
 eager to examine the prize he had made. Elated with the cer 
 tainty that the document he had thus obtained would suffice to 
 convince Col. Alwin of the treachery of his pretended coadjutor, 
 he felt confident that he had gained the means of releasing 
 Julie from the contract made for her by her guardian. 
 
 As he approached the house in which he lodged, he was 
 surprised to see several persons standing near the door ; sus 
 pecting no danger to himself, he passed between them, and 
 approached the step. As he raised his hands to knock, his 
 arms were seized from behind, and, at the same instant, a 
 cloak was thrown over him, and held so tightly as effectually to 
 pinion his arms and stifle his voice. Thus imprisoned, he was 
 dragged to the corner of the street, and forced into a carriage, 
 which was immediately driven off. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVI. 
 
 ALL this had passed so rapidly, that Russell had no time for 
 thouo-ht. After a drive of about half an hour, the carriage 
 stopped before a large gloomy looking building, and the cloak 
 
 19
 
 218 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 being removed, he was invited to descend from it by one of his 
 conductors, a tall, powerfully made man, with an air of deter 
 mination which showed that he did not permit himself to be 
 trifled with by those under his authority. 
 
 "Tell me first why I am brought hither," said Russell. "I 
 protest against this invasion of my rights as a free citizen of 
 the United States." 
 
 " Why as to rights, young sir, I expect it's pretty much now 
 as it's always bin ; ' might makes right,' as the proverb says ; 
 so you see we bein' the strongest o' the two parties, you had 
 better do as I tells you, quietly, and be treated with perliteness ; 
 cos if you doesn't get out when I axes you civilly, why we'll 
 make you do it, that's all." 
 
 To such an argument there could be no answer, and thinking 
 it best to insure civil treatment, Russell alighted, and entered 
 the house. He was conducted into a spacious room nearly des 
 titute of furniture ; a flaring tallow candle stood on a dingy 
 table ; two chairs and a cot with a mattress on it completed the 
 preparations for comfort. 
 
 " Well, stranger," said the man, " I hopes you'll be content 
 to stay here the balance o 1 the night, seein' as your patience 
 won't be much tried, as it's now nearly day. I am sorry to 
 inform you though that I must trouble you for all you have in 
 your pockets, as it's the rule when a man's tuck up to examine 
 what he has in his possession. Seein' as how you are sus 
 pected of 'spiracy, as they call it, I'm bound to take your plun 
 der. Come, shell out at oncet, and be done with the job." 
 
 " I must first know by what right you make this demand ; 
 seized in the night, and brought here by force, how do I know 
 that your object is not to commit a robbery ?" 
 
 " I has but one answer to make to you, stranger, and that 
 is what I said before, that might makes right. Them that sent 
 me to 'rest you knowed well enough what they was arter, so if 
 you don't shell out mighty quick, I'll call in them as doesn't 
 stand on their good manners, as I do." 
 
 " I suppose there is no alternative then," said Russell. " The 
 contents of my pockets are of little value ; such as they are, 
 you are welcome to a sight of them." 
 
 " Hem a penknife, pencil, purse (nearly empty though), 
 handkerchief, gloves ; little enough considerin'. You are wel 
 come to all these back again, young gentleman, but I will trou 
 ble you for the box what is in the breast pocket of your coat." 
 
 " Box what box do you mean ?" inquired Russell, with a
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 219 
 
 fearful consciousness of the results which might follow the dis 
 covery of a treasonable correspondence on his person. 
 
 " I know it is there, sir," said the man, with imperturbable 
 gravity, " for I felt it when I was a foldin' the cloak over you. 
 You may jist as well hand it over to me for safe keepin'." 
 
 " But it does not belong to me. I have no right to trust it 
 out of my own hands." 
 
 " I shall jist take it then, ef that will be an ease to your con 
 science ; and I'll also trouble you for the pistol that 1 see a 
 peepin' out from under your coat. It would be useless to try 
 to defend that ere box with it, unless you want to go to t'other 
 country faster than I take it a chap like you would care to go. 
 Come, sir, hand 'em over at onct ; I'm mortal tired o' all this 
 here palaverin' about nothin' at all, arter all." 
 
 Bitterly conscious of the utter impossibility of refusing these 
 demands, Russell drew the casket forth, saying, as he delivered 
 it to the man 
 
 " Remember, sir, this outrage is inflicted at your peril. When 
 the efforts of my friends have released me from this unlawful 
 imprisonment, this violation of my liberties shall be severely 
 punished." 
 
 " I ain't afraid for myself, stranger. Them that pays me for 
 it has to bear the blunt, I s'pose, if any evil should come of it." 
 
 " And who are they ?" demanded the prisoner. 
 
 "Well, I reckon I ain't such a gumphead as to tell you that, 
 stranger, so I'll bid you good night, and hope you'll have 
 pleasant dreams till mornin'." 
 
 So saying, he coolly walked out, locking the door after him, 
 leaving the prisoner to his own reflections. These were any 
 thing but agreeable. Just as he had fancied himself in posses 
 sion of the means of serving one who was very dear to him, 
 and at the same time of securing the fondest wishes of his soul, 
 to be thus suddenly circumvented, was more than he could bear 
 with calmness. He examined every portion of the room, hop 
 ing some means of escape might be found, but the walls were 
 several feet'thick, and the windows, in deep recesses, were closely 
 barred with iron. 
 
 Morning soon dawned, and with it came his captor of the 
 previous night, bringing with him coffee and a plate of food. 
 
 " I hope you have an appetite for your breakfast this mornin', 
 sir. Them as employed me to 'rest you will soon be here, and 
 I thought I would rouse you up, but I see you hasn't been in 
 bed yet."
 
 220 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " No I felt no inclination to sleep, and I have still less for 
 food.' r 
 
 " Allow me, sir, to pervail on you to take a cup o' this here 
 coffee, any how. You'll find it the best thing in nater for low 
 sperrits or any ailment in that line." 
 
 Russell was persuaded to take a cup of the smoking liquid, 
 and felt a little refreshed by it. Finding him disinclined to 
 converse, the man departed, and very soon afterwards a bustle 
 was heard without which appeared to indicate an arrival of 
 some importance. 
 
 The door of his prison was thrown open, and Zavala entered, 
 followed by an officer wearing the uniform of an American 
 General. Russell knew, before he was named, that he stood in 
 the presence of the military chieftain who then held undisputed 
 sway in New Orleans. An additional seat was brought in, and 
 Zavala commanded the man who brought it to retire, and sta 
 tion himself near the door, while they remained with the 
 prisoner. 
 
 " Mr. Russell," said the General, " I must express my sorrow 
 at finding a young gentleman of your intelligence and former 
 standing leagued with a traitor, who would betray the interests 
 of the land of his birth." 
 
 " If by a traitor you mean Col. Alwin, sir, I assure you I am 
 not one of his followers, and of his plans I am entirely ignorant, 
 except such as were explained to me by Don Pedro Zavala. He 
 knows full well that I have never had any participation in 
 them, and I am at a loss to account for the violent measures 
 which have been pursued against me." 
 
 " Methinks you have little forethought, young man. One 
 carrying about his person such documents as these can scarcely 
 deny what they conclusively prove." 
 
 He produced the casket, and opening it, displayed the 
 contents. 
 
 " Here, sir, are duplicates of all the letters which have passed 
 between General Zavala and Col. Alwin, besides other papers of 
 importance. What is your reply to such evidence of an intimate 
 collusion with the arch-traitor I am endeavoring to circum 
 vent ?" 
 
 Russell's lip curled 
 
 " Nothing, sir, but that I am innocent of the charge, as no one 
 can better testify than the man who accompanies you. That 
 casket, with its contents, I wrested from him last night. I did not 
 know the purport of the papers until you informed me of it, but
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 221 
 
 I was certain they were of such a character as would afford me 
 the means of unmasking a villain. Nay, Don Pedro, you need 
 not start and lay your hand so menacingly on your dagger ; 
 this is neither time nor place for such an evidence of resent 
 ment. A more fitting one may yet be found when you shall 
 answer to me for this lawless infringement of my liberty." 
 
 " Be it so," replied Zavala through his closed teeth. " You 
 shall never escape me a second time." 
 
 " Peace peace, Zavala ; this is no hour for threats. For you, 
 Mr. Russell, I am sorry to inform you that your improbable 
 account of the manner in which you came in possession of these 
 papers, does not impose on me. The artifice is too shallow to 
 deceive one accustomed to deal with men of the world. Don 
 Pedro had my warrant to arrest you, and have you placed in 
 confinement." 
 
 A deep flush passed over Russell's face. 
 
 " I am your prisoner, sir, or you dare not offer this insult to 
 me. If falsehood there be, it is on the si de of your friend there, 
 and not on mine. As to your authority for causing my arrest, 
 I shall be glad to learn from what source you derived it. In a 
 land which boasts of its liberty, how do you dare to usurp the 
 power of imprisoning any man by military authority, for com 
 mitting a civil offence ? Even if guilty of this charge, by what 
 right do you cause me to be arrested ?" 
 
 " By the right of the strong over the weak," replied Zavala, 
 with a malicious smile, whilj the commander sat speechless 
 with rage, at what he considered the insolence of the prisoner. 
 
 " I find, sir," he at length said, " that you are more audacious 
 than I supposed you would dare to be, when resting under 
 a charge of such serious import. I shall take prompt measures 
 for your security until your principal is in my power. Good 
 morning, sir ; I hope in silence and solitude you may repent of 
 the outrages you are ready to commit against a peaceful com 
 munity. You may learn from reflection how to act more dis 
 creetly in the future." 
 
 " If by acting discreetly, you mean betraying the cause to which 
 I may have pledged myself through good or evil fortune, I am 
 afraid I shall benefit but little by it. Were I an adherent of Col. 
 Alwin, as both you and Zavala have once been, I would scorn to 
 betray his cause ; but Don Pedro knows full well that I refused 
 to join him at his own solicitations. You may keep me im 
 prisoned, because my friends are not informed of my position ; 
 but you will do it at your peril. You know this stretch of your 
 
 19*
 
 222 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 authority to be unconstitutional, and punishable with the 
 heaviest penalties." 
 
 " These penalties can never reach me," said the commander, 
 as he walked towards the door. "Come, Zavala, we linger too 
 long with this insulting boy." 
 
 "I will follow you instantly," replied Zavala, rising. Suddenly 
 bending his head towards Russell, he said, in a low tone, " You 
 are in my toils, and before you are freed from them, Julie will 
 be mine. I go now to claim her." 
 
 Before Russell could reply, the door had closed on his retreat 
 ing form, leaving him alone to wrestle with his impatient 
 and irritating thoughts as he best could. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVII. 
 
 THE cheek of Julie was beginning to wear once more the hue 
 of health, for a latent hope had sprung up in her heart that the 
 marriage which had been so long postponed, would be finally 
 given up altogether. She little knew how sedulously that 
 languid form was watched how jealously each rose hue that 
 tinged her pallid cheek was regarded by the determined lovers. 
 Never for one moment had he wavered in his determination to 
 make her his own at all hazards ; and to the remonstrance of 
 Dr. Crawford alone, she owed this interval of tranquillity 
 which enabled her youth to triumph over the severe shock 
 her constitution had received in that long illness. Julie saw 
 Zavala apparently co-operating with her guardian, while she 
 appeared to have become a secondary object with him ; and 
 believing that he had at last been disgusted by her coldness, 
 she would have succeeded in liking him as a friend, if she had 
 not feared him. Yet Zavala watched the re-animating effects of 
 scene on that drooping form with a deepening interest, deter 
 mined not to lose the reward of his toils his sacrifices ; for to 
 his own conscience he called the broken heart of his youthful 
 companion a sacrifice for the attainment of Julie. 
 
 After a visit to New Orleans, from which he returned in 
 great elation, he sought an interview with Miss de Bourg, and 
 demanded the fulfilment of her pledge, leaving it with herself 
 to name an early day. She made a last appeal to his honor, 
 his generosity, and any other heart than Zavala's would have 
 been touched ; but his answer convinced her at once of the fal-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 223 
 
 lacy of her hopes. Since the sacrifice must be made, she felt 
 the uselessness of endeavoring to protract the term of her free 
 dom, and her quivering lips named the day which was to con 
 sign her to a fate she had deprecated by ever) 7 means in her 
 power. 
 
 Zavala retired to his room with the triumphant thought 
 that he was at last conqueror in this long struggle ; he was 
 reckless of the anguish he had beheld in that pallid face, 
 although it seemed to him he could yet feel the icy touch of the 
 cold hand, when her guardian had placed it in his own, with the 
 assurance that within another week it should irrevocably be his. 
 
 It was midnight, and the deep silence was only broken by 
 the unwritten melodies of nature which filled the air with their 
 music. He arose, and unclosing the French window that 
 opened on the yard, he stepped out beneath the starry sky, and 
 wandered into the garden. The remembrance of Inez came 
 darkly between him and the newer love ; and in spite of his 
 efforts to escape from them, the thoughts of other days crowded 
 through his mind. He threw himself beneath the shadow of a 
 large tree, and yielded himself to their dominion. Suddenly a 
 voice, which seemed to respond to them, arose from a thicket 
 of shrubbery which grew at a short distance ; and a few bars 
 from an old Spanish ballad, which had been familiar to him 
 from childhood, were uttered in tones of such sweet yet 
 mournful melody as to touch even his heart. He started up, 
 and beholding the fluttering of what appeared to be a white robe 
 among the trees, he instantly pursued it. The lower part of 
 the garden terminated in a deep bayou, overhung with trees 
 and flowering vines. As he gained fast on the figure he had 
 seen, it retreated towards this bayou, while, at intervals, the 
 same wild notes rang upon his ear. Suddenly they ceased, and 
 the form vanished. He rubbed his eyes, and looked, but nothing 
 was before him save the tall dark trees. He approached the 
 edge of the bayou, and gazed eagerly in, but nothing was visi 
 ble in the dark chasm. 
 
 The rumbling of distant thunder, and several vivid flashes of 
 lightning, warned him to depart, as a storm was brewing which 
 threatened soon to burst with all the violence peculiar to the 
 climate. He hastened to the house, but his thoughts pursued 
 him, and drove sleep from his pillow. Those mournful tones 
 still rang through his spirit, and in the pauses of the wild 
 storm which raged without, he fancied that he could again hear 
 the wailing of those heart-breaking tones.
 
 224 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Morning dawned clear and beautiful ; and but for the scat 
 tered boughs of trees, the flowers crushed and beaten down, 
 the fences in many places prostrate, no one would have sup 
 posed that a storm of such fearful violence had so recently 
 defaced the fair face of nature. A rapid stream was rushing 
 through the bayou, and several large trees had been hurled 
 from their station, and lay toppling in the chasm. The earth 
 in many places had yielded beneath the violent torrent of rain, 
 and large masses had fallen in. 
 
 Zavala sought the place at which the nocturnal singer disap 
 peared. Scarcely had he arrived at the spot, when he descried 
 Julie and Isabel approaching from the opposite direction. They 
 had been viewing the devastations of the storm, and Isabel 
 was grieving over the destruction of some rare plants she had 
 been rearing. 
 
 They drew near the precipitous edge of the bayou, and 
 looked down on the turbid stream below. A large tree had 
 been uprooted just at that spot, and had fallen across the 
 chasm. Beside its trunk was what appeared to be a dark heap 
 of clothing, and from it was extended a small white hand, which 
 grasped a sapling that had been torn from its place. Isabel 
 was foremost, and her quick eye caught sight of this appalling 
 object first. She grew deathly pale, and recoiled from her dan 
 gerous position. 
 
 " What is it ?" asked the conscience-stricken Zavala, with a 
 painful contraction of the heart. " Why are you so pale ?" 
 
 "Look, look!" she murmured, pointing to the object which 
 had excited a fearful foreboding in her bosom. 
 
 " Great God !" exclaimed Zavala, springing down the bank to 
 the spot on which lay the form of a girl evidently dead. A 
 single glance revealed the truth. There lay the corpse of the 
 young Inez, clothed in the dress of a Sister of Charity ; her 
 dark eyes closed, and her fair cheek scarcely paler from the 
 touch of death. Her white veil had fallen from her head, and 
 lay beside her. 
 
 When Zavala had seen her so suddenly disappear, she must 
 have lost her footing on the edge of the bayou, and have been 
 precipitated to the ledge of earth on which she was found. A 
 bruise was on her temple, and the slight sapling she held was 
 grasped so tightly, that every attempt to loosen her hold on it 
 was unavailing. 
 
 And thus had she perished ! the young, the beautiful, the 
 gifted Inez ! Zavala raised her in his arms and bore her from
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 225 
 
 the spot, and his bitter tears bathed the marble brow of her he 
 had so lightly forsaken. 
 
 " Oh, for one gleam of light from those darkened eyes," he 
 muttered, as he swiftly threaded his way to the house ; " for 
 one throb to this pulseless heart, and I would sacrifice every 
 ambitious hope of my life. Oh, Inez, Inez, my sweet Inez ! 
 how shall I answer this to my mother ! Too late do I feel how 
 unlike thy spirit was to mine." 
 
 He encountered Madame Zavala at the door. 
 
 " My son, what have you there ?" she asked, in alarm. 
 
 " Look, look and see," he wildly exclaimed. " 'Tis one you 
 have loved passing well. Mother, curse me not, if you can 
 help it : I dreamed not that it would ever come to this ;" and 
 he laid his lifeless burden at the feet of his horror-stricken 
 parent. 
 
 " How, oh ! how did this occur ?" said Madame Zavala, kneel 
 ing, and raising the pallid brow to her bosom. " Oh, Inez, 
 Inez, my child, my beautiful, must I part from thee, and thus !" 
 
 She convulsively pressed the dead girl to her heart, and 
 kissed her cold lips. When she understood how it must have 
 occurred, she turned to her son, and said 
 
 " Leave my sight, that I may not in this hour of suffering 
 forget that you are my child. I would not curse you, for you 
 are my only one ; but when I look on this being that you were 
 bound by every tie of honor to cherish and protect, and know 
 that she is a victim to a love which was sought and then cruelly 
 slighted, what shall I say to you, oh false, false to the faith and 
 truth of manhood ! Leave me ! leave me !" 
 
 Zavala obeyed in silence, for his heart was wrung with 
 remorse and sorrow for the fate of her he had once loved with 
 an affection he had then imagined as lasting as life. Inez was 
 removed within the house, and in the folds of her robe was 
 found a letter addressed to Madame Zavala. It ran thus : 
 
 " MY DEAREST AUNT 
 
 " I have been near you, though you knew it not. For 
 many nights have I hovered around your dwelling and listened 
 to the tones of your beloved voice, and I return with a sad, 
 though chastened spirit to the duties which I have voluntarily 
 imposed on myself. In ministering to the sufferings of others, 
 I shall learn to bear my own sorrows with resignation. 
 
 " I have left the convent of Le Cceur Sacre, and placed toy-
 
 226 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 self under the protection of the Bishop of New Orleans, who has 
 permitted me to enroll myself among the Sisters of Charity. 
 
 " To Zavala bear my forgiveness, and my sincere wishes for 
 his happiness : I can do no more. When time has blunted my 
 feelings, and I can bear to look on the past with calmness, I 
 will seek you again, and I trust we may meet in happiness. 
 
 " INEZ." 
 
 " Yes, beloved child," said Madame Zavala, with a fresh 
 burst of sorrow, " we will meet in Heaven, where neither false 
 hood nor sorrow shall dim the ray of glory which shall encircle 
 the brow of my innocent, forsaken Inez." 
 
 The sorrow of age is more affecting than that of youth ; 
 because we are unaccustomed to see those around whom the 
 stoicism of years has erected its barriers, yield to its influence. 
 Madame Zavala was inconsolable. She confined herself to her 
 own apartment, and refused even to admit her son. 
 
 Late in the evening Julie entered the room in which Inez lay, 
 to take a last look at the hapless girl, before the coffin-lid was 
 screwed down, which was to shut out so much beauty and gen 
 tleness from the gaze of affection. She started as she beheld 
 Zavala, with a pale brow and strongly compressed lips, standing 
 beside the dead. She approached, and stood near him in 
 silence. 
 
 " Julie," he at length said, in a hollow and unnatural tone, 
 " behold what / have done. See the ruin I have wrought to 
 gain you. But for you she had not died." 
 
 " I can pity and forgive you at this moment, Don Pedro," 
 said Julie, sorrowfully. "Just now your sufferings must be suffi 
 ciently keen, without a word from me to increase them. I know 
 the history of her who lies before us. I know all her desola 
 tion, and this ruin was wrought in pursuit of one who has often 
 assured you she can never love you. Now hear me vow, beside 
 the corse of the being you have so carelessly sacrificed, that no 
 earthly power shall ever force me to fulfil the contract my guar 
 dian has hitherto forced on me. Never shall my hand be 
 clasped as a wedded bride by one who has thus cast from him 
 the being he had taught to look up to him with affection, to rely 
 on him as her stay and refuge. Your mother has told me all : 
 wonder not, then, that I here break our engagement, and in so 
 doing, recover my long coveted freedom." 
 
 She turned to leave the room, but he caught her hand. 
 " Stop, stay, Julie ! Listen to me one moment, I implore you
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 22*7 
 
 Do me the justice to believe that if I had known how deeply 
 seated was this unfortunate passion, I would never have sought 
 another. I would have sacrificed my feelings indeed I would. 
 Oh, Julie, forsake me not now ! My remorse, my agony will 
 be greater for being the cause of this ruin, and all in vain ! 
 Was it not for you that I slighted her ? for you that I relin 
 quished the passionate love of a creature so gentle, so bright ?" 
 
 " If I had ever loved you, I might be wrought on to remem 
 ber all this," replied Julie, affected by the anguish of his tone ; 
 " but when I know that she was wasting her soul away in vain 
 regrets, while you forced a chilled and revolted heart to accept 
 you, I cannot forgive it. No ; my spirit can claim no commu 
 nion w ; th yuurs. Henceforth our paths are separate." 
 
 A horrible convulsion passed over the dark features of Zavala. 
 He grasped her hand with painful force, and drew her nearer 
 to himself, as he said in a suffocated tone 
 
 "Stay and hear me in my turn. Julie de Bourg, I have 
 borne enough from you, and I will now make you quail before 
 a spirit that can master yours. Hear me by the side of ray 
 victim, if you will ; hear me swear that I will not lose my 
 reward. You shall be mine, if I move all the powers of earth 
 to accomplish my purpose. I have the means, and I will use 
 them. Think not to escape me, girl ! As well may the timid 
 bird expect to escape the coils of the snake that twines its folds 
 around it, as you escape from me. If you have the feelings of a 
 woman, if you are not a second Tullia, ready to grasp at your 
 own wishes over the prostrate body of him you call father, I 
 have you in my power, and you cannot evade me." 
 
 His face was distorted with passion, and his eye gleamed on 
 her with the lurid fire of a demon's gaze. With a faint cry of 
 terror, Julie exclaimed 
 
 " Release me ! Let me go !" 
 
 " Ha, ha ! So you're frightened. Go ; I will no longer detain 
 you. But I bid you remember /" And as his white lips em 
 phasized the last word, the fixed expression of that awful face 
 chilled her to the very soul. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXVIII. 
 
 IT was late at night. A misty rain was falling, and the few 
 lamps which endeavored to penetrate the gloom, gleamed faint
 
 228 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 and dim through the hazy atmosphere. The hush of midnight 
 was over the silent city, and no sound interrupted the stillness 
 save the occasional challenge of -the sentinel, which showed that 
 the place was still under military authority. 
 
 A solitary figure, wrapped in the heavy folds of a Spanish 
 cloak, emerged from a cross street, and stood a few moments 
 near one of the lamps, for the purpose of consulting his watch. 
 
 " Past twelve," he muttered. " Tis later than I thought. I 
 must hurry." 
 
 Quickening his pace he took the way which led towards 
 the Levee. A sentinel was stationed in the shadow of a wall 
 which ran parallel with the river. As the stranger approached 
 he challenged him, and a short colloquy ensued ; the soldier 
 again withdrew to the shelter of the wall, followed by his new 
 companion ; and taking a box of matches from his pocket, 
 he struck a light. 
 
 " Show me the pass, and if all is right I will conduct you to 
 his abode." 
 
 A piece of paper was handed to him, which he scrutinized 
 attentively. He then returned it, as he said 
 
 " This is genuine ; follow me." 
 
 They proceeded at a rapid pace the distance of several 
 squares, and stopped before a heavy old fashioned mansion, built 
 in the Spanish style. 
 
 " This is the residence of the commander," said the soldier, 
 " and now for the promised reward, for I have risked much 
 in leaving my post." 
 
 Several pieces of gold were given him, and the stranger rang 
 at the gate, which was placed in a massive brick wall that sur 
 rounded the house. In a few moments it was unclosed by 
 a Catholic priest, who carried a small lamp in his hand. 
 
 " What do you wish at this late hour ?" he asked. 
 
 " I must see Gen. W ." 
 
 " He has retired, and cannot receive you." 
 
 " My business is urgent. Take this paper to him, and 
 tell him that the bearer must have an interview with him imme 
 diately." 
 
 "Follow me," said the priest, leading the way across a 
 narrow court into a small room panelled with dark wood, 
 which the feeble light of the lamp only rendered more gloomy. 
 
 " Wait here a few moments, and I will inform Gen. W of 
 your request." 
 
 The stranger paced the floor impatiently, and as the light
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 229 
 
 flashed on his thoughtful face, one might have read there 
 the stern and bitter feelings which were careering through 
 his bosom. Some moments elapsed before the priest returned 
 and informed him that the commander would see him. 
 
 Following his conductor through a wide hall, a door at 
 the furthest end was thrown open, and he entered a large well- 
 lighted room, handsomely fitted up. W courteously ad 
 vanced to meet him, and offered him a seat. The stranger 
 waved it back and said 
 
 " Let the priest leave us, and I will reveal myself." 
 
 As the door closed on his retiring form, the new comer 
 dropped the cloak which had shrouded his form, and doffing his 
 cap, stood with his stern and fixed features in the full glare 
 of light. 
 
 " Alwin !" exclaimed the other, recoiling a few steps. " What 
 brings you hither in so mysterious a manner ?" 
 
 " Treachery," replied he, in a deep, stern tone. " The deepest, 
 basest treachery." 
 
 " And from whom ? What what can you mean ?'' stam 
 mered the conscious general." 
 
 " Mean ! What should I mean but to expose a dastard, and 
 then avenge his cowardly desertion of the cause which he 
 had sworn to sustain !" 
 
 " My good friend, you use strange language. Pray explain 
 yourself. I do not understand your denunciations." 
 
 A bitter smile curled the lip of Alwin. 
 
 " Practise your deceptions on those who can be deceived 
 by them. I am not one of the besotted crew. I have trusted 
 you with what was dearer to me than life itself, and you 
 have played me false. I believed you one who, though treach 
 erous to the government that employed him, would yet be 
 honest to me, because the reward I offered was great. Speak 
 not, sir, but hear me. You are conspiring with my enemies, not 
 only to compass my downfall, but to insure my destruction." 
 
 " On my life on my soul I am still, as ever, devoted 
 to your true interests," replied the trembling general. 
 
 " I know not what you may consider my true interests, sir," 
 said Alwin, in a tone of cool irony. " I only know that you are 
 thwarting my plans, arresting my friends, and using military 
 authority to accomplish things to my detriment, which the laws 
 will not justify. All this, too, after being pledged to sustain my 
 cause." 
 
 A smile crossed the features of W . 
 
 20
 
 230 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 "Ah, my friend, how is it possible that you can so misunder 
 stand my actions ? These things I have done merely to blind the 
 executive ; only to " 
 
 "Silence, sir, and do not stain your cowardly soul with 
 another falsehood. Look here, and here, and here." 
 
 As he spoke he drew several packets from his pockets, with 
 heavy seals affixed to them. The commander visibly turned pale 
 as they met his glance. 
 
 " Here, sir, lie the proofs of your treachery. Here are copies 
 of your negotiations with the Spanish authorities. Your agree 
 ment with them to betray my cause for a specified sum of 
 money, and more than all, here is a copy of your letter to the 
 Commandant of the British armament stationed at Jamaica, 
 calling on him to refuse all aid or co-operation with me. Now, 
 sir, what have you to say in answer to such proofs of treachery." 
 
 W cowered before the eagle glance which seemed to 
 
 pierce into his very soul. He tried to return it with an 
 unblenching gaze, but his eye sank before that of his accuser, 
 and after a pause he answered 
 
 " You cannot blame me for adhering to the orders of govern 
 ment, when I found they could no longer be evaded with safety 
 to myself. I have been convinced by observation, that your 
 projects can never succeed, and I concluded that the only safe 
 course for me was to redeem the pledge I made to my country, 
 when I put on the uniform of her defenders." 
 
 " And the uniform of your country was never more disgraced 
 in the person of its wearer. But 'tis idle to talk, sir. I came 
 to you to convict you of double-dealing, and to demand of you 
 the release of my personal friends, who have been arrested by 
 you. If other means fail, I came to use force to discover the 
 place of Charles Russell's confinement. A writ for his release 
 has already been obtained, and he has iniquitously been con 
 cealed where his friends cannot find him. Speak, tell me at 
 once, or take the consequences.' 
 
 As he spoke, Alwin drew from his bosom a pistol and levelled 
 it at his companion. The commander knew the man he had 
 to deal with, and grew deathly pale, as he said 
 
 " This this is strange conduct, Col. Alwin ; very strange, I 
 must say. You certainly take a most extraordinary course to 
 obtain information. As I am not prepared to resist your mur 
 derous intentions, I must submit to necessity, and inform you 
 of the place of Russell's confinement. He is not in the city ; 
 he has been placed on board of a vessel, and sent down the river."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 231 
 
 " What vessel, and by whom commanded ?" 
 
 " The Swan, Captain Long." 
 
 " Write an order for bis release from the power of your 
 emissaries." 
 
 He obeyed in silence. 
 
 " Now, two more for the liberation of and from 
 
 the prison in this city." 
 
 " Any further demands ?" inquired the commander, with a 
 sneer, as he handed over the papers. 
 
 " None, sir," replied Alwin, quietly, replacing the pistol in 
 his bosom. " I have only to inform you that your machina 
 tions are known to me, and the early information I received of 
 your treachery enabled me to take such measures as will 
 materially assist me in the accomplishment of my own views. 
 Your despatches have been intercepted, and conveyed to me ; 
 and the authority from government which you are compelled to 
 wait for, will arrive too late to arrest my progress. Good night, 
 sir, my purpose in corning hither is fulfilled, and my escape 
 from your toils is certain." 
 
 He bowed, and left the room. The priest was in the hall 
 with a light, and in a few moments he found himself beyond 
 the walls, breathing the fresh air of early morning. 
 
 As the door closed on his retiring figure, W dashed his 
 
 hands against his breast, exclaiming : 
 
 " Who could have foreseen this ? Discovered, baffled at every 
 turn ; yet methinks there may yet be a hope of circumventing 
 him. Every energy shall be exerted to bring down destruction 
 on his head." 
 
 The priest returned. 
 
 " Hurry, good father, to the mayor of the city, then to Judge 
 
 , and inform them that the arch-traitor Alwin has just 
 
 been with me, and if they are prompt in their movements he 
 can yet be arrested. I will stretch my authority to the utmost 
 to succeed in confining him until the time for success is past " 
 
 "Why did you not arrest him when he was with you?" 
 asked the priest. 
 
 " Because I am so deeply compromised with him, that I dare 
 not appear openly in the matter. He knew this well, or he 
 would never have ventured alone in my quarters."
 
 232 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 CHAPTER XXXIX. 
 
 THE day had been dark and rainy; the clouds were still 
 driving before the wind, with here and there a speck of the blue 
 heaven, giving doubtful promise of a clear evening. A horse 
 man was riding along the high bluff which commands a bird's 
 eye view of the Mississippi. He took the road leading towards 
 the Devil's Punch Bowls. It was bare and rough for more than 
 a mile, with little to vary its monotony, except an occasional 
 view of the wide sweep of waters from bend to bend of the 
 mighty river, rolling by on their everlasting course ; their rest 
 less, eddying motion, a fit type of the existence of those who 
 struggled through " life's fitful fever" on its banks. 
 
 Three immense rifts, separated by a narrow tongue of land 
 extending from fifty to eighty feet towards the river, were 
 before him. Down down, as far as the eye could penetrate 
 into the dim depths, which appeared almost interminable, the 
 sides were thickly clothed with the gloomy pine, mingled with 
 various kinds of shrubs peculiar to the country. 
 
 " What shall I do next ?" muttered the equestrian, as he 
 dismounted and secured the bridle of his horse to the bough of 
 a tree. " I see no vestige of a house, or hovel of any kind. I 
 must see her ; yet if she plays me false, by Heaven ! I will 
 make her pay dearly for it." 
 
 He proceeded along the narrow promontory before him, 
 carefully examining the ravine on either hand, to detect some 
 traces of a human habitation, but he could perceive none. A 
 tree scathed by lightning stood at the extremity of the point, 
 and mounting into it, he resolved to take a wider survey of the 
 scene ; and Zavala (for he it was), though a man of the world, 
 and one who had never communed with nature in her loveli 
 ness and magnificence, had yet some sparks of a divine origin 
 which enabled him to appreciate the beauty of the view which 
 burst on his sight. 
 
 The clouds had rolled away, and the broad bosom of the 
 river reflected the purple and flame-colored hues of a most 
 gorgeous sunset. The high bluff sloped gradually towards the 
 water's edge, clothed with luxuriant vegetation. A wide level 
 tract on the opposite bank presented an unbroken forest, above 
 whose tops in the far distance were seen the waters of Lake 
 Concordia, gleaming in the sunbeams as a sheet of silver.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 233 
 
 Zavala looked into the gloomy depths beneath him, and thought 
 the force of contrast was not needed to enable him to appreciate 
 the beauty of the scene he had so unexpectedly encountered. 
 
 He was about to abandon his search, when he heard the 
 faint chanting of a human voice, which appeared far below him. 
 Hastily descending from his lofty station, he followed the direc 
 tion of the sound ; within a few yards of the tree, he discovered 
 a rude pathway winding down the face of the bluftj and after 
 a difficult descent of more than fifty feet, he came to a ledge of 
 earth about ten feet wide, in front of a wretched hovel, which 
 had been partially cut out of the side of the bluff, and partly 
 made of the boughs of trees laid across a rude framework of 
 wood. The dense forest grew close around it, and through the 
 interlacing limbs of trees, glimpses of the Mississippi were ob 
 tained the only bright object amid the darkness of desolation 
 that reigned in this gloomy spot, into which even the sun 
 appeared never to penetrate. 
 
 With a shudder he in vain endeavored to repress, Zavala 
 approached the hovel, and looked around to discover signs of its 
 being inhabited. A rough door closed the entrance, and the 
 visitor knocked long and loudly, after vainly endeavoring to 
 open it. The singing had long since ceased, and many mo 
 ments elapsed before any reply was made to his obstreperous 
 demands for admittance. At length, a harsh voice spoke and 
 inquired 
 
 " What do you want ? Who are you ?" 
 
 Zavala evidently recognised the voice, for he said impatiently, 
 " What does this foolery mean, woman ? Am I not here by 
 your own appointment, on business of importance ?" 
 
 " True," was the reply, as the person addressed slowly un 
 barred the door. " But the business does not concern me 'tis 
 of your own seeking, and you might wait my pleasure, without 
 such uncivil behavior, young man. Enter the abode of wretch 
 edness, and be brief in your communications, for my time is 
 too precious to be wasted on such as you." 
 
 Without noticing the latter part of her speech, Zavala entered 
 the miserable shelter. The single apartment was about twelve 
 feet long, and but little more than half that in width : a rude 
 fire-place was at one end, in which a few embers glowed, and 
 over them was a small iron pot, in which something appeared 
 to be cooking. A wooden bench and a pile of straw in one 
 corner covered by a blanket, was all the furniture the place 
 could boast. 
 
 20*
 
 234 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 The woman motioned to him to take the seat, and crossing 
 her hands on her breast, she leaned her tall time-worn figure 
 against the wall. She wore no cap, and her grey hair was 
 hanging wild, over her stern and strongly marked features. 
 Zavala looked at her some moments in silence. 
 
 " Why do you sit there and gaze at me ? Why do you not 
 speak out at once, and tell me what is your business with an 
 old helpless creature like me ?" 
 
 " Good madam, do not be angry I am weary and out of 
 breath, with this infernal road I had to scramble over. Permit 
 me to rest a few moments, while you inform me what you did 
 with those papers I intrusted to your care, three weeks since." 
 
 " I performed your bidding. I found the man waiting at the 
 cross roads, and I delivered them to him with the injunction 
 not to spare horse-flesh until they were in the city of Washing 
 ton, and in the President's hands. What else should I do 
 with them, pray ? Do you think I would fail in my errand, 
 when it was to draw down ruin on him, the hated, the per 
 jured ? I could destroy him without your assistance, but I 
 have refrained for the sake of one who had never met with jus 
 tice from him ; yet he would be involved in his disgrace, if I 
 revealed my knowledge." 
 
 " What do you mean by such allusions ?" asked Zavala, 
 with awakened curiosity. "Has Col. Alwin ever injured you?" 
 
 "Has he injured me?" repeated the woman wildly "Is it 
 injury to the green and flourishing tree, when the whirlwind 
 tears it from its native soil ? Is it injury to the blooming 
 flower, to crush it under foot? Is it injury to the human heart, 
 to tear from it its last earthly stay ? To destroy the being 
 whose infancy you had watched over that had smiled in your 
 eyes when its young soul was unstained by sin; that had 
 learned its first lispings from your lips ? If this be injury, such 
 have I endured from him. He it was who made me what I 
 am ; a miserable cumberer of the earth. An evil and a cursed 
 heart has he given me, and I would requite him in kind." 
 
 Zavala cowered before the glare of insanity which lit up her 
 eyes, as she uttered the causes of her hatred. Observing how 
 much he was startled, she strode towards him and grasped his 
 arm with force, as she said ' What do you fear ? A craven 
 soul must surely inhabit your strong frame, or you would not 
 thus shrink before a woman. Do you think I would attempt 
 to harm you, through whose means I hope to gain that ven 
 geance I have panted for, for years ? The blood of my lost, my
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 235 
 
 ' beautiful, my brave,' is rusting on his dagger, and cries aloud 
 for retaliation. Think you a mother's heart can hear that cry 
 and not respond to it from its inmost depths ? Blood for blood 
 is the law of man, but I seek not for blood what to his unbend 
 ing soul would be the death agony, in comparison with what 
 he has inflicted on me ? No ! I would have him feel the vul 
 ture at his heart ; see his honors wither from his grasp ; his soul 
 bowed by disappointments and Affliction ; and when, in the 
 hour of his agony, he calls on that God whose laws he has 
 trampled on and insulted, I would have his face turned from 
 him in wrath. I would make him a mark for the finger of 
 scorn to point at then then, I would be beside him, to hiss 
 my curses in his ear, and ask him if they have fallen*" 
 
 While she spoke, the woman had wrought herself up to a 
 pitch of phrensy that might have alarmed one of stronger nerves 
 than Zavala possessed. She strode up and down the floor 
 with heavy and rapid steps ; her lips parted, and her whole 
 face wearing an expression of concentrated passion which was 
 truly terrible. He at length spoke. 
 
 " My good woman, I did not come here to hear you rail at 
 Col. Alwin, but to transact business of importance. Night will 
 soon fall, and I must get out of this cuckoo's nest before it is 
 too dark to find my way." 
 
 " True," replied Theresa, for the reader has doubtless recog 
 nised the fortune-teller. " Very true, and I have no wish to 
 detain you here longer than is absolutely necessary. I take no 
 pleasure in the sight of a traitor, for such are you to him you 
 call your friend. What in me is a virtue, is in you the crime 
 of ingratitude to one who has made you his bosom counsellor, 
 and trusted you in all things." 
 
 " How ! Do you dare to taunt me, wretched outcast ?" he 
 said angrily, as he laid his hand on the hilt of his dagger. 
 
 Theresa laughed scornfully. 
 
 " Aye use it on a woman ! Let your proud Spanish blood 
 exult in the thought that you are more than a match for an old 
 and defenceless one. Tush, boy ! I am in no mood for foolery 
 now speak what would you with me ?" 
 
 Zavala felt that anger would be absurd, and he drew a 
 packet forth which was carefully secured. 
 
 " You informed me that you could obtain a messenger, who 
 could be trusted, to convey these papers to the seat of govern 
 ment. The mail from this place is too uncertain ; they are of 
 great importance, and must go by a safe hand."
 
 236 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " For the reward you offered, there is one who will do your 
 bidding. I answer for his integrity, and you cannot doubt my 
 desire to see them go safely to their destination." 
 
 Zavala opened his pocket-book, and gave her several bills. 
 
 " Here is something more than the sum specified, and here is 
 another for your own reward." 
 
 His companion drew back, and with a gesture of contempt 
 refused the money. 
 
 " Keep your worldly trash it brings no blessing with it. 
 The assistance I have rendered you is not for love to you or 
 your cause, but from undying hatred to Alwin. For years I 
 have trodden in his footsteps, and whenever we met, I rang my 
 curses in his ears. If I can be the instrument of his downfall, 
 I shall think that God is just. Adieu your bidding shall be 
 quickly done." 
 
 With the gesture of a queen dismissing her court, she 
 waved her hand to him to retire. 
 
 CHAPTER XL. 
 
 ZA.VALA had scarcely left the hovel of Theresa, when another 
 figure darkened the entrance. This person was muffled in a 
 large cloak, and his hat was drawn so far over his brows as 
 effectually to conceal his features. In a clear pleasant voice he 
 said 
 
 " A good even to you, good mother." 
 
 The woman started, and looked eagerly at the stranger she 
 slowly uttered 
 
 " That voice speaks to me in the music of other days, and 
 memories linked with passion, crime, and wretchedness, come 
 crowding to my soul as I hear its old familiar tones. Speak 
 who are you ?" 
 
 " I am one you have before met," replied the intruder, as he 
 dropped his cloak, and removed his hat. 
 
 " Ah, I know you now," said Theresa, as the faint and imper 
 fect light from the open door fell on his pale, yet handsome 
 features. 
 
 " I recognise you as one in whom I have ever taken the 
 deepest interest for one in whose behalf, even I have wearied 
 Heaven with prayers. Raise your face to mine, son of the
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 237 
 
 beloved and lost. Ah ! 'tis so like so proud so noble you 
 inherit her scornful lips and flashing eye." 
 
 " From whom do 1 inherit such gifts, Theresa ?" 
 
 " Ah, boy boy there are wild secrets in my heart. The 
 tide of outraged feeling has swept over it, and destroyed all 
 that was soft, or bright, or womanly ; and, God help me, I 
 sometimes think a cord in my brain has been too rudely jarred. 
 You are strangely like one I loved in years long past : one 
 over whose bright head I saw the rushing waters close ; but 
 -whose young heart had been crushed long before." 
 
 " Your hints are dark, Theresa, and I have long sought you, 
 in the belief that you can give me the clue to a history it is my 
 right to know, yet which has been refused to me from another 
 source. I am ignorant of the nature of the tie between you 
 and Col. Alwin ; but that his early life is known to you, I have 
 good reason to believe. Enlighten me on one portion of it, and 
 I shall be eternally grateful : I will be to you an unfailing 
 friend to the last hour of your existence. Can you tell me the 
 fate of Aileen Clifton ?" 
 
 " Who calls that name, which for twenty years has never 
 been uttered in my presence ? Who is it that asks me to 
 rend the veil from the bitter past ?" asked Theresa vacantly, 
 as if forgetful of the identity of the person before her. 
 
 " It is her son who asks, who implores you to cast some 
 light on her unhappy fate." 
 
 " How have you learned that you are the son of that much 
 injured lady ? Has Alwin revealed the secret of your parentage 
 at last ?" 
 
 " He has, and I now come to you for the details his emotion 
 would not suffer him to give." 
 
 " His emotion !" repeated the woman scoffingly. " As well 
 may you pierce the marble image with your dagger, and say it 
 shrinks with pain. As well say the clouds are re'nt with 
 anguish when they descend in rain. Tush, boy I know him : 
 speak not t^ me of his feeling for any mortal thing save himself, 
 or that dainty piece of flesh I see flaunting by on her gay steed, 
 with her dark plumes floating back on the wind. Why is his 
 heart cold to you, when he regards her with such affection ? 
 When I bore you to him, you were as winning as lovely a 
 child as this girl. Your mother was as fair, aye, fairer than 
 hers. Why then does he cast off his son, while his daughter is 
 so tenderly watched over ?" 
 
 " I remind him of what he would willingly forget," replied
 
 238 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Russell, gloomily. " My mother's fate is the dark spot in the 
 past ; and he does not love what recalls the shadows of his life. 
 My good Theresa, I pray you, relate her history, and set my 
 mind at rest." 
 
 " I will, boy. You shall know all, and then see what you 
 will think of this high-minded, feeling father of yours." 
 
 She took a lamp from a shelf over the fire-place ; lighted it 
 at the embers, and placed it on the floor beside the pile of 
 straw which served her as a bed. Then requesting Russell to 
 occupy the bench, she threw her tall form on the straw, ha.lf 
 reclining, half leaning against the wall, and commenced the 
 following narration : 
 
 " I must begin with my own history, for it is so interwoven 
 with that of your mother that without some knowledge of mine, 
 you cannot understand my story. Miserable, degraded, as I 
 now seem, I was reared in luxury, and was once fondly beloved 
 by tender relatives. I am the daughter of a British officer, and 
 the widow of a merchant of Montreal. I had an intimate 
 friend in girlhood, who, from her cradle, was destined to take 
 the veil. Her parents were French Catholics, and wished to 
 make their daughter a sacrifice to their bigotry and superstition. 
 Her heart recoiled from the fate they would have imposed on 
 her, and she fled from her paternal home, while yet almost a 
 child in years, with one she loved. Her parents refused to for 
 give her, and in a few years she fell a victim to remorse 
 and the unkindness of him to whom she had trusted her 
 happiness. 
 
 " She left her only child to my care ; a sacred bequest. She 
 became to me as my own, and I grieved that her mother in her 
 last hours had returned to her early faith, and her dying 
 request was, that her daughter should embrace the destiny 
 from which she had fled, and in so doing, she firmly believed, 
 had sealed her own wretchedness. I had but one living child, 
 a son, a few years older than Aileen Clifton. They were reared 
 together, and the fondest affection existed between - them ; and 
 I was happy while those two bright and lovely beings played 
 around me. Too soon the hour of separation arrived. My son 
 was sent to England to receive a collegiate education, and 
 Aileen was placed in the convent of La Mere de Dieu, to pass 
 her noviciate. The convent was situated about twenty miles 
 from my residence, and I paid stated visits to the child of my 
 adoption. At first she appeared contented, and her placid brow 
 ano. smiling lip led me to rejoice that in her present sanctuary
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 239 
 
 * 
 
 she would be spared the struggles and trials of life. Alas ! 
 alas ! even there the spoiler found her. 
 
 " At the time Aileen was placed in the convent the struggle 
 between England and the United Colonies was at its height, 
 and soon the voice of war was heard in our borders. The brave 
 Montgomery had besieged Quebec, and was anxiously expecting 
 reinforcements to take the place by storm. A man, young, 
 dauntless, of a subtle and soul-stirring eloquence, was sent from 
 New York with despatches. The Canadian priests were gene 
 rally favorable to a revolt among the people, and Alwin was 
 passed from convent to convent, in the disguise of a young 
 brother of the order. The army of Arnold was known to be 
 on the march to join Montgomery, and Alwin was compelled to 
 stop some time in the convent in which Aileen was passing her 
 noviciate ; as rumors were rife in the country of a messenger 
 being on his way to the gallant Irish chieftain, who bore to him 
 the news of the approach of his friends. 
 
 " Young, romantic, and ardent, he heard my child sing in 
 the choir was charmed with her voice, and sought to behold 
 her features. He succeeded he loved her. They managed to 
 evade the scrutiny of those around them, and Alwin wooed and 
 won the bride of Heaven. Aileen fled with him, and sought 
 the shelter of my roof. There they were wedded, and, after a 
 few days passed in happiness, he left her to proceed on his jour 
 ney, with the promise of a speedy return. 
 
 " He distinguished himself in the battle which was fought 
 shortly afterwards, and, after an absence of two months, returned 
 to his wife. Both were very young, and they seemed to revel in 
 the affection which formed their whole of hope and happiness. 
 You, who have known him as a stern, cold man, will marvel 
 that a woman's love could ever have made the happiness of that 
 grasping and soaring spirit ; but so it was. He appeared not to 
 look beyond the heaven of her smile, or the music of her voice, 
 for anything to move or interest him. Alas ! it was a woman's 
 dream to think of chaining such a spirit in the perishing gar 
 lands love may weave. He was recalled to his duties, and he 
 left Aileen with me, with a thousand protestations of eternal 
 affection, and as speedy a return as would be consistent with 
 the career he had embraced. She could not be his companion, 
 for the country was in too unsettled a state to render it practica 
 ble to take her with him. He departed, and left me to console 
 my sorrowing child. A long and weary time elapsed, and no 
 letter came from Alwin. Aileen drooped, and visibly faded each
 
 240 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 day, while I watched over her with a sinking heart, for I feared 
 that he had fallen in some of the numerous engagements 
 which had taken place between the British and Americans. 
 
 " The expected return of my son, after an absence of several 
 years, cheered me a little. The evening of his arrival was clear 
 and bright. Alas ! it was the last bright one I have ever 
 known." 
 
 She stopped, and, shading her face with her hand, rocked her 
 body to and fro. Her voice was low and husky, when she again 
 spoke : 
 
 " I had persuaded Aileen to walk around the garden, for she 
 had of late confined herself almost entirely to the house, and I 
 knew the fresh air would benefit her. I left her in a summer- 
 house, which had been a favorite resort of Alwin's. It was twi 
 light when my boy arrived, and, after greeting me, his first 
 inquiry was for his sister, as he always called my foster child. I 
 directed him where to find her, and followed in a few moments. 
 As I entered the walk, loud shrieks burst on my ear, and I 
 stood paralysed by terror. Alwin your father, boy rushed 
 past me, with the countenance of a demon. I recovered my 
 self, and flew to the spot. Oh God ! oh God ! what a sight 
 there met my eyes ! No wonder, is it no wonder !" she ex 
 claimed, starting up, and rushing to and fro with the fury of a 
 tigress stripped of her young, " that I have cursed him deeply, 
 bitterly cursed him ! There there, supported by your mother, 
 lay the bleeding body of my son, a victim to the blind passion 
 of that fearful man. 
 
 " Edward had hurried to the summer-house, and, as he 
 clasped Aileen to his heart, Alwin sprang over a hedge, and 
 plunged his dagger in his side, as he exclaimed, ' Die, villain ! 
 and for you, perjured, debased woman, we meet no more !' 
 
 " That night my son breathed his last, and Aileen was lying 
 in the next room, in a state between life and death. Alwin was 
 heard of no more, and long was it before Aileen was capable of 
 inquiring for him. When she did hear, it would have been far 
 better for her to have died at once than live to know that, while 
 she was bowed to the earth with the bitter sorrow he had 
 inflicted on her, he was with the gay, the happy in heart, and 
 had no thought for her anguish. She arose from her bed of 
 sickness to find herself a forsaken mother. Oh, often have I 
 beheld her bending over the couch on which you slumbered in 
 innocence and peace, while the tears wrung from her breaking 
 heart bathed your infant brow. She deemed it but justice to
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 241 
 
 herself to write to Alwin, and vindicate herself. He deigned 
 no reply." 
 
 " That letter must then have missed its destination," said 
 Russell. " From what he said to me, I know it never reached 
 him." 
 
 " It may not ; I do not know, nor care. / have never vindi 
 cated my child to him. Let me proceed. 
 
 " Aileen was a Catholic. She had been strictly educated in 
 that faith, and her mind was deeply imbued with its supersti 
 tions. The curse of an offended God, she believed, was pursu 
 ing her for having broken the vows which bound her to Him, 
 and she seriously meditated seeking an asylum in the convent 
 from which she had fled. 
 
 " You were two years of age, when a paper reached us contain 
 ing the marriage of your father with another ! The paper had 
 been published a year before, but this was the first intimation we 
 had received of an event which so deeply concerned us. I thought 
 Aileen would sink beneath this last blow, but it appeared to 
 restore her energies. In reply to my question, as to what she 
 designed doing, she took you in her arms, and said 
 
 '"If I had no child, who may live to hear his mother's story, 
 I would bury my wretchedness in a convent, and leave Alwin 
 to his own guilt ; but that cannot now be. For the sake of my 
 boy, I will establish my claims, and then leave him for ever. 1 
 
 " Our preparations were soon completed, and we travelled in 
 safety to New York. Alwin was absent from his home, on a 
 visit to the relatives of his young wife, in Richmond in Virginia. 
 We embarked for Norfolk, and when outside*bf the capes, a 
 terrific storm wrecked the vessel. I escaped with you ; how, it 
 matters not now. All the rest perished ; and I begged my way 
 to Richmond, and sought your father. 
 
 " My mind was not as clear as it should have been, for all 
 this accumulated suffering had sadly jarred it ; and I wandered 
 long before I found his abode. He had been the means of 
 destroying all that made life valuable to me, and to avenge 
 myself on him was now my only thought. When the servant 
 ushered me into a magnificently furnished apartment, I found a 
 fair young creature, who asked me in the sweetest tones why I 
 sought her husband ? She held her own infant in her arms 
 which she w~as fondly caressing. This then was the rival of my 
 child ! My heart hardened towards her ; I placed you before 
 her, and related the story of your mother. 
 
 " I have witnessed much suffering ; I have endured much ; 
 21
 
 242 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 yet never have I seen such wild despair as darkened over her 
 features, as the truth of my relation burned into her soul, and 
 she felt that the id^l of her pride and affections was a base traitor ! 
 I left you with her, and departed to wander a deserted and 
 maddened outcast over the earth ! I wns in part avenged. 
 In one little month I saw him, who had nia Je me desolate, lean 
 ing over the grave of her who had rivalled my beloved Aileen ; 
 and there was the anguish of an accusing spirit upon his 
 features. I approached, and cursed him then ! I have never 
 ceased to pursue him with my imprecations, and I know they 
 will fall. God is just, and blood sinks not into the earth with 
 out atonement ! 
 
 " From childhood I have watched over you, and I have 
 marked the coldly extended bounty the heart that never 
 opened to you, and this added bitterness to my hatred. The 
 child of her on whom he had so remorselessly trampled, had 
 no claim on his affections, and my indignant heart felt that the 
 love for the mother could never have been a real passion." 
 
 " There you are mistaken," said Russell ; " my father was 
 rash and hot-tempered in his youth, but never so base as you 
 believe him. He " 
 
 " We will not discuss his merits," interrupted Theresa ; " I 
 know him well. He once crushed me, and at length I possess 
 the means of retaliating. I yes, I must as he has scorned 
 me, hold his fate in my hands ! " 
 
 " How ? what do you mean ? " inquired Russell. 
 
 " Look ! " and she held up the packet intrusted to her by 
 Zavala, " I hold in my hand his death-warrant ! " 
 
 Russell recognised the writing on the envelope. 
 
 " These papers are from Don Pedro de Zavala ? " 
 
 "They are." 
 
 " You must yield them to me, Theresa." 
 
 " Boy ! are you mad ? You do not know what you ask, it 
 is no less than the sacrifice of my revenge on one I have pur 
 sued for years, when I hold it in my very grasp ! No ! no ! 
 I cannot grant your request ! " 
 
 " Theresa, remember he is my father, and the husband of 
 her you once loved as your daughter." 
 
 " Yes, and the murderer of my son ! the deserter of my 
 broken-hearted Aileen ! No, boy, you shall not prevail ! I 
 will place my foot upon his neck, and he shall feel that I am 
 crushing him ! " 
 
 " Theresa, hear me. You profess to love me, yet you would
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 243 
 
 destroy my happiness for ever by delivering those papers ; for 
 if I judge rightly they contain the secret correspondence of Col. 
 Ahvin, and may bring to him the traitor's doom. Give them to 
 me, my good Theresa, and with them I will convict a villain, 
 and at the same time secure my own happiness." 
 
 " And if I do," said she doubtingly, " how am I to be certain 
 that such results will follow ? How can this sacrifice bring hap 
 piness to you ?" 
 
 " By convincing my father that Zavala is not his friend, and 
 at the same time freeing my betrothed from the engagement 
 she has been forced to form with him." 
 
 " Ha ! is it even so ? Do you indeed love the fair foreigner? 
 Take them, boy, and may the blessing of heaven go with your 
 noble heart; for your happiness I would relinquish anything. 
 Yet it is too late to save your father. Other papers have been 
 sent before, and are, ere this, in the hands of the President. 
 The whole conspiracy is known to him." 
 
 " Never mind ; only give these to me, and I will make good 
 use of them. I must now leave you, but when I can command 
 time I will seek you again. I thank you for the revelation you 
 have this evening made to me, and I will never forget nor 
 forsake the friend of my mother. You are in poverty ; let me 
 share with you what I possess. For the present the contents of 
 my purse will furnish you with a better lodging than this 
 miserable hovel." 
 
 " No, Charles, I do not need your alms ; I am not dependent 
 on the bounty of others. I receive a yearly stipend from 
 property in Montreal, and although I live like what I am, 
 an outcast from human sympathy, I really need nothing. It is 
 my pleasure to lead this wild, wandering life. Adieu ! we may 
 meet again. Until then, may heaven guide and prosper you." 
 
 Reverently pressing to his lips the hand which she extended 
 to him, Russell left the hovel, and after reaching the level 
 ground above, he mounted his horse and galloped towards 
 Natchez. 
 
 CHAPTER XLI. 
 
 "HERE are despatches from my uncle," said Zavala, as 
 he entered the room in which Col. Alwin sat, in deep consulta 
 tion with Fitzgerald.
 
 244 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " And most -welcome they are," replied Col. Alwin, rapidly 
 breaking the seals. He glanced quickly over the contents, and 
 then stood in a musing attitude some moments. 
 
 " General Zavala informs me that at a moment's warning he is 
 ready to cross the Sabine. Our movements must be simul 
 taneous. To-night we have a ball good ; many will be present 
 that I must consult with. On to-morrow we will raise our 
 standard, and the adherents to our cause, who throng the city, 
 will rise and join us. I have no fears for the result, for the 
 most influential men in the country will either remain passive or 
 give their countenance to the enterprise. Fitzgerald, my friend, 
 do you now regret joining with me ? I rejoice that you 
 did so ?" 
 
 " And I have no cause to repent it," said Fitzgerald. " Success 
 seems about to crown our efforts, and we shall be able to dictate 
 terms to those who oppose us. Had it been otherwise, we 
 might both " 
 
 " True true. I anticipate your meaning ; utter it not 
 in this moment of triumph. I would have no darker thoughts 
 intrude on the bright prospect before me. I shall soon be 
 at the head of such a force as will enable me to defy the Gover 
 nor, and make him a prisoner in his own capital. You, my 
 friend, I shall retain near my person, as my trustiest counsellor. 
 Zavala shall be high in command, and when my authority 
 is permanently established, you shall choose your own reward's 
 for your faithfulness to me and my cause. In a week we march 
 on Mexico ; and once in the stately capital of Montezuma, victory 
 is ours. Proudly will I hurl back defiance to him who shall 
 dare to challenge my right to the high station I have attained." 
 
 He turned towards Zavala, and the expression of his coun 
 tenance startled even Col. Alwin. There was a sneer on his lip, 
 and a laughing devil in his eye, which seemed to mock at 
 the visionary empire Alwin appeared ready to grasp. He bent 
 towards him, and spoke in a low stern tone. 
 
 " What may that look indicate, Don Pedro ? Is there trea 
 son to my cause among my personal friends, or have you 
 repented the offer of your promised assistance ? If the heart no 
 longer warmed by the smiles of a feeble girl, has become luke 
 warm, avow it at once." 
 
 " You wrong me, Col. Alwin. I know not why you should 
 address me thus. I came to you with friendly purpose ; and it 
 is with sorrow I must decline the offer you have been kind 
 enough to make. I have heard news this morning which com-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 245 
 
 pels me to leave you for a time. I must proceed instantly 
 to New Orleans, for my mother has gone there to seek medical 
 advice, and she is considered in a very dangerous condition. I 
 set out within an hour." 
 
 " 'Tis well, sir," replied Alwin, haughtily drawing himself up. 
 " God forbid that I should detain a son from the sick couch of 
 his mother ; neither do I seek to retain one who can aban 
 don me at such a crisis. Yet mark me, sir, my ward shall never 
 wed with one who seeks a pretext to leave me in the moment of 
 danger ; and for traitors I have this.'' 1 He pointed significantly 
 to the hilt of a poniard he always wore. 
 
 A scornful smile passed over Zavala's features. 
 
 " I fear not your dagger, sir, as no one knows better than 
 yourself. You are angry and excited, Col. Alwin, and cannot 
 now do justice to me. At some future day, when your mind is 
 in a calmer state, we will resume the subject of this marriage ; 
 and I think I shall then be able to offer inducements which will 
 once more gain your consent to bestow the hand of Miss de 
 Bourg upon me. Farewell, sir ; I will not part with you in 
 anger." 
 
 He seized the hand of Alwin, and pressing it to his lips, 
 abruptly left the room. As his retreating footsteps died away, 
 he said 
 
 " This is strange, for Isabel had a letter from Madame Zavala 
 this morning, and there was no allusion to sickness in it. I 
 scarcely know what to think. We can do without his aid, how 
 ever, and it is now too late to have our well-laid plans frustrated 
 by any information he can give." 
 
 " True ; we are secure from any he can now give, but not 
 from what may have already been bestowed. I must confess I 
 have always mistrusted Zavala. There are few of the traits of 
 an upright, noble-minded man about him ; and of late he has 
 worn a moody brow. I believe him quite capable of treason to 
 any cause." 
 
 " If I thought him false to me," said his fiery companion, 
 starting up, "I would take his life within the hour. Yes, his 
 worthless life would be a small sacrifice for such foul treachery. 
 Yet no he loves Julie, and cannot be fiend enough to endanger 
 the life of the protector to whom she is tenderly attached." 
 
 The evening arrived that evening so triumphantly antici 
 pated by many, so fraught with woe, desolation, and disappoint 
 ment to the giver of the f6te. 
 
 The mansion blazed with light, and the sounds of music 
 21*
 
 246 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 filled the air with its joyful strains. The young, the gay, and 
 the beautiful had assembled to do honor to the queen of the 
 revels. It was a bouquet party, given by Miss Alwin in return 
 for one given in honor of herself during the previous week. 
 
 The entertainment so named originated among the early 
 French settlers of the country, who brought with them from 
 their own land their national love of dancing. A magnificent 
 bouquet of rare flowers was arranged with artistic skill, and the 
 giver of the entertainment was king over his guests for the 
 evening. He was bound to select as the partner of his honors 
 some one of the fair and blooming girls around him, and on 
 her he bestowed the bouquet as her insignia of royalty. The 
 queen thus selected was bound to return the f6te, choosing in 
 her turn a king, and thus parties enlivened the whole season. 
 
 As queen of the evening, Isabel stood at the head of the 
 room, attired in white satin, embroidered with silver ; a coronet 
 of pearls encircling her dark hair. Never had she appeared 
 more lovely : and few who looked on that beaming brow, and 
 heard the light words which sprang to her lips, would have 
 dreamed that fear lay heavy at her heart. She had heard of 
 the abrupt departure of Zavala, and as her eye followed the 
 form of her father, winding his way amid the gay crowd, she 
 trembled at the dangers which might even then be around him. 
 Yet she had enough of .his spirit in her bosom to mask her 
 apprehensions under a smiling face and light jest. 
 
 Julie was beside her ; her simple white robe and the cluster 
 of rose buds in her hair offering a graceful contrast to 'the 
 magnificent toilette of the queen of the evening. Her cheek 
 had once more resumed its roundness, and the faint rose hue 
 that tinged it, gave promise of returning health. There was a 
 light in her clear eye, which had not been visible there for 
 many weary months ; for to her, the departure of Zavala seemed 
 a tacit relinquishment of the engagement which her guardian 
 would not permit her to consider as broken. 
 
 There was one shadow on the heart of Julie one dream that 
 would not be exorcised ; and although the name of Russell was 
 never mentioned in her presence, his image was the companion 
 of all her solitary hours. The countenance of her lover, eloquent 
 with genius, passion, and suffering, as she had last beheld it, 
 was ever before her ; the wild words of that farewell scene ever 
 ringing in her ears ; and she shuddered as the image of Zavala 
 rose between them as an impassable barrier. The magic of his 
 conversation, so rich with fancy, so eloquent with the poetry of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 247 
 
 the soul the deepening of his voice into tenderness as he 
 spoke to her alone, had too deep a charm ever t v be forgot 
 ten. 
 
 It was in such scenes as the present that her ,eart was most 
 deeply saddened by such memories, for in such Russell had 
 hitherto been her companion. She promenaded the rooms with 
 Lieutenant Belton, a son of Col. Alwin's old friend, who had 
 retnrned home on leave of absence from his military duties. 
 Although he uttered all the lively nonsense he could think of 
 to interest her, her countenance was abstracted, as if rather 
 communing with her own thoughts than regarding the gay 
 throng before her, or listening to the satirical or witty remarks 
 of her companion. 
 
 There was one in the crowd, a stranger, who did not attempt 
 to enter the house, but stood on the gallery without, and 
 watched the revellers with keen interest. At length his eye 
 caught sight of a graceful figure in white, and he dwelt with 
 deep interest on that face, as if endeavoring to trace the altera 
 tions made by illness and suffering, and his heart loved her 
 more deeply, more fondly for those mute evidences that he had 
 not been forgotten. 
 
 " Sorrow has paled thy brow, my beloved," he murmured, 
 " and soon the storm will sweep over those you love, levelling 
 the stately oak with the dust, but the humble violet will escape 
 scatheless, and from the darkness of the present shall spring 
 forth the light that shall guide us to happiness." 
 
 As Julie approached the window near which he stood, a 
 bouquet fell at her feet. She started, and looked towards the 
 spot from which it had been thrown. A figure stood in the 
 obscurity without, with his hands raised, as if in warning. 
 
 Her cavalier stooped, and picked up the flowers. 
 
 " What have we here, Miss de Bourg ? A message of love, 
 sent in a bouquet ! See there is a note. This is quite a 
 romantic little mystery." 
 
 " Oh, no, I do not deal in mysteries ;" but her varying cheek 
 seemed to contradict the words. " 'Tis nothing a mere frolic 
 on the part of some one who wishes to teaze me." 
 
 " 'Tis a frolic which seems to affect you very much. You 
 are trembling with agitation. Pray, read the scroll, the mere 
 appearance of which possesses such power to agitate you." 
 
 He led her to a seat apart from the crowd, and stood in such 
 a position as to screen her from observation, while she opened 
 the paper, and read the following words :
 
 248 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Julie, meet me in the garden so soon as you can escape 
 unobserved. I will await you there until one o'clock. I would 
 not have asked this interview, much as I desire to see you, if I 
 possessed any other means of communicating with Col. Alvvin. 
 Surrounded as he is, and embittered against me as he is, I find 
 it impossible to gain access to him, even for a moment. For 
 his sake I request the interview, and not to advocate any 
 wishes of my own. 
 
 "C. R." 
 
 Julie read these words in breathless perturbation. She knew 
 enough of Col. Alwin's plans, to be aware that he stood in a 
 very perilous position, and the discovery of them by those in 
 authority would involve him in utter ruin. She shuddered as 
 she looked on the varying cheek of Isabel, and remembered her 
 devotion to her father. 
 
 " If anything should happen to him, it will kill her ?" she 
 exclaimed, starting up quite forgetful of the scene before her. 
 
 " Kill who, Miss de Bourg ?" said Lieutenant Belton, look 
 ing on her with astonishment. " I hope you are not meditating 
 the committal of murder, with any weapon more dangerous 
 than the shaft of Cupid ?" 
 
 " No, nor, just now, with that," she replied, recalling her 
 scattered senses, and making an effort to smile. " I forgot 
 where I was ; pray let us walk on." 
 
 " Nay, lady fair, let us join the dancers. See, our bright 
 queen stands at the head of the room, ready to open the ball, 
 and as a reward for being so incurious respecting the missive 
 you have just received, I claim you as my partner in the mazes 
 of this dance." 
 
 Julie would have excused herself, but Belton petitioned so 
 earnestly for one set, that she was compelled to join in an 
 amusement, which at such a moment was more than distasteful 
 to her. Hour after hour, rolled away, and still the enamored 
 Lieutenant lingered by her side. Almost sick with vexation, 
 she at length made her escape, and hastened into the garden. 
 
 Never had Isabel been so gay and brilliant as on that even 
 ing, and the winning elegance of her manner the attractive 
 sweetness of her countenance, charmed all who approached her. 
 Exhausted by her efforts to please, and the strong control she 
 had exerted over her feelings, she took refuge from the crowd 
 at a late hour, on one of the galleries. As she leaned over the 
 railing, and viewed the tranquil heaven, with its bright stars ;
 
 THB CONSPIRATOR. 249 
 
 as she felt the cool air of night fanning her feverish brow, a 
 sensation of quiet pleasure filled her soul. The excitement of 
 the evening was over, and wearied she leaned against the mas 
 sive pillar and reflected on all that might occur within the next 
 few hours. The sounds of music came from the distant rooms 
 in which they were still dancing, but she soon ceased to listen 
 to them. Her thoughts were with her father, when, as if in re 
 ply to them, she heard his name uttered in a distinct though 
 suppressed tone in the garden below her. She leaned forward, 
 for she recognised the voice of Russell, and the words he uttered 
 stilled the pulsations of her heart for one instant, though in the 
 next it beat with a fluttering motion, which threatened to suffo 
 cate her. She stood perfectly still and heard all that was 
 uttered, although two sentences alone seemed to make any im 
 pression on her senses. These were : " He has been betrayed 
 by that villain." "To-morrow, the officers will be here to 
 arrest him." She sank on a chair, which fortunately stood 
 near, and how long she remained there, she knew not. The 
 two, who in the interest of their conversation had approached 
 too near the house, stood many moments on the same spot, 
 unwilling to part, when they knew not when they might again 
 meet. The murmur of their voices came up to her on the star 
 lit air, but she sat as one stunned, bewildered, by the sudden 
 bursting of the storm, so long dreaded, and hitherto so adroitly 
 evaded. 
 
 When Julie again entered the saloon, the company had de 
 parted, but she could nowhere find Isabel. The bearer of a 
 packet to Col. Alwin, which she dared not delay giving to him, 
 yet the contents of which she feared to think of, she hurried 
 through the rooms, and knocked at his door. 
 
 " Who is there ?" he inquired. 
 
 " It is I, Julie," she timidly replied. " Pray open the door 
 quickly, I have a package of papers which it concerns you to 
 see immediately." 
 
 Col. Alwin instantly unclosed the door. 
 
 " What is the matter, Julie ? You are actually trembling 
 with agitation, and you are as white as a ghost. Where have 
 you been, and what are these ?" 
 
 " Examine, and see for yourself. They will tell their own 
 tale. I must seek Isabel." 
 
 " You will find her on the gallery, I expect," said he, calmly 
 breaking the seals of the ominous envelopes, unconscious that 
 the first words which would meet his sight, must for ever de-
 
 250 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 stroy the hopes he had thought almost realized. Julie closed 
 the door, and hastened in search of her friend, uncertain how to 
 break to her the dreadful tidings of which she was the bearer. 
 She found Isabel lying on the gallery floor, where she had 
 slipped from her chair, in a state of insensibility. As she 
 stooped to raise her, she perceived with horror that her dress 
 was spotted with blood. In the agony of learning that the 
 doom she feared had indeed fallen on her idolized father, 
 Isabel had ruptured a blood-vessel. 
 
 CHAPTER. XLII. 
 
 COL. ALWIN stood in his apartment, with a face from which 
 every shade of color had fled ; his lips were compressed his 
 eyes blood-shot, and a cold dew bursting from his forehead. 
 Fortunately he was alone, for in that hour of intense agony, of 
 deep humiliation, he could not have borne the glance of a hu 
 man eye. Alone with his God and his bitter suffering, he 
 stood. On the floor, were fragments of torn paper, and he 
 placed the heel of his boot on them, and ground them with 
 impotent rage. 
 
 " And this is what I have lived for, struggled for," said he, 
 through his closed teeth. "To be a mock to my scorning 
 countrymen, for the vulgar to point at and say ' There is the 
 man who sought to spring beyond the sphere allotted him, and 
 fell short of his mark.' God God, can I endure this and live ? 
 Baffled baffled, in everything, my schemes made known, my 
 most secret plans in the hands of Government, myself a pro 
 scribed man, with a price set upon my head !" 
 
 He stepped to the table, and took from it a pair of pistols, 
 which he carefully loaded, and then replaced. He then pro 
 ceeded to burn several large packages of letters ; the correspon 
 dence of those who were leagued with him ; and the iron nerve 
 of the man was conspicuous in that moment of overwhelming 
 bitterness. There was no trembling of the rigid muscles of that 
 pale face ; no unsteady motion of the fingers, as they dropped 
 the papers in the flames, and watched them as they were con 
 sumed. As the last one sank into ashes, he muttered 
 
 " All, all have perished -their writers have trusted me, and 
 they shall never be betrayed. They were my friends ; though,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 251 
 
 I doubt not, the enterprise which failed of success will be stigma 
 tized, even by them, as the mad scheme of an ambitious man. 
 It matters not now : the secret dies with me : the vast plans 
 the vaulting ambition, which might have, found a field for their 
 operation, but for this dark villany, are now buried in the 
 grave of base treachery. No man shall ever know how high 
 they soared into what a chaos of darkness their disappoint 
 ment has plunged me. And there is Fitzgerald, ruined by his 
 adherence to my cause. I must reveal to him the peril in 
 which we stand. He will reproach me, justly, perhaps ; but that 
 I can bear. What could I not bear now ?" 
 
 As he unclosed the door, a servant was passing, and he sent 
 him with a message, desiring to see Mr. Fitzgerald immediately. 
 It was then about two o'clock, and he calculated that Fitzge 
 rald would have sufficient time to escape before the dawn of 
 day. In a few moments he entered with the paleness of despair 
 upon his countenance, and Alwin read in it that he already 
 knew the catastrophe he intended to announce. He approached 
 and confronted Alwin. 
 
 " 1 have seen Russell, and I am aware that we are betrayed ; 
 but, until to-night, I did not know that you had drawn me into 
 an enterprise, the ultimate end of which must have been to 
 plunge the country into a civil war. Had I listened to the 
 warning of Russell, given long ago, I should have been saved 
 from ruin ; but infatuated by your eloquence, I feel that I have 
 been a mere puppet in your hands ; influenced at your own 
 will, and made to play any part you wished. I now see all my 
 weakness and folly ; yet I forgive you, for I was a fool to be 
 lured by any temptation from the happy home in which you 
 found me. May your conscience never reproach you for the 
 deception you have practised on an honest man, and the deso 
 lation you have brought to his hearth. I must now leave 
 you, to communicate to one dearer to me than life, the sad fate 
 which threatens me. I shall make no attempt to escape, but 
 shall deliver myself to the officers when they arrive, and abide 
 whatever punishment the laws of your country may inflict 
 on me." 
 
 " Stop, sir," said Col. Alwin, with an air of superb haughti 
 ness "we part not thus. A few words in my own defence 
 seem due to myself. I have deceived you, but it was for your 
 own good. I found you wearied of the solitude in which you 
 had buried yourself; ready to become the recipient of any 
 factious scheme which promised the enjoyment of a brilliant
 
 252 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 position as its reward. Call your home a paradise if you will, 
 but, before I entered it, the serpent was at work in your own 
 bosom, which disposed you to listen to the voice which pro 
 mised to place within your grasp the greatness you coveted. 
 Had we been successful, and your reward as brilliant as I once 
 hoped it would be, Mr. Fitzgerald would scarcely have taunted 
 me with the deceptions which assisted his elevation. No, sir, I 
 found that your conscience needed some excuse, and I gave you 
 one in permitting you to believe that I had no intention of 
 injuring my native land. If you had not sufficient penetration 
 to see that my interests must clash with hers, must I be made 
 answerable for your wilful blindness ? Go go to your wife, 
 and console her ; such spirits as yours were not formed to battle 
 with fortune." 
 
 " Have you finished ?" inquired Fitzgerald, calmly, although 
 he was very pale. " I did not come hither to bandy reproaches 
 with you ; but to bid you farewell, until we meet before the 
 tribunal of your country, or, perchance, before a yet higher one. 
 Farewell, Col. Alwiu ; let not those part in anger whose next 
 meeting must be under such circumstances as ours must 
 be." 
 
 He held out his hand, and Alwin grasped it firmly. " Yes 
 we will part as friends, for God knows we can neither of us 
 afford to repel friendship at such a crisis, however useless it may 
 be. Farewell for ever it is our final parting, for on earth 
 there will be no meeting for us after this. I will never stand 
 before my hooting countrymen ; condemned perchance to the 
 traitor's doom. I will never leave this room as a prisoner, 
 while my fate is in my own power." 
 
 " You will fly then" 
 
 " Fly !" repeated he disdainfully " whither ? and if I could 
 escape, to what purpose would it be ? All that rendered life 
 valuable is wrested from me at one fell blow. Is it not better 
 to die at once, than to exist with the memory of this hour 
 clinging to me, and crushing me into a nothingness worse than 
 death ?" 
 
 " Rash man, would you commit suicide ? Think of your 
 daughter of your ward. What becomes of them, if you take 
 a life which, with all your boasted courage, you shrink from 
 enduring when deprived of the stimulus of ambition. I came 
 hither partly to inform you that your daughter now lies almost 
 within the embrace of death. She accidentally overheard a 
 portion of the conversation between Russell and Miss de Bourg,
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 253 
 
 and in the overwhelming agitation of the moment, she ruptured 
 a blood- vessel." 
 
 " Great God ! the fate of her mother !" exclaimed Col. Alwin, 
 his apprehensions for his darling Isabel overcoming every selfish 
 feeling. He hastily rushed from the room, to ascertain if his 
 evil doom was to be consummated in the early death of his 
 beloved child. 
 
 He found her supported on the bosom of Julie, as white, and 
 nearly as lifeless, as the marble image she resembled. Julie had 
 prevented the alarmed attendants from summoning her father, 
 as she knew, at such a moment, he needed not the additional 
 agony of knowing the extreme danger of his daughter. Dr. 
 Crawford had been immediately summoned, and every remedy 
 applied which skill could offer ; and when her father entered, she 
 could speak in a faint whisper. 
 
 " My child my Isabel, do I find thee thus ?" he murmured, 
 as he raised her gently from the supporting arm of Julie, and 
 reclined her head on his own breast, while the tears for which 
 he would have scorned himself, had they been shed over his 
 own disappointment, fell like rain on the pale brow over which 
 he leaned. " Oh, my beloved one, look on me and tell me that 
 I have not destroyed you." 
 
 She half raised her heavy eyelids and murmured 
 
 " I am better I shall soon be well ; but you must go. If 
 you would not see me die before you, leave this spot which is 
 so fraught with danger to you." 
 
 The unhappy father gazed on the deathlike features he 
 touched her hand ; it sent an icy thrill through his frame, and 
 he believed her about to breathe her last. In a voice whose 
 agonized tones went to the heart of her he addressed, he said 
 
 " Oh leave me not to mourn you too, my best beloved. Bear 
 up yet a little while, my glorious child ; for my sake, live ; with 
 out you I am desolate ; the last interest I have in life is my 
 affection for you. Borne down, crushed, trampled on, torn from 
 my proud station, as an eagle with a broken wing dragged from 
 his upward flight ; oh, Isabel, my child, leave me not alone in 
 this dark and frowning world." 
 
 " My father," said the faint voice of the young sufferer, " if 
 anything could recall my fleeting spirit back to earth, it would 
 be those tones of deep anguish. Oh call not on me thus ! I 
 can bear to die, but not to leave you in despair. I can calmly 
 behold the shadows of the grave closing around me. I can fall 
 without a murmur into the dreamless slumber of the dead, if 
 22
 
 254 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 you are not inconsolable for my loss. Yet I would that I could 
 be permitted in that future world to dream of one I have so 
 entirely loved ; to anticipate the hour of our reunion ; to be 
 permitted to return to you in spirit, and though unseen, to 
 whisper words of consolation and hope. When the evening 
 breeze sweeps over your brow, think that it breathes of the 
 unceasing love of your child. No other affection have I known ; 
 love has passed me scatheless by ; there was no room in my 
 heart for any other idol." 
 
 " Oh God ! must I indeed lose you, my beautiful, my noble 
 child ! Spare me this, O most merciful One, and all else I can 
 bear. Ambition has failed me, when its rewards were almost 
 within my grasp ; and now the sole link that bound me to life is 
 about to be broken for ever. My child, my child, would that I 
 could die for you !" 
 
 " Ah, say not so, dearest father, I am of little worth ; throw 
 from your heart the memory of your disappointment, your 
 affliction ; rise in your native greatness, and return good for the 
 evil your enemies would heap on you. You may yet soar 
 superior to them all. I am utterly exhausted, dearest father, 
 and my heart nutters painfully when I think how much you 
 risk in remaining near me. Pray pray leave me." 
 
 He impressed an agonized kiss on the brow and lips of the 
 suffering girl, and resigning her to Julie, tore himself away. 
 Dr. Crawford accompanied him from the room. 
 
 " Ob, Doctor," said the unhappy father, wringing his friend's 
 hand, " I beg that you will not deceive me. I can bear the 
 truth as well, and better now than at any other time. Do you 
 think I can shrink from any calamity, after what I have this 
 night endured ?" 
 
 " There is yet hope," replied the physician. " If Isabel is not 
 violently agitated again, she may entirely recover. I confi 
 dently hope she will ; but until you are placed in comparative 
 safety, by leaving this place, I need scarcely say that every 
 noise will painfully affect her, and the excitement may be 
 fatal." 
 
 " I will go then immediately. Nothing less than her immi 
 nent danger could force me to fly from this threatened arrest. 
 To save her life, I would yield to any humiilation ; yet, oh, 
 Crawford, how shall I bear to be away when she may be 
 dying !" 
 
 The physician looked at him with compassion, for he saw 
 from the convulsive movements of his features, that many ago-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 255 
 
 nizing emotions were contending for the mastery in that bosom, 
 which had appeared nearly inaccessible to the softer feelings of 
 humanity. 
 
 " My dear friend, you must bear it as you best can. I will 
 send letters to meet you at New Orleans, which I hope will 
 contain cheering news. Isabel is young, and I think may recover 
 this blow. Russell has made every arrangement for your flight, 
 and your horse is saddled even now, awaiting his master." 
 
 " Russell ! where did he come from, and by what chance did 
 he know of the danger which menaced me?" 
 
 " It would seem that he has never lost sight of you, and 
 
 since his release from the power of W he has been seeking 
 
 a sort of crazy woman, known by the name of Theresa, who, he 
 was led to believe, could give him some information he was 
 desirous of possessing. He found her, in time to intercept a 
 package of papers which Zavala had intrusted to her care ; but 
 not in time to prevent all your plans from being betrayed by 
 others, which had been dispatched some weeks before to the 
 seat of government. So soon as he learned this fact, he put 
 spurs to his horse, and rode into the city. He stopped there, 
 intending to write and inclose the papers to you : fortunately, 
 while at the hotel, he encountered the officers who had been 
 authorized to arrest you, and overheard their agreement to wait 
 until morning to execute their commission. He instantly came 
 out here, in time to warn you to save yourself. The house was 
 crowded with company, and he found it impossible to speak 
 with you. He contrived to deliver a note to Miss de Bourg, 
 revealed to her your danger, and then employed himself in 
 getting everything ready for your flight. Come, it is time 
 you were setting out, for the first glimmering of daylight is 
 already visible," 
 
 Col. Alwin wrung his hand. 
 
 " Friend of my life, true friend as I have ever found you, I 
 have but one injunction to give you save my child." 
 
 " If human skill and attention can accomplish it, she shall bo 
 saved. I have no fears for myself, for I have no concern in 
 your enterprise that can compromise me in any way ; so I can 
 give my undivided attention to my patient." 
 
 Russell himself held the bridle of the horse. Col. Alwin 
 approached and grasped his hand, while he uttered a few words 
 of thanks, which more than repaid him for his efforts to serve 
 him.
 
 256 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIII. 
 
 DURING the commotion in the house, Mrs. Fitzgerald, whose 
 apartment was on the opposite side of the mansion, had 
 remained in ignorance of all that had happened. 
 
 She anticipated with pleasure the brilliant station she soon 
 hoped to fill, and was w j ell disposed to further the elevation of 
 her husband by every means in her power. She felt that a 
 great change had been wrought in her ; she knew that she 
 was no longer the fond mother, the devoted wife, who had 
 once bounded her happiness within the precincts of her home. 
 A restless and craving desire for constant excitement had 
 become the habitual inmate of her bosom ; and with ill-repressed 
 delight she thought of the near approach of that hour in which 
 she would be elevated to the station of a sort of vice-queen in 
 the new kingdom in which her husband held so distinguished a 
 position. With such feelings, she was ill prepared for the 
 reverse which was about to fall on her. 
 
 When her husband entered, he found her still in the mag 
 nificent costume she had worn at the entertainment of the 
 evening, and even amid his own inquietude, he remarked how 
 becoming it was to her majestic beauty. 
 
 " These diamonds well become your queenly brow, my Mar 
 garet," he said, as he leaned over her, and imprinted a kiss on 
 her fair forehead. " I trust the revels of the evening brought 
 pleasure to your heart." 
 
 " Ah, yes ! I feel myself in my true element .here. Though 
 we were happy in our island home, I think this life of gay 
 excitement is more suited to my natural inclinations. This is 
 to live indeed, Eustace respect and homage follows us, and we 
 look forward to higher aims, and a nobler ambition in the 
 future, than mere amusement offers." 
 
 Fitzgerald sighed heavily. She turned and looked in his 
 face with an expression of surprise. She apprehensively asked, 
 
 " Has anything gone wrong ? Why is your brow so clouded, 
 dear Eustace ? Ah ! it will be a severe blow, if " 
 
 She paused, pale and trembling, for she knew his face too 
 well not to read in it the destruction of her chateau en 
 Espagne. Fitzgerald turned away in bitterness of heart, for he 
 remembered that evening on which she had with such high-
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 257 
 
 souled energy remonstrated against his espousing the interests 
 of Col. Alwin, and he grieved that she had altered so greatly in 
 so short >t time. He knew the tidings he brought would be a 
 severe disappointment to her, for he had seen the ambitious 
 aspirations of a high-toned nature spring into existence under 
 the hope of successfully attaining all it desired. The passion 
 for sway had only been dormant, and Mrs. Fitzgerald was as 
 ready to play the great lady as any dame of high degree in the 
 broad bounds of aristocratic Europe. She possessed, however, 
 a gentle and feminine spirit, and a sensibility of soul, which 
 endeared her to all who knew her. The desire for distinction 
 had not yet overshadowed the more lovely attributes of her 
 character, and to these the husband trusted to sustain her under 
 the present downfall of all her high-raised hopes. Yet he 
 shrank from telling her the utter ruin which had overwhelmed 
 him the uncertain fate that menaced him. 
 
 The result proved that he did not yet know the high-hearted 
 woman who, whatever her faults might be, was yet capable of 
 sacrificing all with cheerfulness to follow him to the prison or 
 even to the scaffold. 
 
 She saw that he was deeply disturbed, and making an effort 
 to overcome her own perturbation, she arose from her seat and 
 approached him. She clasped his cold hand caressingly in 
 hers, and said in a voice of tender interest 
 
 " Do not fear to speak, love ? I have a brave, strong heart, 
 and with you or for you it can endure much." 
 
 " Ah ! Margaret, I fear to tell you all. A few months since, 
 in such an emergency, I should have fled to you for counsel and 
 comfort, but now " 
 
 " Eustace, you think I have altered much, if you really shrink 
 from any revelation in which you are vitally interested. You 
 fancy that this life of splendor and gaiety has charms for me, 
 which I shall mourn to surrender ; perhaps you are right, for I 
 am but a woman, with many of the weaknesses of my sex ; but 
 I am also strong in her greatest strength in woman's undying- 
 affection for those she loves, and the power to endure misfortunes 
 calmly if shared with them. My heart is as truly yours as on 
 the day we stood beside the altar ; speak, then, I will shrink 
 from nothing that concerns you." 
 
 " Even if it bring with it ruin and disgrace ?" 
 
 " No ; your lot is mine. If these follies had taken a hold on 
 my fancy, they can be laid aside, even as the ornaments I wear. 
 I have had my dream, and I do not deny it has been a bright 
 22*
 
 258 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 one ; but if it is disappointed, I can bear it, as we all learn to 
 bear the inevitable evils of life. Your Margaret's lips shall not 
 be without a smile to cheer you, even in the darkest hours." 
 
 " Noble, generous woman !" exclaimed her husband, clasping 
 her in his arms. " Hitherto I have not known you ! Oh, my 
 beloved Margaret, forgive me for doubting for one moment 
 that you would come from the trial, as pure as gold from the 
 heat of the crucible." 
 
 " And now tell me all," said Mrs. Fitzgerald, gently extricating 
 herself from his embrace, and leading him to a sofa, on which 
 she placed herself beside him. 
 
 He did so ; and as the narrative proceeded, the tears gathered 
 on her long dark lashes, and slowly dropped on the hand of her 
 husband, which was clasped in both her own. Until that 
 moment she had not known how deeply her mind had yielded 
 itself to the fascinating delusions Col. Alwin spread before her. 
 Knowing her influence over the vacillating mind of her husband, 
 he had sought by every means in his power to array her on his 
 side, for he rightly judged, that if she continued to oppose his 
 views, Fitzgerald would soon abandon the cause he had 
 espoused. 
 
 At first, she had listened coldly, and merely refrained from 
 endeavoring to influence her husband in any way, because she 
 considered him pledged to sustain the conspiracy, and thought 
 it dishonorable to withdraw ; but she gradually listened with 
 more interest to the voice that flattered so adroitly, and soon 
 she looked forward with eager expectation to the consumma 
 tion of the enterprise. Bitter disappointment was the predomi 
 nant feeling, until she learned the peril in which her husband 
 was placed. Then the feelings of the woman, the wife, tri 
 umphed, and throwing herself upon his breast with a violence of 
 emotion, she exclaimed 
 
 " Though deserted, forsaken by all the world, still will I be 
 to you all you could wish. Forgive me, oh, my husband, if I 
 have permitted other thoughts to engross the heart that should 
 have been devoted to you alone. We have both been dupes 
 to this speciously eloquent man, and we must bear the punish 
 ment for our weakness. The worst that can befall you, is to be 
 tried, for you must be cleared of all treasonable intentions 
 towards the United States." 
 
 "Tried among strangers, remember, Margaret. Yes, I feel 
 that I have been a dupe, and this consciousness adds a bitter 
 sting to my suS'erings. I must be dragged forward and tried
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 259 
 
 for an offence of which I am guiltless ; and to save myself from 
 punishment, I shall be compelled to prove what a weak, vain 
 fool I have been, how completely I have been the instrument 
 of an artful man." 
 
 " Where is Col. Alwin ?" 
 
 " He has already fled, but I shall remain ; conscious of my 
 own innocence, I shall not attempt to evade the laws of the 
 country." 
 
 " You are right, dear Eustace. Flight could not avail you. 
 I shall instantly prepare to accompany you, whithersoever your 
 fate may lead you." 
 
 " I fear that will be impossible, as Miss Alwin lies at the point 
 of death." 
 
 In reply to her eager inquiries, he related the events of the 
 night, and the cause of Isabel's extreme danger. 
 
 " You cannot abandon her in her present state," he continued. 
 " If she recovers, you can accompany her and Miss de Bourg 
 to the place in which the trial may take place. Dr. Crawford 
 will protect you." 
 
 " How is it that he escapes suspicion ?" 
 
 " Simply because he has little interest in our plans. He is 
 known to be a warm personal friend of Col. Alwin, and Zavala 
 has implicated him in none of the discoveries he has made." 
 
 By this time, day was dawning, and after changing her dress, 
 Mrs. Fitzgerald went to the apartment of Isabel, to ascertain 
 how she then was. She was lying with her eyes closed, so pale 
 and still, that she started back with the fearful impression that 
 the spirit had already passed from the statue-like form before 
 her. 
 
 Dr. Crawford was beside her, and Julie, in a white morning 
 wrapper, bathed her brow with an aromatic essence. The 
 Doctor motioned to Mrs. Fitzgerald to be silent, and softly 
 moving away, led her into the next room. 
 
 " Do not be so alarmed, dear madam," said he, " I think she 
 will recover. All your own courage is necessary to meet the 
 emergency of the morning. Are you aware that at day-light 
 
 the officers will be " 
 
 " I know all," she impetuously interrupted, " and am pre 
 pared for it. My husband remains." 
 
 " "Tis as well for him to do so," replied Dr. Crawford, thought 
 fully. " But what do you purpose doing ?" 
 
 " I remain by his desire, until Miss Alwin is sufficiently reco 
 vered to travel, or "
 
 260 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Do not name the alternative," said he hastily. " I thought 
 myself hardened to scenes of suffering ; but I own that my 
 heart shrinks when I look on this being, so lately glowing in 
 life and hope, reduced to such a condition : yet I confidently 
 hope that I shall be able to save her." 
 
 " I trust so indeed, ' replied Mrs. Fitzgerald ; and after 
 another look at the deathlike face of the lately bright and 
 blooming Isabel, she turned away with a sigh, and left the 
 room. 
 
 Morning came, and with it the officers who were to arrest 
 Fitzgerald. On learning the escape of Col. Alwin, a party 
 immediately set out in pursuit. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIV. 
 
 NIGHT had long since closed in, and still the lonely wanderer 
 continued on his cheerless way. He was weary and hungry, 
 and vainly looked around for a place of shelter, where he might 
 find refreshment and rest. His jaded horse stumbled at nearly 
 every step, and at length dismounting, he led him through the 
 dark and tangled wood. He at length issued from it and 
 looked around him. 
 
 The moon was high in the heavens, and her light glittered 
 in silvery sparkles on the bosom of a small clear stream which 
 lay before him. Above, was a cloudless sky ; and around, as 
 far as the eye could .reach, the deep forest cast its sombre 
 shadows. 
 
 He was more than once tempted to throw himself into the 
 dark tide which lay at his feet, and suffer its cool waters to 
 quench the fiery thoughts that burned in his brain, together 
 with the spirit that gave them birth. 
 
 He thus pursued his weary way along the banks of the river, 
 his dark and bitter thoughts only varied by an occasional pang 
 as he recalled the pallid face of his daughter, as he had last 
 seen it, with the shadow of death resting upon it. Suddenly a 
 light streamed across his pathway, and looking up, he saw that 
 h was on the outskirts of an extensive plantation. The light 
 proceeded from one of a long line of negro cabins, and within a 
 few hundred yards was a substantial brick mansion surrounded 
 by lofty trees.
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 261 
 
 Fastening the bridle of his horse to the fence, it was the 
 work of a moment to enter the inclosure, and reconnoitre the 
 house before applying for admittance. The windows were 
 without shutters, and he approached one over which the curtain 
 had not been drawn, and surveyed the room within. It was a 
 spacious apartment, with a floor of highly polished boards 
 without a carpet on any portion of it. A small fire was on the 
 hearth, and an old-fashioned mahogany stand was placed before 
 it on which two candles were burning. The furniture of the 
 room was extremely plain ; consisting of such articles as were 
 indispensable for daily use, made of the plainest materials. 
 
 On that side of the room, opposite the window, was seated 
 an old lady who looked as if she might just have walked from 
 an antique picture frame. Her grey hair was powdered, and 
 dressed in high folds on the top of her head, in the style of 
 Marie Antoinette ; and on the apex was placed a small cap. 
 She wore a hoop and stays ; and the tight sleeves of her dress 
 reached only to the elbow, where they terminated in frills of 
 broad lace. Her features were delicate, and had once been 
 pretty ; but the quick glancing black eye was the only one that 
 retained any of its original beauty. A gentleman as antique as 
 herself occupied an arm-chair within a few feet of her. He 
 wore small clothes, with immense knee-buckles, and rosettes in 
 his shoes ; and the few hairs that time had left on his head 
 were tied in a queue. They were evidently French emigrants, 
 who had adhered to the fashions of their youth and country, 
 even in the wilderness in which they lived. 
 
 Nearer to the window was a figure which excited more inter 
 est than the other inmates of the room. This was a lady 
 reclining on a low couch, with the light from the candles 
 shining full on her face. Alwin approached close to the 
 window to obtain a nearer view of features, the sight of which 
 sent the blood rushing in a torrent through his veins. Her 
 figure was tall, and although wasted by illness, was still 
 remarkable for its delicate symmetry. She was clad in deep 
 mourning, and a black veil lay over the back of the couch on 
 which she reclined. She was thin almost to emaciation ; and 
 her features were quite colorless, while her jet black hair, which 
 lay in heavy folds above her brow, rendered them yet more 
 pallid from the contrast. There was an expression of subdued 
 feeling about the small and beautifully defined mouth, which 
 must instantly have interested one accustomed to study the 
 lineaments of the " human face divine." It was evident that
 
 262 THK CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 deep and agonizing suffering had stamped its impress on the 
 face before him ; and as he gazed on the delicate and chiselled 
 features, which time and sorrow appeared to have hallowed by 
 their touch without destroying any of their loveliness, a cold 
 shiver ran through his frame, and he mentally exclaimed 
 
 " Can the grave yield up its tenant to mock me ! It cannot 
 cannot be ! She has long since found a watery grave !" 
 
 He gazed long and earnestly on the sad countenance, forget 
 ful of the danger of discovery from those within. Suddenly a 
 cry from the old lady, and a gesture towards the window, 
 warned him that he had been seen. At the alarm a young 
 man came in from the next room, and inquired its cause. 
 
 Col. Alwin found it was too late to retreat, even if he had 
 desired to do so, so he proceeded to the door and demanded 
 admittance. It was soon opened by the young man he had 
 before seen, who inquired his business in a courteous tone. 
 Alwin briefly informed him that he was benighted, and wished 
 to obtain refreshment and a night's lodging. These were 
 readily granted, and the stranger was ushered into the house. 
 
 On entering the apartment he had so recently scrutinized, 
 he received a polite welcome from the old people ; but the lady 
 he so much desired to see had thrown a thick veil over her 
 face, and its dark folds completely concealed her features. He 
 observed that she appeared agitated, for the small fair hand 
 which lay on her black dress slightly trembled. 
 
 He seated himself, and there was a pause of several moments 
 while the old couple were resuming their former attitudes 
 and recovering from the slight perturbation the incident had 
 occasioned. During this time Col. Alwin was gazing on a ring 
 which encircled one of the fingers of the veiled lady's hand. It 
 was a simple braid of hair in a gold setting, with a small square 
 of jet on the top, in which glittered a diamond. He would 
 have given much to approach near enough to examine the 
 jewel more closely, for such a ring he had once placed on 
 a hand marvellously like the one before hhn ; and had not the 
 belief been impressed on his mind that many years before 
 the "salt seas had closed o'er her lovely head," he would 
 not for an instant have doubted that the idol of his young 
 affections was before him. The old gentleman interrupted 
 his reverie by inquiring 
 
 " From what part of the country are you journeying, mon 
 sieur ?" 
 
 " I came from New Orleans last."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 263 
 
 " Who spoke !" exclaimed the lady, starting up, and gazing 
 wildly around. " That voice is for my dreams alone ; who 
 spoke in it even now ?" 
 
 As she raised her head, her veil dropped on the floor, and 
 when her full melancholy black eye fell on him, Alwin was con 
 vinced that his conjecture was right. No unreal image was 
 before him, but the living, breathing form of Aileen Clifton, he 
 had once so madly loved ! ' The old lady approached her, 
 and spoke in a low soothing tone. 
 
 " Aileen, my darling, why are you thus excited ? It was 
 only the strange gentleman who spoke." 
 
 " Ah, it was his voice, mother. Should I not know the 
 tones that whispered endless love, and were listened to with fond 
 credulity ? Oh, yes, its lightest one would thrill to the heart 
 that has never ceased to love him, though he did trample 
 on it." 
 
 Irrepressible interest caused Col. Alwin to draw near the 
 couch, and as she finished speaking, he said in a low tone 
 
 " Never ceased to love him, Aileen ?" 
 
 " Never ! as I hope for heaven," was the fervent response, as 
 she sank back, exhausted by the violence of her emotions. 
 
 In a few moments she appeared more composed, and address 
 ing the old lady, requested that she might be left alone a short 
 time with the stranger, as he was one she had formerly known. 
 Her request was immediately complied with, and as the door 
 closed after the old couple, she slowly raised herself, and looked 
 earnestly into the pale face which was turned towards her. 
 
 He had removed his hat, and she appeared to be slowly 
 recalling the recollection of some image that lived in her 
 memory, and comparing it with the features before her. At 
 length, veiling her eyes with her hands, she said slowly, and 
 with effort 
 
 " Great God ! is it possible that we again stand face to face ? 
 Who are you ? Tell me ; are you a living being, or only 
 a phantom, come to mock me with your presence ?" 
 
 ' Aileen, do you indeed not know me ? Has time obliterated 
 every recollection of him you once professed to love fondly ? 
 Of him you so cruelly deceived ?" 
 
 " Deceived !" she passionately repeated. " Never never ! 
 I was the victim of treachery, black as ever entered the heart of 
 a fiend. Go go ; leave me. Your presence is a horror to 
 me. I have endeavored to loathe your very name, but I could 
 not. I have tried to curse you, but my lips would not pro-
 
 264 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 nounce the words that could not spring from the heart you had 
 desolated." 
 
 " Aileen, listen to me ; we must both be laboring under 
 a great error. I have believed myself the injured person, and 
 your words would imply that you consider yourself the suffering 
 party. You have but one act to complain of, and that was the 
 deed of a man maddened by passion. What other injury have 
 I inflicted on you ?" 
 
 " Was it no injury to win a fond heart ? to persuade a 
 foolish girl to link her fate with yours, and then leave her 
 to wretchedness ? Was it no injury to leave that same credu 
 lous girl insensible at your feet, with her garments drenched 
 with the life-blood of the son of her benefactors of one with 
 whom she had been reared as a sister ?" 
 
 " Your adopted brother !" exclaimed Alwin, springing to his feet. 
 " I was taught to believe him a lover one you had preferred 
 to me ; that you were to meet that evening to mourn over the 
 infatuation which had led you to become the bride of another ; 
 and then to part for ever. I was to be again received, as though 
 no other love had ever filled your heart. I, who had so nearly 
 staked my all of happiness on my affection for yon. Oh, heaven ! 
 have I indeed been, through my life, the dupe of my own head 
 long passions ! Aileen, can you forgive me ?" 
 
 " I have long since learned to subdue all bitter feeling, and to 
 forgive even as I hope to be myself forgiven." 
 
 " Ever gentle, ever compassionate ; time has not seared your 
 feelings, my much injured ana long-suffering friend. Tell me 
 how you came hither. Many years since, I was induced to 
 believe that you had perished at sea." 
 
 " No ; I was spared to spend a suffering existence in recalling 
 all I once possessed and had torn from me. I learned that 
 you had formed other ties, which must for ever exclude myself 
 and child from having justice done to us. I set out with my 
 infant, and, accompanied by my protectress, determined to claim 
 the station so justly my own, then leave you for ever. The 
 vessel was wrecked, my child and my friend perished. I had 
 been securely fastened to a piece of floating timber, and a few 
 hours after the vessel went to pieces, I was picked up in a 
 senseless state by the crew of a ship bound for Louisiana. 
 
 " A large party of French emigrants were on board, and the 
 excellent people with whom I have since resided were among 
 them. On the voyage from their own country, they had lost 
 an only daughter, and from some fancied resemblance between
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 265 
 
 us, they took me under their protection. I willingly consented 
 to accompany them, for my native land was now odious to me, 
 and yours was not the less linked with memories that threatened 
 to destroy me. My son was dead ; the being in whom I had 
 placed a devoted woman's trust, had forsaken me, and wedded 
 another. The only creature who had ever truly loved me, was 
 my beloved benefactress, and she had perished in following my 
 unhappy fortunes. Thus I was desolate. I have lived here 
 since, with my kind protectors, who have always treated me 
 with the affection of parents." 
 
 There was a pause of deep emotion, only broken by the 
 stifled sobs of the lady. At length Col. Alwin spoke, in a 
 deep hoarse tone. 
 
 " Aileen, I have deeply sinned against you, and scarcely dare 
 to hope for pardon even from your gentle heart. I believed the 
 ties which bound us together had become irksome to you ; that 
 you would gladly avail yourself of the liberty to marry the one 
 you had once preferred. I knew that our marriage was infor 
 mal, and could easily be set aside. Wealth and political con 
 nexions were the temptations, and I fell; I married another; 
 she was young, lovely, and, more than all, she was devoted to 
 me ; but I never loved her. You, alone, have had the power to 
 touch the deep-toned chords of my soul. She died it matters 
 not how her life was a short and brilliant dream, which had 
 but one grief; that one struck a fatal blow upon her tender heart; 
 and only now do I comprehend what the story was, which 
 mysteriously reached my gentle Isabel, and hurried her to her 
 grave. I thank Heaven, that amid the bitterness of this 
 moment, there is a balm for me to offer to your wounded 
 spirit. Your child was saved ; that son, over whose untimely 
 fate you have wept, is living." 
 
 " Lives !" she faintly exclaimed, clasping her hands fervently. 
 " Oh, Father in Heaven, I thank thee." 
 
 " Yes, your protectress escaped with him, and caused him to 
 be delivered into my care ; until recently he was ignorant of 
 the relationship which exists between us, nor is it yet known to 
 the world." 
 
 " My beloved mother, then, lives to bless me yet ! I thought 
 the tides of feeling were frozen in my heart, but this revelation 
 infuses new life into it. I have hitherto endured existence, but 
 now I wish it to be prolonged, that I may once more behold 
 those who are so inexpressibly dear to me." 
 
 As she spoke, the trampling of many feet was heard in the 
 23
 
 266 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 yard, and a loud clear voice spoke, as if giving orders. A 
 thundering knock on the door was next heard, with a demand 
 for instant admission. 
 
 " They come, who are to bear me to infamy, and probably 
 death," said Alwin, sternly ; " I will make one desperate effort, 
 and if that fails I am lost." 
 
 He rapidly approached the window, and threw it open. It 
 was guarded by several men, and turning from his only avenue 
 of escape, he sullenly resigned himself to the custody of the 
 persons who had already entered the room for the purpose of 
 arresting him. 
 
 CHAPTER XLV. 
 
 COL. ALWIN, together with Fitzgerald, was conveyed to 
 Richmond, in Virginia, to be there tried, as the island, on which 
 a treasonable meeting was said to have taken place, was a 
 portion of the territory of that State. Fitzgerald obtained 
 securities for his appearance before the next Circuit Court of the 
 United States for Virginia, and until that time arrived, he was 
 permitted to remain unmolested, to make such arrangements as 
 he deemed necessary for meeting the approaching investigation. 
 Not so Col. Alwin ; popular feeling was so strongly against him, 
 that few courtesies were shown towards him, and he was at 
 once committed to prison to await his trial. 
 
 It was night when he first entered the gloomy walls usually 
 tenanted by the outcasts of mankind ; the wretched inmates 
 crowded around him, and stood in silence, gazing on the cele 
 brated man whom a wayward destiny had thus thrown among 
 them. He bore the scrutiny with patience, but after some 
 moments had elapsed, he placed himself in a corner of the com 
 fortless apartment, and drawing a circle before him, charged his 
 companions in misfortune not to trespass upon it. Then wrap 
 ping himself in his cloak, with a billet of wood for his pillow, he 
 resigned himself to repose, with an appearance of stoical indiffe 
 rence, which inspired both wonder and respect in those around 
 him. 
 
 What a change to him who had been accustomed to all the 
 refinements of life ! who had recently stretched forth his hand to 
 grasp a sceptre !
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 267 
 
 Some time elapsed before Isabel was sufficiently recovered to 
 travel, and when she did arrive her father was shocked at 
 the alteration in her appearance. He could scarcely persuade 
 himself that the pale, drooping form he received in his arms 
 when his prison doors opened to admit her, was his once bril 
 liant daughter. Her spirits were weakened by illness and suffer 
 ing, and she clung to him and wept with such alarming violence 
 that he was compelled to make the interview as brief as 
 possible. 
 
 Julie and Isabel resided with Mr. Fitzgerald, visiting Col. 
 Alwin each day, and spending several hours with him in the 
 prison, in which he was now allowed a private apartment. 
 Immediately after their arrival Zavala had also made his 
 appearance, and after a stormy interview with Col. Alwin, 
 it appeared that he possessed the power to bend the victim 
 of his treachery to his will, for he commanded his daughter 
 to receive him with civility, and informed Miss de Bourg 
 that Zavala had not relinquished his pretensions to her hand. 
 He again became their constant, and almost only visitor, 
 for they secluded themselves from society, under the plea 
 of Isabel's delicate health, and the uncertain situation of 
 Col. Alwin. 
 
 The only recreation the two girls permitted themselves, 
 was in rambling over the less frequented portions of the 
 picturesque hills on which Richmond is principally built. 
 Every bright evening they were to be seen with their arms 
 linked together, strolling out, and returning as twilight deep 
 ened into night. One evening they had wandered to a 
 favorite place of resort, the summit of Church Hill, so called 
 from an old church, the first one ever built in the place, 
 which stands upon it. It was a picturesque looking build 
 ing, partially covered with ivy, and surrounded by the graves 
 of the generations that had passed away since the city was 
 founded. 
 
 The gate which led into the cemetery was open, and Isabel 
 expressed a wish to enter. 
 
 " Dear Isabel," said Julie, " in your present state of health 
 you had better not visit so gloomy a place." 
 
 " I would not shrink from looking on the last home of all the 
 living," replied Isabel, mournfully ; " on the spot where I must 
 very soon lie. I am young, Julie, but the budding beauties of 
 spring will not greet my eyes ; its flowers will bloom above my 
 grave."
 
 268 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 " Do not talk thus, Isabel ; indeed indeed I cannot bear it," 
 said Julie, affectionately pressing the arm that lay heavily upon 
 her own. " This melancholy fancy is a mere fantasy, conjured up 
 by weakened spirits and delicate health. You will live to smile 
 at it, dearest." 
 
 There was a pause, and they slowly walked around the 
 grave-yard. 
 
 " Look, Julie," said Isabel, calling her attention to a kneeling 
 figure. " We are not the only visitors to this lonely place." 
 
 Julie looked in the direction she indicated, and beheld a 
 figure wrapped in a cloak, busily employed in pulling up 
 the weeds which grew around a highly ornamented marble 
 tablet, overshadowed by an immense willow tree. She ap 
 proached, and heard her muttering to herself 
 
 " Shame shame on them, to let the rank and noisome 
 weeds overgrow that bonny one's grave, while I was away, and 
 could not see to it myself. I will root them all out, and when 
 the moon rides high in the heavens, I will come and hold my 
 revels here, where none can disturb me ; for she, poor thing, 
 cannot come from her cold bed to trouble me. Ah, me ! but it's 
 a wrong world we live in !" 
 
 She then commenced rocking her body to and fro, while she 
 chanted a mournful ditty, keeping time with the motion of her 
 hands. 
 
 The two girls had a faint idea of having seen her before, 
 but neither of them could call to mind when or where, until the 
 noise of their approaching footsteps aroused her, and she looked 
 up. They instantly recognised the fortune-teller who had been 
 seen by them at the island. She raised her finger, and said, as 
 she looked on the changed face of Isabel 
 
 " So you have come to look on your bonny mamma's grave, 
 young lady. Tread lightly, for the sod on which your foot rests 
 is the home of a human heart. Ah, but time has dealt sorely 
 with you, my gay bird, since I last looked on you. Do you now 
 believe in the weird I read you then ? You said you feared 
 nothing I could predict for you. Have not my words proved 
 over true, maiden ? Has not the two edged sword of sor 
 row and shame reached your heart ! Tears ah, I see you can 
 weep ; your grief is not deep, or tears would not come to your 
 eyes ; they never come to mine. I have prayed for them, but 
 my heart was too hard to obtain their softening influence." 
 
 She again commenced her low chant, and the employment 
 their appearance had interrupted. Isabel, unable to support
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 269 
 
 herself, sank on the tombstone around which the old woman 
 was busied, and wept with violence. A shade of anger passed 
 over Theresa's face, and rudely grasping the arm of the afflicted 
 girl, she said 
 
 " Is this 'the way you treat the tablet of your own mother ? 
 Rise up, girl, and read that name on the slab." 
 
 Isabel sprang up at her words, and with eyes nearly blinded 
 by tears, read the following words : 
 
 "ISABEL ALWIIT, AGED 18." 
 
 " Passing away is written on the world, and all it contains." 
 
 " The wearied heart has been long at rest," said Theresa, 
 solemnly, " but the sods were not laid on it until the last cord 
 was broken, the last hope torn away, which had once made its 
 dwelling-place in that pure sanctuary. / told the cruel tale 
 that blasted her youth, to be avenged on him ; I crushed her ! 
 Ah, many is the weary hour I have watched by that grave, and 
 mourned over the fate of the young being that lay under its 
 green cover." 
 
 " You knew my mother then," said the deeply agitated 
 Isabel. " Oh, if you know the cause of her early death, reveal 
 it to her child." 
 
 " I do, young lady," said Theresa solemnly. " It was a 
 stricken heart. Have you ever loved, Miss Alvvin ? Not the 
 love of worldlings not the love that may pass away, as the 
 breath-stain on glass, and be forgotten : no no the wild 
 passionate love, that brings scath and desolation to the heart 
 that harbors it. If you have felt such love, and been deceived 
 been compelled to tear the veil from your eyes to find that 
 the idol at whose shrine you have knelt and offered the purest 
 homage of the heart was but gilded clay that your imagina 
 tion had gifted him with a nobility of nature that belonged not 
 to him ; then you may feel what laid this young head here. 
 But I am talking too much I am telling a tale I was com 
 manded not to breathe on pain of having my worthless life 
 taken from me. Yes those were his words ' my worthless 
 life,' as if my life is not of as much value as his. Ha ! ha ! just 
 now, it would bring more, I fancy. Oh ! he is a fearful man !" 
 
 Before Isabel could reply, she turned suddenly to Julie, and 
 said 
 
 " I have sought for you, and found you not ; and when I had 
 almost ceased to hope for you, you come. Where may your 
 23*
 
 270 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 bonny lady mother lie ? They say she came from a far country, 
 and perished among strangers." 
 
 " My mother came from France," said Julie, gently. " I am 
 an orphan." 
 
 " What ! both father and mother dead ? And do you 
 believe that story ? Why, simple as I am, I know better than 
 that ; and yet they call me crazy. The children follow me 
 through the streets, and taunt me as the mad Theresa ; but for 
 all that I know some things better than you. Let me tell you 
 a secret, young lady, that you would give much to know. I 
 saw one a few days since, the sight of whom would make your 
 eyes sparkle with pleasure. His is a blithe and a bold spirit ; 
 and it does my old heart good to look at his handsome face. 
 There was one with him too, on whose brow was the light of a 
 new-born hope ; and the flash of his dark eye is wonderfully 
 like your own. How do you know that your father is dead ?" 
 
 " He perished with many others of the noblest sons of France. 
 Come, Isabel, we linger too long. Let us return, or we shall 
 scarcely reach home before nightfall." 
 
 " Ha ! ha !" laughed Theresa. " You think this is some of 
 my crazy jargon, and you do not choose to listen to me longer. 
 You will find before long, that there's meaning in it that you 
 dream not of. Good night, pretty ones good night." 
 
 They walked on some distance in silence ; each one absorbed 
 in her own thoughts. At last Julie suddenly said 
 
 " What could the woman mean by her mysterious words, and 
 her evident allusion to Charles ? He must be near us, or she 
 could not so recently have seen him. Perhaps he is coming to 
 attend your father's trial." 
 
 " Perhaps so I think it very likely ; but do not place too 
 much stress on yonder crazy vagrant's words, dear Julie. Of 
 my mother she spoke so strangely ; how could sorrow have 
 reached her ? such sorrow as breaks the heart, when she was 
 my father's wife ? She must have loved him, and he never 
 could have been unkind to any creature that was attached to 
 him. Depend upon it, she merely talked at random." 
 
 " I would fain hope not," replied Julie with a deep sigh. 
 
 Nothing more was said until they reached the door of their 
 own dwelling. They there found Zavala and Col. Alwin in 
 earnest conversation, as they walked to and fro the hall. An 
 officer who had accompanied the prisoner, stood at the door 
 watching his movements, to guard against escape. He was 
 frequently allowed the privilege of walking out at the close of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 271 
 
 the evening, as close confinement had seriously impaired his 
 health. 
 
 Col. Alwin was evidently angry, and his spirit seemed to 
 chafe at the necessity of concealing it. Some mysterious power 
 Zavala evidently possessed over his companion, whose source it 
 was difficult to fathom. He was, as usual, calm and self-pos 
 sessed : determined on gaining his purpose, he did not permit 
 his temper for an instant to jeopardize the certainty of success. 
 His bow to the young ladies as they passed him was as polite, 
 and his smile as winning, as though the subject he was discuss 
 ing had not called forth all the bitterness of his nature. 
 
 " How 1 do detest that false cold man !" said Isabel, as they 
 entered their own room. " His everlasting smile, and the 
 modulated tones of his voice, are so unnatural. I wonder how 
 my father can tolerate the presence of one who has played so 
 base a part towards him." 
 
 " Isabel, do not be so severe. Remember there is still a pos 
 sibility a faint one, I trust but still a possibility, that I may 
 become this man's wife." 
 
 " Good Heaven ! I hope not ! He the traitor the per 
 jured, dishonored renegade to the cause he had sworn to 
 support known as the betrayer of those who trusted him, and 
 now summoned to this place to give his evidence against my 
 father : he your husband ! My father would die sooner than 
 suffer such a misalliance." 
 
 " If it is as I suspect," replied Julie with a quivering lip and 
 unsteady voice " your father will have no choice. If he is in 
 the power of Zavala, and I am again made the price of his 
 redemption, do you think I could hesitate ? No no I dare 
 not think of my own happiness, when I can save him from 
 the fate to which Zavala would consign him, were it not for 
 the influence over him his unhappy preference gives me." 
 
 " My poor Julie," said Isabel, tenderly embracing her, 
 " must you then become the victim to purchase his safety ? 
 You can never love this odious man " 
 
 " Love him," repeated Julie, with a shudder. "Oh, that 
 I could only find something in his character to esteem. I 
 might then hope to conquer the dislike I feel towards him. It 
 is a terrible struggle, Isabel, when duty and inclination thus 
 thwart each other. Until of late, a hope has sustained me that 
 I could eventually escape from this dreaded marriage ; but 
 since Zavala's last appearance among us, I have had an intuitive 
 foreboding of the course affairs would take. At this mo-
 
 272 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 ment I know he is urging your father on that subject, and dic 
 tating terms to him." 
 
 There was a knock at the door, and Miss de Bourg was sum 
 moned to the parlor. When she entered she found Zavala 
 awaiting her. He advanced, and led her to a seat ; he was 
 silent some moments, as if at a loss for words to resume a suit 
 which had been so decidedly rejected beside the dead body of 
 Inez. He at length said 
 
 " Julie, you still look coldly on me. Has all my love failed 
 utterly to win one softer feeling towards me ? Do I find 
 you as adverse as formerly to the fulfilment of our engage 
 ment ?" 
 
 " More much more so, Don Pedro," replied Julie, with 
 drawing the hand he endeavored to take. " Had I ever esteemed 
 or loved you, your conduct to my guardian would have changed 
 those feelings into contempt and aversion. I never can consent 
 to " 
 
 " Stop cruel, unfeeling as you are ! Stop and hear me ;" 
 and hie white lips quivered with passion. " Do you remember 
 the day we stood together beside the corpse of her who 
 truly loved me ? Did I not then swear to you that I would 
 yet compel you to fulfil the engagement you then broke ? 
 Now listen, and learn what your fatal beauty has accomplished. 
 From that hour your guardian's fate was sealed. I betrayed 
 him, that my power over you might not pass away. I retained 
 papers which, if produced at his trial, will force those most 
 leniently disposed towards him, to award him the doom of 
 the traitor. His fate is in your hands. Now, Miss de Bourg, 
 act as your heart dictates." 
 
 He stopped, for he feared from her extreme paleness and agi 
 tation, that she would faint. 
 
 " Julie, dearest Julie, forgive my harshness. I love you too 
 well to behold your sufferings without feeling what a wretch I 
 am to render you unhappy. Pardon my strange wooing, Julie ; 
 but I must win you or die." 
 
 She motioned to him to leave her. With effort she said 
 
 " To-morrow I will answer you. I must think. This revela 
 tion has but widened the gulf between us, yet you persist 
 in claiming a chilled and revolted heart, as the ruling spirit of 
 your future borne. Beware, Don Pedro Zavala ; an outraged 
 woman may become the torment of him who has forced her to 
 debase herself in her own esteem." 
 
 " Lovely termagant ! I fear you not. The iron nerve
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 273 
 
 that could bend you to my will before marriage, will enable me 
 to rule you afterwards. Adieu ! I am as certain of you now as 
 if the words had already been said which will chain you 
 to my triumphal car. It is something worth accomplishing to 
 triumph over a dislike like yours. You shall love me yet, Julie, 
 or at least you shall feign it, if you feel it not." 
 
 With an exulting smile he kissed his hand to her as he 
 left the room. Julie threw herself on a sofa, and thought over 
 the scene which had just passed, until her mind became a com 
 plete chaos of dark and confused emotions. Had she indeed 
 been the cause of such overwhelming disaster to her guardian ? 
 But for the fatal love which she had inspired, he might have been 
 at the summit of his desires. Could she then refuse to save 
 him from the doom that hung suspended over him ? After some 
 time spent in endeavoring to compose her mind, she arose 
 and sought her guardian. She found him still in the hall, 
 seated near a window, with his face buried in his hands. When 
 she spoke to him he looked up, and she saw that he was,still 
 pale from the violent excitement of his interview with Zavala. 
 lie attempted to address her, but for some moments his voice 
 was so unsteady that it was with difficulty she understood him. 
 
 " Julie, Zavala has been with you. You know, my child, the 
 terms on Avhich we stand. He exacts from me another effort to 
 move you in his favor. 
 
 " And what answer did you return, dear sir ?" inquired Julie, 
 in a faltering tone. 
 
 " I have no choice," said he gloomily. " I would have saved 
 you from this marriage if it had been possible. It is not. I am 
 in his power, and he knows it. He holds the sword suspended 
 above my head, and you must bid him remove it, or suffer it to 
 fall and destroy me." 
 
 " Is there no alternative ; no other means of inducing him to 
 withhold the evidence he has in his power to give ?" . 
 
 " None ; he is inexorable. I have been almost tempted 
 to say to him, ' Go, and do your worst ; I will die sooner than 
 submit to such ignoble terms.' " 
 
 " No, no ; do not speak thus, dear sir ; I will fulfil this 
 engagement. I cannot waver a moment, when I know your 
 safety is so deeply implicated. I only ask this favor. Let the 
 marriage be postponed as long as possible. Until after the trial 
 is over, suffer things to remain as they are. When you are safe 
 I will give my hand to Don Pedro on the same evening, if he 
 wishes it ; but not before."
 
 274 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Col. Alwin was deeply affected at the unselfish devotion 
 manifested by his ward, and he kissed her tenderly as he thanked 
 her. As she looked into his face, she saw that those proud eyes 
 which usually suppressed any other emotion than softness, 
 were filled with tears. He dashed them hastily away, as if 
 ashamed of such wanton evidences of feeling. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVL 
 
 IT was towards the close of a clear sunny day, in the spring 
 of the year 18 that two travellers reined up their steeds on 
 an" eminence which commands a view of the city of Richmond. 
 One was a gentleman advanced in life, with the serious deport 
 ment of a man who had spent the best years of his life in strug 
 gling with disappointments that wear the spirit, and wither 
 without debasing the heart. 
 
 His companion was many years younger ; but his face, too, 
 wore the shadow of deep and sorrowful thought. The glow of 
 a brilliant sunset was fading from the sky, and its last lingering 
 beams were reflected from the spires of the city. Below them 
 lay the village of Manchester, in all its great beauty ; the wind 
 ing river, with its mimic falls, breaking in foam over the rocky' 
 ledges that obstruct its course, gleamed in the ruddy light ; a 
 small island, in the centre of the stream, was covered with a 
 luxuriant growth of trees, which were reflected on the broken 
 surface of the water in a thousand fantastic shapes. On the 
 opposite side lay the city of Richmond, built on its three pic 
 turesque hills. The houses were generally surrounded by thick 
 shrubbery, and their white walls offered a pleasant contrast to 
 the vivid green of nature's garniture. Strikingly opposed to 
 the lightness and elegance of the buildings, was the main street, 
 which stretched at the base of the hills its heavy closely built 
 houses, used principally for mercantile purposes. The Capitol, 
 standing on the summit of Shocco Hill, and proudly overlooking 
 the rest of the city, elicited several remarks from our travellers. 
 The elder one said, with melancholy emphasis 
 
 " The place is much changed since I last looked upon it, but 
 not so much as I myself am. There the hand of man has 
 wrought great improvements, while here (striking his hand on 
 his breast) the will of One, to whom they are as atoms, has 
 wrought desolation."
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 275 
 
 " Why say so now ?'' replied his companion. " You are 
 about to claim one who will give a new interest to life ; whose 
 affection will repay you for all your sufferings." 
 
 "True, but I cannot look on these scenes without recalling 
 the mournful fact. I came to this city years ago, a refugee 
 from my native land, seeking an adored wife and an only child. 
 I remember what visions of rapture filled my heart, as the vessel 
 that bore me sailed up yonder river. I deemed myself certain 
 of meeting my beloved ones, and in fancy I beheld those so 
 long and eagerly sought, clasped to my breast in safety. I 
 reached the bourne of my wishes fled with frantic haste to the 
 house to which I had been directed, and there beheld a 
 stranger ! A similarity in circumstances, and a slight resem 
 blance in name, had deceived the person who gave me the fal 
 lacious hopes of finding in her the wife I sought. Ah, Charles, 
 what words shall paint the agony that then overwhelmed me ? 
 I continued my search throughout every portion of the United 
 States, and until I met with you, I gained no clue to the fate of 
 those I loved better than life. Now I go to seek one who has 
 been reared among strangers, and taught to yield her affections, 
 her obedience, to the protector of her childhood. Do you 
 indeed think she can give to me the love my yearning heart 
 will crave ? I fear I shall be too exacting." 
 
 " Never too much so for her," said the young man eagerly. 
 " If I know her heart, it will bound to meet, and cling to yours, 
 with all the devotion a father can require." 
 
 " Ah, Charles, you speak as a lover, and one on whom disap 
 pointment has seldom fallen. I fear to anticipate good, dread 
 ing that evil may be present with me. But let us hasten ; if 
 we linger thus, night will overtake us before we get into the 
 town." 
 
 They put spurs to their horses, and soon arrived at the prin 
 cipal hotel. On entering the house, they found it crowded with 
 persons who had been drawn thither by the trial of Col. Alwin, 
 which had commenced several weeks before. Every group they 
 encountered was discussing the proceedings of the judicial inves 
 tigation, which was then agitating the whole Union. Among 
 the crowd, the younger traveller recognised several acquaint 
 ances ; he approached one of them, and inquired 
 
 " How fares it with Col. Alwin, Mr. Banks ?" 
 
 The person thus addressed, looked serious as he replied 
 
 " No one can as yet tell what the result of his trial will be. 
 Heretofore, there has been no evidence offered which can impli-
 
 276 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 cate him in a treasonable conspiracy against the government. 
 It is whispered by some that this Spaniard, who is constantly 
 with him, has proofs, if he would bring them forward ; but 
 Alwin has found means to induce him to withhold them. I 
 must confess that I do not wish them to come to light ; I con 
 sider him sufficiently punished in being dragged before the tri 
 bunal of his country, to answer to the charges preferred against 
 him. The tide of popular opinion is strongly against him just 
 now, and it would go hard with him if proofs against him 
 should be brought forward. If you were to see Col. Alwin's 
 daughter, and the wife of Fitzgerald, you could not forbear 
 wishing them to be acquitted, even if you believed them to be 
 both guilty." 
 
 " As to the guilt of Fitzgerald," replied Russell, " it is but 
 justice to believe that he was infatuated and dazzled by the 
 prospects held out to him, without believing that any injury 
 was designed towards the country in which he had found an 
 asylum." 
 
 " That is the ground his counsel have taken. To-morrow, 
 Wirt speaks in his defence, and we are on the qui vive, expect 
 ing one of the most eloquent harangues that has yet been made. 
 It seems a strange inconsistency in human nature, which 
 induces a man already in possession of all that can render life 
 desirable, to risk its loss by grasping at more. Such was 
 eminently the case with Fitzgerald : what had he to do with 
 the feverish desire the withering selfishness of ambition ? If 
 he could not be contented in the lot Providence had assigned 
 him, he scarcely deserves happiness. I have seen his wife in 
 court, day after day, since the trial has been progressing ; and 
 I own, when I looked on her pale face, bowed in anguish on 
 her bosom, I could scarcely excuse the husband who could peril 
 her happiness by joining in so desperate an adventure as this 
 has proved." 
 
 In the ensuing conversation Russell learned that Col. Alwin 
 had been removed from the jail, and was then confined in the 
 upper apartments of the Penitentiary, which afforded a more 
 comfortable and secure lodging for him. After seeing his 
 fellow-traveller accommodated with a room, he wandered out in 
 search of it without any more definite object in view than to 
 see the walls which inclosed his father. A boy guided him to 
 the gloomy place he sought, which was some distance from the 
 city. 
 
 A solitary light gleamed from an upper casement, and he
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 277 
 
 could fancy his stern and haughty parent there, alone with the 
 whirlwind of passions that must fill his soul, as the conviction 
 darkened upon it, that he, the aspiring, the undaunted, was 
 really a prisoner, awaiting the sentence of his country's laws on 
 his very existence. 
 
 In a few moments the door opened, and two figures issued 
 from the building. As thev passed the lamp which hung at 
 the entrance, Russell recognised in one of them a legal gentle 
 man who acted as counsellor to Col. Alwin. Having a slight 
 acquaintance with him he immediately joined him, and learned 
 from him all the proceedings of the trial which had already 
 taken place. 
 
 " If you wish to master all the details of the case, Mr. 
 Russell," he concluded, " and will accompany me to my office, 
 I shall be happy to allow you to look over the papers which 
 are in my possession. I believe you were a portion of the time 
 on the island ; and, perhaps, may be able to furnish some 
 information that may be important in the defence I intend 
 making." 
 
 Russell gladly availed himself of the offer, and accompanied 
 him at once to his office, where the night was spent in master 
 ing the cause in which was involved the happiness of all that 
 was dear to him. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVIL 
 
 EARLY on the following morning the whole city was alive 
 with persons who had crowded into it from all portions of the 
 union, to hear the close of the trial, which had attracted the 
 deepest interest from the celebrity of the principal individual, 
 and the novel nature of the charge preferred against him. 
 
 Russell had passed a busy night, and with the dawn of 
 morning he walked out to refresh his exhausted mind, and to 
 calm his feelings for the business of the day. 
 
 When the deep-toned bell gave the signal for the court to 
 commence its proceedings, he lingered on the outside of the 
 Capitol, watching the crowds that poured into it, until he was 
 
 joined by Mr. . With difficulty they made their way to.. 
 
 the place appointed for the lawyers, and when there, Russell 
 almost feared to look towards the prisoner. He dreaded to find 
 
 24
 
 278 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 the weight of years added to his appearance by the occurrences 
 of the past few months ; but when he did glance at that 
 unbending front and inscrutable face, he felt surprised at his 
 own fears. 
 
 Col. Alwin was standing with his arms folded on his breast, 
 his clear eye steadily regarding the crowd that looked on him ; 
 there was no shrinking in that eagle glance no consciousness 
 that he was regarded as a criminal by those before him. Calm, 
 proud, and self-possessed, he did not permit a sign of suffering 
 to escape him. The lines around the mouth were a little deep 
 ened, and the broad brow bore a few more furrows than when 
 Russell had last looked on him. These were the only visible 
 tokens of the storm which had swept over him, levelling his 
 haughty aspirations with the dust leaving him without a hope 
 of ever regaining the height from which he had fallen. Yet, 
 beneath that outward calm, who shall dare to penetrate ? Who 
 shall dare to rend the veil from that fearful prison house 1 the 
 heart of him whose ambition had been the idol of his life, thus 
 dragged before the tribunal of his country, branded with the 
 name of traitor ? Who shall paint the fearful anguish of that 
 high-hearted man the humiliations which poured their floods 
 of bitterness over his proud and fiery soul, as he stood there a 
 marvel and a wonder to the gazing crowd that surrounded him ? 
 
 By his side was Fitzgerald. He also was composed in his 
 bearing ; but his cheeks were sunken, his eyes heavy, and his 
 whole appearance bore the stamp of the deepest dejection and 
 anxiety. His eyes constantly wandered to a distant part of the 
 building where his wife and the daughters of Col. Alwin were 
 seated. A curtain was drawn in front of them ; and as Russell 
 followed the direction of Fitzgerald's eyes, he caught a glimpse 
 of a pallid face, looking from behind its folds, and a slight 
 gesture assured him that Isabel had recognised him, even 
 amidst that crowd. 
 
 The cause was opened in due form, and the defender of Fitz 
 gerald, one of America's most gifted sons, a man she must 
 ever be proud to claim as one of her brightest ornaments, arose 
 from his seat. A deep hush fell over that dense crowd as 
 the clear full tones of the speaker's voice rolled through the 
 wide hall, each modulation distinctly heard in its remotest 
 corner. In language of glowing eloquence he described that 
 paradise which the tempter, like a second serpent, had marred. 
 He described Col. Alwin as the subtle fiend, casting his spells 
 over his victim with sure and deadly intent, to destroy his peace
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 279 
 
 and respectability. By the mighty power of genius he bore his 
 audience along with him, now melting into pity over the 
 anguish of the wife and mother, now thrilling with indignation 
 as the arts which had deceived the unhappy prisoner were 
 dwelt on. 
 
 He finished ; and as he sank back upon his seat, loud mur 
 murs of applause greeted him. Before the excitement sub 
 sided, one of the opposite counsel arose a young man of 
 modest and pleasing exterior. Many wondered that he should 
 dare to reply to the burst of eloquence to which they had just 
 listened ; but although very pale, he did not appear the least 
 daunted. At first his voice was low, and the few opening 
 sentences were inaudible, except to those immediately around 
 him ; but he soon obtained the mastery over the painful feelings 
 which struggled in his breast, and his deep-toned voice rang 
 over the crowded assembly as clear and bold as that of his pre 
 decessor. He described that lovely island home as he had seen 
 it, with eloquence little inferior to that of his opponent, and 
 showed wherein imagination had veiled the truth. He described 
 the owner of that Eden as one weary of the solitude in which he 
 lived, eager for action, yet weakly wavering, until a bolder 
 spirit dared to point out to him the means of attaining his 
 wishes. He showed that he had been warned, and refused 
 to listen ; that he had willingly grasped the glittering bubble, 
 which had burst and drawn destruction on his head. 
 
 When Col. Alwin heard the first tones of the speaker's voice, 
 he started forward to assure himself that his ears had not 
 deceived him ; and as he ascertained the identity of his defender, 
 a flush mounted even to his pale temples ; but no other sign of 
 emotion was visible throughout the whole time. 
 
 " Well done, my young friend ! A grateful heart has indeed 
 
 inspired you," said Mr. , as Russell sank back on his seat, 
 
 exhausted by the long and energetic speech he had just 
 utterred. 
 
 "Who is this young man?" was murmured among the 
 crowd. 
 
 " I do not know. A protege, I believe, of Col. Alwin," was 
 the reply. 
 
 " Let him be who he may, he is a noble-hearted fellow ; aye, 
 and one of sound rnind too," said a bluff old man, who had. 
 listened with the deepest attention to every word that fell from 
 the lips of Russell. 
 
 The sheriff commanded order in court, and the Chief Justice
 
 280 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 arose, and in a concise and masterly manner, summed up 
 the evidence which had been brought forward on the trial. 
 He then seated himself, and the jury retired to their chamber. 
 
 Fitzgerald buried his face in his hands, and his nervous rest 
 lessness betrayed his anxiety as to the result. No change took 
 place either in the countenance or position of Col. Alwin, until 
 the jury returned. Immovable as a block of granite, he ap 
 peared the most unconcerned one amid that vast crowd, as 
 to the result of their deliberations. 
 
 When they had re-appeared, and seated themselves, he 
 suddenly leaned forward, and listened eagerly for the words of 
 the foreman ; and a gleam of triumph crossed his expressive 
 features as he heard them. 
 
 " We, the jury, say that Frederick Alwin is not proved to be 
 guilty under this indictment, by any evidence submitted to us. 
 We therefore pronounce him Not Guilty." 
 
 He was proceeding to make a similar report respecting 
 the decision on Fitzgerald's case, when a stifled shriek inter 
 rupted the proceedings of the court, and a way was opened 
 through the crowd for the fainting form of a lady, to be borne 
 out. It was the excited and sensitive Isabel, who had persisted 
 in attending the last day of the trial, although her health was 
 much too feeble to render such a course prudent. 
 
 CHAPTER XLVin. 
 
 WHEN Russell left the Capitol he avoided his father, and 
 escaped as quickly as possible from the crowd of persons 
 who pressed around him, to offer their congratulations on 
 his successful defence. At that moment his mind was occupied 
 with far different thoughts ; he hastened to the hotel, and with 
 a light step sprang up the flight of stairs leading to the room of 
 his companion of the preceding day. He found him eagerly 
 expecting him. 
 
 " What news ? ah ! I see 'it is joyful.' 1 
 
 " Yes ; he is free cleared and I have been partly instru 
 mental in accomplishing this. Oh, my dear friend, I am the 
 happiest fellow alive." 
 
 " And I, too, am happy, Charles. Happy in my sympathy 
 with your delight, and far, far happier in my own anticipations
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 281 
 
 of joy. I have seen her, boy, and never did my heart thrill 
 with such rapture as when I gazed on the sweet face of 
 my daughter, and felt the exultation of a fond, proud father. If 
 her mind is as lovely as her person, I am too blessed." 
 
 " Have you spoken to her, or made yourself known ?" in 
 quired Russell, in some surprise. 
 
 " No it was merely by accident that I obtained a view of 
 her. I have been lingering about the house all day, and was 
 only withheld from entering by my promise to you not to seek 
 her until this trial was over, and her protector safe. Late this 
 evening, as she accompanied Miss Alwin home, I saw her, I 
 heard her speak as she passed me. Ah ! that voice betrayed 
 my child at once : it was that of her dead mother, and my 
 heart grew faint within me as I listened to its tones. I leaned 
 on the palings around their yard, and looked at her : her eye 
 met mine with an expression of surprise, but it melted into a 
 sweet smile, as she bowed as if recognising an acquaintance. 
 Oh, Charles, I do not wonder that you love her ! I already 
 adore her !" 
 
 " How could you restrain yourself from rushing forward and 
 claiming her as your child ?" 
 
 " Ah ! that would have been too much like a hero fashioned 
 by one of my own countrymen. You forget, too, that with me 
 the age of impulse is past, and I anticipate far more rational 
 enjoyment in revealing myself this evening to her guardian, and 
 claiming my daughter at his hands. Besides, this Zavala is to 
 be dealt with." 
 
 It had been arranged that the marriage of Julie should take 
 place on the evening of the acquittal of her guardian, as Zavala 
 would not consent to postpone his reward longer than the free 
 dom of Col. Alwin placed it out of his power to use the papers 
 in his possession to his detriment. The ceremony was to be as 
 private as possible, and again Julie saw the evening approach 
 which was to give her to him, with feelings of even deeper 
 repugnance than she had before felt. Let her sufferings be 
 what they might, she had determined that she would not per 
 mit them to be visible to her beloved protector. His spirit 
 was already sufficiently harassed, without permitting him to see 
 the extent of the wretchedness she had inflicted on herself to 
 save him. Late in the evening she walked out in the extensive 
 garden which surrounded their abode, that she might indulge 
 her emotions unobserved, and escape for a few moments from 
 the sound of human voices, for it seemed to her that all 
 
 24*
 
 282 THE O O N 8 P I K A T O R . 
 
 sounded cold and unfeeling. She threw herself on a rustic 
 seat, and unclosed a small case containing a miniature of Rus 
 sell. It was the last look of sorrowing affection on the features 
 of the only being she feared she could ever regard with that 
 deep and enduring love her heart was so eminently formed to 
 feel, and tears gathered slowly on her long lashes, and fell on 
 the inanimate resemblance. She pressed it to her lips, and 
 kissed the lucid drops from the glass that covered it, as she 
 murmured 
 
 " It surely is not wrong to look on him for the last time. 
 After this evening, I must forget my feelings towards him. 
 I will repress them or die ; but now I must weep over lost hap 
 piness and disappointed dreams. Oh, would that this weight 
 of wretchedness could be removed from my heart !" 
 
 " Who talks of wretchedness ?" said a voice close behind her. 
 She started in alarm, and looking up, beheld Theresa standing 
 beneath the shadow of a neighboring tree. 
 
 " Who talks of wretchedness where I am ? Dare you speak 
 of it with that unwrinkled brow and raven hair ? Mine turned 
 white in a night, and I am not one to grieve either over much, 
 where calamity is not of that overwhelming kind that crushes 
 both hope and reason at a single blow. What sorrow have 
 you known, daughter of hope and affection ? Have you ever 
 watched beside the bed of one who was dearest of all earth's 
 creatures, while the fluttering spirit was hovering on the brink 
 of eternity ? Have you felt the clasp of the cold fingers grow 
 fainter and fainter until they parted from their hold ? Have 
 you seen the eye gazing into yours with that earnestness which 
 seems as if the spirit would carry into the grave the remem 
 brance of your features, grow dim and sightless ? Then, and 
 only then, have you seen the shadows of the night of affliction 
 closing around you, and darkening all your future life. Speak 
 not of sorrow, maiden you know not what it is. Tell me the 
 cause of your unhappiness : perhaps I may be able to give you 
 some comfort some hope amid despondency. You are robed 
 as a bride, and your cheek is as colorless as your dress. Can 
 you be on the eve of marrying that dark villain who compassed 
 the destruction of your guardian's fine schemes ? Speak is 
 it so ?" 
 
 " It is ; but of what interest can that be to you, my good 
 woman ?" 
 
 " Nothing to me, perhaps, but worth knowing to one I have 
 much cause to love ; and for his sake I would save you from
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 283 
 
 this marriage. What end can your guardian now serve by 
 forcing you into such a measure ?" 
 
 " You speak strangely. How do you know it is not my wish 
 to marry him ?" 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! and you think to deceive me ! Ah ! young one, 
 your face reveals a different story to that your lips utter. Does 
 the dove mate with the vulture ? No, lady the heart that 
 has once loved Charles Russell may not lightly forget that 
 love, and least of all, for such a rival as your guardian would 
 give him. Good bye I must hurry away to tell my news to 
 those it most concerns ; for it takes a long head and a short 
 wit to keep even with Alwin." 
 
 She turned away, and walked rapidly towards the lower part 
 of the garden, where there was a gate, which communicated 
 with a back street. The reflections of Julie on this strange 
 apparition were interrupted by the voice of Isabel, calling on 
 her name. She immediately arose, and returned with her to 
 the house. 
 
 Only a few persons besides the family had been invited to 
 witness the ceremony ; and at the hour appointed, Col. Alwin 
 entered the room in which Julie sat, endeavoring to wear an 
 air of serenity. He trembled as he folded her to his heart, and 
 informed her that Zavala and the clergyman had arrived, and 
 only awaited her presence in the next apartment. 
 
 " One moment ; one short moment more," said Julie, in irre 
 pressible agitation. 
 
 " I will allow you five, my love. At the end of that time I 
 hope you will be more composed." 
 
 " I will I will," she hurriedly replied, and the door closed 
 on his retiring figure. Never was a more fervent prayer offered 
 up at the throne of the Most High, than that which sprang 
 from the breaking heart of the unhappy girl, as she stood with 
 her hands clasped over her throbbing brow. By a powerful 
 effort she stifled the rush of overwhelming emotion, which 
 threatened to destroy all the calmness she had been able to attain. 
 
 Leaning on the arm of the only being who fully understood 
 her feelings, Julie at the end of the promised time proceeded to 
 the sitting room. Col. Alwin met her at the door, and placing 
 her hand in that of the triumphant Zavala, proceeded to 
 the parlor, where the party had assembled that was to witness 
 the espousals of the lovely, but unhappy looking creature, who 
 clung to the arm of Isabel, as if for support in the trying scene 
 before her.
 
 284 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 A mist seemed to fall over her sight, and for an instant 
 her senses reeled. The first words she heard the minister utter 
 were 
 
 " All who have any objection to these two persons being 
 joined in marriage, speak now, or for ever after hold their 
 peace." 
 
 There was an almost imperceptible pause, and the clergyman 
 was about to proceed, when a slight movement was made near 
 the door, and a full clear voice said 
 
 "I do ; forbear, old man ; commit not so cruel and impious 
 an act, as to join together those who stand before you." 
 
 Every one looked around in amazement, and Col. Alwin 
 haughtily said 
 
 " Who dares to interrupt the ceremony ? Advance, whoever 
 you may be, and allege your objections to my ward being given 
 in marriage to this gentleman." 
 
 A figure advanced from the door, wrapped in a large cloak, 
 with his hat pulled over his brow, in such a manner as to con 
 ceal all except the lower part of his face. He walked slowly up 
 to the bridal group, and said deliberately 
 
 " / object to this young lady being bestowed on that person 
 who holds her hand, and I have a good right to do so." 
 
 " And who the devil are you ?" exclaimed Zavala, laying his 
 hand on his dagger, with a menacing air. 
 
 The stranger dropped his cloak, and exhibited a tall graceful 
 figure, arrayed in the brilliant uniform of the guards of the un 
 happy Louis XVI. ; then removing his hat, he threw back thick 
 clusters of slightly silvered hair, and exposed a countenance 
 which time and sorrow had furrowed, but which still retained 
 traces of great manly beauty. 
 
 Every eye present glanced from the noble face thus ex 
 hibited, to that of the pale and shrinking bride ; and all could 
 discern a marked resemblance to him who thus claimed the 
 right to control her destiny. 
 
 Had the eye of the stranger possessed the fatal power 
 attributed to that of the Caliph Vathek, it could not have 
 wrought a more instantaneous effect on Zavala. His face 
 became of a deathlike hue, and he glared on the intruder as if 
 he doubted the evidence of his senses. 
 
 " I, sir, am the Comte de Bourg," said he, as he threw 
 his arm around the form of his daughter, and drew her from 
 the side of Zavala. "I have to thank you, sir, for your unre 
 mitting exertions to obtain the restoration of my forfeited
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 285 
 
 estates. I have seen the French ambassador, and am fully 
 aware of the extent of the service you have rendered me. If I 
 mistake not, I have also to thank you for this," and he held up 
 his hand, bound up as if a wound had been recently inflicted 
 upon it. " Begone, sir, and leave this city within the hour, or 
 I will have you arrested for an attempt to assassinate me." 
 
 Utterly confounded by the sudden turn events had taken, and 
 knowing his own guilt, Zavala hurriedly departed, without even 
 a word of farewell. De Bourg folded his daughter to his 
 heart, and said 
 
 " For the first time for many, many years, you are pressed to 
 a father's heart, my Julie. Blame him not for having delayed 
 to claim you, for only a few weeks have elapsed si nee he learned 
 with certainty that he yet possessed a living child." 
 
 Then turning to Col. Alwin, he said 
 
 "To you, noble-hearted man, I owe more than life, for 
 the preservation of this lovely flower, and for the kindness you 
 bestowed on the angel who is now in heaven. Receive my 
 thanks-^my earnest, heartfelt thanks." 
 
 " You owe me none," replied Alwin, with emotion. 
 " Her tender affection has been to me more than a suffi 
 cient reward for the cares I have bestowed upon her. You 
 arrived just in time to save your daughter from a union 
 she detested ; and had I known that a parent still lived 
 to claim her obedience, I should not have permitted her 
 to sacrifice herself for my sake." 
 
 " Think no more of that," replied De Bourg, quickly. " She 
 only acted as her duty to you prompted ; but since the sacrifice 
 is no longer necessary, she will find that she has escaped from 
 one lover only to bestow this fair hand on another. It has long 
 been promised to one who has become as a son to me." 
 
 " My father," said Julie, concealing her face on his breast, " do 
 you wish to throw me off so soon as you recover me ? I shall be 
 too happy to remain with you. Pray think no more of this new 
 marriage ; it will make me wretched." 
 
 " We shall see that," said the father, smiling affectionately on 
 her. " I shall consult your inclinations, my love, and if your 
 repugnance to the union cannot be overcome, you shall act as 
 you please." 
 
 Julie murmured her thanks, and he turned towards the 
 door, and said 
 
 " Advance, my young friend, and claim the reward of your 
 constancy."
 
 286 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 Russell entered, and advanced towards the amazed group ; 
 Col. Alwin met him, and cordially grasped his hand, while he 
 uttered many warm thanks for the service he had that morning 
 rendered him. 
 
 " My noble boy," he concluded, " is it indeed you who have 
 been instrumental in making this happy discovery ?" 
 
 De Bourg saw the emotion pictured in Russell's countenance, 
 and answered for him. 
 
 " You are indebted to him for much more than you are 
 aware, Col. Alwin ; for myself, I thus repay the obligations he 
 has conferred on me." 
 
 As he spoke he placed the hand of his daughter in that of 
 Russell. One look between the lovers had been sufficient : the 
 dark gulf which had separated them was annihilated ; their 
 affection had stood the test of time and trial, and had come 
 forth pure and unchanged. 
 
 Once more the clergyman was called on to perform the 
 sacred ceremony which had been so strangely interrupted ; and 
 now the fair bride no longer clung as a lifeless weight to the 
 arm oh which she leaned. She was deeply agitated by the 
 varied emotions which had passed through her mind during the 
 evening ; but her low voice was unfaltering as she uttered the 
 vows which her heart so deeply ratified. 
 
 " And now," said Col. Alwin, when the congratulations to the 
 newly-married pair were over, " do inform us how this happy 
 denouement has been brought about. I am entirely at a loss 
 to account for the mastery you seemed to possess over Zavala." 
 
 " Willingly," replied the Comte de Bourg. " Come here, 
 my child ; let me sit with your hand clasped in mine, and feel 
 the ' sober certainty of waking bliss,' while I relate the history 
 of my life." 
 
 With Julie by his side, and the rest of the group around him, 
 De Bourg recounted the following story. 
 
 " You are, perhaps, aware, my friends, that I held a post of 
 high honor in the court of France, during the reign of the 
 unfortunate Louis. I stayed by my sovereign until the last 
 moment of his life ; and I despaired not of the regeneration of 
 my unhappy country, until I saw him fall on the scaffold. 
 During the terrible days of proscription that followed, I, among 
 many others, was pointed out for destruction. A friend warned 
 me in time, and I fled to my chateau, where my wife and child 
 were residing. Hurried preparations were made for our
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 287 
 
 departure to a foreign land, and we set out for the sea coast 
 where we were to embark. 
 
 " A considerable party accompanied us, consisting of persons 
 similarly situated. We arrived at the appointed spot in safety ; 
 and the women and children were already placed on board of 
 an American vessel which awaited us, when a party of soldiers 
 sent in pursuit suddenly appeared. Five of the number were 
 taken, after a short but terrible struggle. Wounded severely 
 frantic from my ineffectual efforts to escape the wretches who, 
 held me in captivity, I beheld the vessel make sail, with my 
 beloved Julie stretching forth her arms towards me ; and her 
 agonized cries were borne over the waters to my stricken soul. 
 Oh ! my friends, from that dark hour to the present, I have 
 never known a moment of happiness. 
 
 " I was taken to Paris, and after a long imprisonment was 
 condemned to be executed on the same spot on which the beau 
 tiful Marie Antoinette had perished a few weeks before. I had 
 resigned myself to my fate, and was hourly expecting to be the 
 next victim dragged from my cell to expiate the crime of being 
 more nobly born, and more gently nurtured than my judges, 
 when the door of my cell opened, and a young woman entered. 
 In some surprise I recognised the wife of one of the party then 
 in power, to whom I had rendered a service of considerable im 
 portance some years before. Madame was not ungrate 
 ful ; she came to save me from the fate that menaced me, and 
 she brought with her a disguise and passport for England. 
 
 " After many difficulties I succeeded in reaching Dover; and 
 after visiting London to claim the wreck of my fortune from the 
 bankers in whose care it had been placed, I sailed for New 
 York. All my endeavors were vain to trace my wife and child. 
 For years I wandered over the different states, deluded by 
 descriptions, resembling those I sought, into the belief that I 
 should soon be successful. 
 
 " At length, wearied with the fruitlessness of the search, I 
 left the haunts of civilized men, and journeyed on foot through 
 the wilderness, until I reached Gallipolis in Ohio. There was 
 a settlement of the natives of my own country, who, like myself, 
 had fled from the persecutions of the Reign of Terror. I 
 remained among them but a few months. The sufferings of 
 my life, and the terrible uncertainty that weighed on my mind 
 relative to the fate of my wife and child, unfitted me for com 
 munion with any human being. I adopted the life of a hunter, 
 and lived utterly secluded from all society, until my young
 
 288 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 friend here accidentally discovered my abode. He, like myself, 
 was unhappy, and the sympathy in our feelings drew us together. 
 He remained with me until a communication from one of the 
 few friends I possessed in this country induced me to travel to 
 Baltimore, expecting that I had at last gained a clue to lead me 
 to those I so eagerly desired to find. 
 
 " Many months passed before Russell and myself again met ; 
 then, in compliance with his earnest request, I related my 
 history to him, and divulged my true name, for I had dropped 
 my title, and assumed the name of my mother, who was an 
 Englishwoman, soon after my arrival in this country. What 
 was my rapture and astonishment to learn that my daughter 
 lived, and was all the fondest father could wish ! 
 
 " But I have forestalled this part of my story. While in 
 Baltimore, I learned the name of the French ambassador to this 
 country, and found that he was an old acquaintance of mine. 
 I felt a desire to see him, and visited Washington for that 
 purpose. He appeared much pleased to meet with me, and 
 informed me that the solicitations which had been addressed to 
 the First Consul in my behalf, had induced him to restore to 
 me the enjoyment of my forfeited patrimony. You may judge 
 of my astonishment at such news. I inquired who had insti 
 gated these proceedings, and learned that it was a gentleman 
 of Spanish descent, of the name of Zavala. From that moment 
 I was convinced that my wife or daughter was still in exist 
 ence, and it was for their benefit this restoration had been soli 
 cited. I inquired into the circumstances of Zavala, and learned 
 that he held a large amount of property in his possession ; but 
 during several years, spent in the capital of the Republic, he had 
 gambled to such an extent as to involve his estates deeply. I 
 ascertained that he was in this place, attending a trial, and 
 immediately came hither. 
 
 " On my way I accidentally encountered Russell, journeying 
 to the same spot, and it was then I related to him the events of 
 my life, and informed him of the object of my present journey. 
 He speedily showed to me why Zavala had so deeply interested 
 himself about my property, and I pledged myself to Charles 
 not to reveal myself until after the trial was decided. He had 
 sanguine hopes of a happy termination to it, and he wished our 
 re-union to be unclouded by a fear for the future. I wrote to 
 Zavala, informing him of my arrival, and requesting an inter 
 view with him. He made no answer ; but this evening I had 
 wandered to the outskirts of the town, and about twilight, as I
 
 THB CONSPIRATOR. 289 
 
 was hastening to the hotel to join Russell, in order to proceed 
 thither to claim my child, I was suddenly attacked by a man in 
 a cloak and mask. I succeeded in disarming him, and tore the 
 mask from his face, but I had been wounded in the encounter, 
 and he escaped from me. When I reached the hotel I found 
 an old woman with Russell, who had sought him out to inform 
 him of the intended marriage of Julie, and, so soon as my hand 
 was dressed, we lost no time in coming hither. To my amaze 
 ment, I beheld in the groom the same man who had attempted 
 my life an hour before. We arrived just at the critical moment, 
 and now you have the whole story." 
 
 They all thanked him, and after some moments Col, Alwin 
 thoughtfully said : 
 
 " I am glad that Julie was saved from Zavala, but I fear he 
 has it in his power to work me mischief yet, by exposing some 
 documents in his possession." 
 
 Russell drew forth a packet, and presented it to his father. 
 
 u These, sir, will, I hope, relieve your mind from all apprehen 
 sions respecting Zavala. We had another encounter while 
 travelling towards this place, in which I conquered. I then 
 forced him to deliver up every paper in his possession which 
 had the slightest bearing on your late enterprise." 
 
 " And to you I owe my life, my noble boy, and not to his 
 forbearance ; although it was to be purchased at such a price ! " 
 
 Isabel uttered her animated thanks, and as Russell canght 
 the half-withdrawn glance of gratitude from his lovely bride, he 
 felt that he was indeed blessed. 
 
 CHAPTER XLIX. 
 
 THE last beams of the setting sun streamed into the open 
 windows of an apartment in the vicinity of the city, and the 
 eyes of one of its inmates gazed on the purple and golden 
 clouds that floated on the edge of the horizon with the consci 
 ousness that it was the last time they would ever rest on such a 
 scene in this world. She was contented that it should be so, 
 for misery seemed to have been her allotted portion in life. A 
 few brief intervals of happiness had been succeeded by the 
 anguish which only those feel who have cherished hopes until 
 
 25
 
 290 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 they have entwined themselves with their very existence, and 
 then have seen them disappointed. 
 
 The invalid was supported by pillows, and her eyes were 
 alternately turned from the contemplation of the heavens 
 towards the door of the apartment, as if eagerly expecting the 
 arrival of some one. Her features were t'.iin and attenuated, 
 and her breath came heavily, and with much apparent difficulty, 
 from her half-parted lips ; yet, even in the shadow of death, for 
 it was evident his hand was on the heart that once beat so 
 wildly, enough of beauty still remained to show that she had 
 once been one of nature's fairest daughters. 
 
 Beside the bed, watching every motion of the dying one with 
 eager interest, was a woman in the decline of life. The features 
 of this person were originally harsh, and time, exposure, and 
 suffering had deepened these traits ; but now some powerful 
 emotion appeared to be struggling in her breast, which imparted 
 an expression of feeling and sympathy, not often found upon 
 her wrinkled face. Tears were in her dark glittering eyes, and 
 ever and anon she arose from her seat, went to the window, and 
 looked forth as if watching for the arrival of some one. 
 
 It was Theresa, and that fragile being, who was fast fading 
 from the earth, was the mother of Russell. She had dragged 
 her dying form almost to the threshold of his door, and was 
 compelled to stop from successive faintings, which threatened 
 to end her life before she accomplished the end she had suffered 
 so much to attain. The small roadside tavern at which the car 
 riage drew up was a favorite place of resort with Theresa, and 
 when the" insensible form of the sick lady was lifted from it by 
 her attendants, she instantly recognised the child of her adop 
 tion. When Aileen recovered, she explained to Theresa the 
 manner of her escape, and desired that a messenger should be 
 immediately despatched to Col. Alwin and her son to inform 
 them of her situation. 
 
 " They come not, my mother," said the invalid, in a faint 
 tone ; " my hours are numbered, and I fear they will not reach 
 here in time for me to look upon my son. I have prayed for 
 death. Oh ! how anxiously I have looked forward to that 
 bourne whence no traveller returns, as my only resting-place, 
 yet who shall tell the bitterness of dying thus, without once 
 more beholding my child ! I remember his sweet bright face 
 as I last beheld it, as though a day had only passed since then. 
 On the evening we were shipwrecked, you snatched him from 
 my arms, as the waves swept over us, and from that hour of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 291 
 
 agony, I have never beheld my boy. If I am permitted to live 
 to fold him to my bosom, to hear his voice, I shall be contented 
 to sink into that repose which shall not be disturbed with 
 dreams of the past. But to perish without beholding him, 
 when I have dragged my weary and feeble body nearly to his 
 presence i I could not wish my most bitter enemy a more 
 severe trial ; yet if it is the will of heaven, I can endure even 
 this bitter pang ; it will be of short duration." 
 
 Exhausted by speaking, she closed her eyes, and remained 
 silent and motionless. Life was fast ebbing from her feeble 
 frame, and Theresa approached and knelt beside the couch, 
 while she tried to pray that a few more hours might be granted 
 to the blighted form before her. 
 
 " Lean down to me, mother," she at length said, " that I may 
 give you my last injunctions. When my poor boy arrives, tell 
 him that I have loved him with all the devotion a mother's 
 heart may feel tell him that my last prayer was for his happi 
 ness my last word a blessing." 
 
 " I will," replied Theresa, " but you will see them, my darling. 
 God would not be so unkind as to snatch you away at such a 
 moment. Hark ! I hear the sound of their horses' hoofs upon 
 the pathway." 
 
 As she spoke, two gentlemen alighted at the gate, and in 
 another moment Russell and Col. Alwin were in the chamber of 
 death. Russell rushed towards the bed, knelt beside it, and 
 clasped the cold hands which lay upon the coverlet, as he 
 exclaimed 
 
 " My mother ! oh, have I found but to lose you !" 
 
 The dying woman, with all her remaining energy concen 
 trated in one mighty effort, raised herself from her pillow, and 
 in a voice that thrilled the hearts of her hearers with its 
 unearthly pathos, said 
 
 " My prayer has been heard ! Charles my child, my dear 
 son, come nearer to me. Lean forward, that my dimmed and 
 failing eyes may behold you. Push back the hair from my 
 brow bring light air I suffocate. Oh, God ! to die as be is 
 kneeling by my side ! to hear his voice ringing in my ears, and 
 know they must soon be deaf to it ! to feel that he is beside me, 
 and I cannot see him ! Bend down that I may feel your 
 warm breath on my cheek : oh, for one moment's sight to carry 
 with me the memory of that face, even into the cold grave." 
 
 Russell leaned forward, and stretching forth her emaciated 
 hand, she drew it slowly over his features. The expression of
 
 292 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 agony passed away, and sinking back upon her pillow she 
 murmured in a low fervent tone 
 
 " My God, I thank thee ! I am now ready to go." 
 
 " Aileen," said a trembling voice, " Aileen, are you ready to 
 bid adieu to life without one word to him you once loved ? In 
 your last hour are you forgetful of the wild idolatry with which 
 I once regarded you ? Does this boy take from me all your 
 thoughts ?" 
 
 " Frederick," said the lady, once more raising the dark fringes 
 that curtained her eyes, and turning their sightless orbs upon 
 him, with an expression that haunted him for many long years, 
 " I have loved you with a devotion that should have been 
 bestowed on no earthly creature. I will not now allude to past 
 events ; your contrition for them has been great, and your suf 
 ferings have also been many. You have my forgiveness for all 
 I have endured ; believe me, I am not unmindful of your pre 
 sence. I am naturally more occupied with a son, who is 
 restored to me after a separation I so long considered final." 
 
 " And why should you think of him, who has been the curse 
 of your life ?" muttered Theresa. " I am sure your own child 
 should be dearer to you than he whose mad temper gave you 
 a wretched life, and a lingering death, than he, on whose hand 
 is the stain of blood, never to be forgiven or washed away." 
 
 " Peace peace," cried the dying woman, whose ear caught 
 the sense of Theresa's muttered speech. " Do not now bring 
 forward causes of reproach ; let my last moments pass in peace. 
 My mother, let me die with the consciousness that Alwin has 
 your forgiveness." 
 
 " As much as a broken heart can grant him, he has ; but by 
 your dying bed, do not ask me to say that I will act as if I had 
 forgotten the past. I cannot." 
 
 " My son, draw nearer to me," said Aileen, whose fleeting 
 senses scarce understood the meaning of the words of Theresa. 
 Russell arose from his kneeling position, and seating himself on 
 the side of the bed, drew the dying form of his mother to his 
 breast. She made a last effort to raise herselfj and press her 
 icy lips to his brow. She again sank back her eyes closed, 
 one long struggling sigh burst from her bosom, and all that 
 remained of the once beautiful and adored Aileen Clifton was 
 dust. 
 
 " The spirit has passed away," said Theresa, as she looked on 
 the fixed features. Then turning to Col. Alwin, she con 
 tinued
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 293 
 
 " In this hour T will forbear uttering reproaches your own 
 heart will suggest too many. I crave your departure from this 
 room. Leave her, whose feelings you have so outraged in life, 
 to the care of the only being who has never ceased to love her 
 as the purest and gentlest of human beings." 
 
 " Silence," said Alwin, in a stern tone. " Leave me alone with 
 the dead, a few brief moments. I have wronged her, but she 
 has been dearly avenged. Go, go ; I would be alone." 
 
 Seeing the strong effort his father made to repress his emo 
 tion, Russell drew Theresa away, and gently closing the door as 
 he retired, Alwin was left alone with the corpse of the only 
 being who had ever caused his heart to turn from the thorny 
 path of ambition to the more flowery one of love. 
 
 He had felt for her that passionate idolatry of which men of 
 his haughty and vehement temper are alone susceptible. Gentle, 
 yet enduring, had been her influence over his feelings ; in her 
 presence his dreams of pride and power had lost their spell, and 
 he was happy in yielding himself to the delightful influence of 
 love. 
 
 His late misfortunes had subdued his spirits, and he stood 
 beside that death-bed a different being from him who, a 
 few short months before, had looked forward to a life of enter 
 prise and renown. All all had perished from his grasp. The 
 fate he had deprecated was awarded to him ; a life of insignifi 
 cance a name handed down to posterity as that of a traitor to 
 his country. As these thoughts forced themselves on him, the 
 aspiring mind which had sought to rule over others, could 
 no longer enable him to control his own emotions. He did not 
 weep, for the age of weeping was past, and he would have 
 scorned himself had tears been wrung from his iron soul, even 
 if they would have saved his over-burdened heart from break 
 ing. 
 
 He gazed, with an immovable stony expression, on the mar 
 ble features before him. He recalled the hour in which he had 
 first seen her ; the emotions, the singular beauty of that face 
 had elicited, then radiant with life and youth, the song burst 
 ing from her lips, and the brightness of untried hopes upon her 
 brow. Now she lay before him, a blighted, stricken being, who 
 had long looked forward to death as freedom from suffering. 
 
 Had she known the being in whose hands she was placing 
 her destiny, she would never have suffered herself to love him. 
 Had she understood that impetuous and unbending nature, she 
 would never have given him her gay heart. 
 25*
 
 294 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 He remembered how often those eyes, now closed in " death's 
 cold oblivion," had turned on him with an expression of such un 
 utterable tenderness as those orbs could only express. Once he 
 could have died for her ; yet he had been wrought on to believe 
 her the most perfidious of her sex, and in a moment of phrensy 
 he had cast her from him as unworthy to hold a place in 
 his thoughts. He had obtained forgiveness ; but now it ap 
 peared to him the atonement he had endeavored to make, was 
 feeble and insufficient; and he would have given all he pos 
 sessed to recall life to the form before him for one brief hour, 
 that he might utter all his anguish and repentance, and again 
 hear her soft voice pronounce the words of forgiveness. 
 
 " She is happy," he murmured. " She is at last at peace. 
 Happiness ! what is it ? Can there be any reality in the phan 
 tom we all seek, and never attain ? Ever in pursuit of what we 
 have not, we rush on to the dark gulf which awaits us all, with 
 out grasping the deluding mirage. I have sought it in all 
 things, and found it in none. I fancied it would be found 
 in love, but that brought madness and deeper wretchedness than 
 I had yet known. I then turned to ambition ; that brought 
 with it feverish dreams years of contention, and finally disap 
 pointment. When I thought the long sought good within 
 my grasp, then then I was furthest from its attainment. For 
 what are we placed in this wretched world but to struggle 
 against a wayward destiny, and curse the fate which has been 
 allotted to us ?" 
 
 He paused, and a small still voice whispered to him 
 
 " We are not to expect happiness as the reward of ungovern 
 able passions and an ambition which has no limits." 
 
 CHAPTER L. 
 
 TURN we to a scene of brighter promise. Several years have 
 passed, bringing with them the usual changes that time works. 
 The reader will accompany me to one of the stately mansions of 
 the Old Dominion. It had passed from the possession of 
 the former proprietors to those who now inhabit it, by pur 
 chase. It was a lofty fabric, built soon after the settlement of 
 the country, and many additions of a more modern date had been 
 made by its successive proprietors. Magnificent oaks coeval
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 296 
 
 with the building, cast their giant arms over the extensive lawn, 
 the closely shaven grass of which was as green as an emerald. 
 Beneath the shade of one of them, sat an aged woman, with her 
 eyes listlessly following the motions of a boy of four years, who 
 was trundling a hoop over the ground, and as the breeze blew 
 back his curls, a face of great infantine loveliness was revealed. 
 
 On the portico stood the mother of that bright looking being, 
 watching his graceful movements with a smiling lip. Seated 
 near her was her husband, reading a newspaper. She laid her 
 hand on his arm 
 
 " Do look at Frederick. Would he not make a charming 
 picture ?" 
 
 The gentleman looked up good-humoredly , as he replied 
 
 " You make such an idol of that boy, Julie, that I am almost 
 tempted to be jealous sometimes." 
 
 " Ah !" she said, earnestly, " you know full well that I 
 never love him half so dearly as when I look into his eyes, and 
 read your soul in their expression. V/ere it not for him, what 
 should I do, when you are immersed in the employments 
 belonging to your profession, and have no time to think of me !" 
 
 " That hour has yet to arrive," replied Russell, rising and 
 standing beside her. " In my busiest moments, your image 
 flits over my fancy, brightening the dullest and most common 
 place engagements. Ah ! Julie, our love is not the perishing 
 flower of a day, but a feeling which blends with every aspiration 
 of the soul, and consecrates the heart to the unfading brightness 
 of our affection." 
 
 Russell had been successful in life beyond his utmost ambi 
 tion. He valued the joys of domestic life far above the distinc 
 tions bis acknowledged talents might easily have won. He 
 occupied a high standing in his profession, but he steadily 
 refused to aspire beyond that. The charms of his home were 
 too dearly prized to sacrifice them for a distant and doubtful 
 good. 
 
 Immediately after his marriage, his father had purchased and 
 presented to him the mansion in which he now resided, which 
 was situated within a few miles of the city of Richmond. The 
 Comte de Bourg, after remaining several months with his 
 daughter, had accompanied Col. Alwin to France : the former 
 to reclaim his recovered estates, the latter to endeavor to forget, 
 in the excitement of foreign travel, the humiliations which had 
 preceded his departure. Isabel remained with Mr. and Mrs. 
 Russell, a cherished and beloved inmate, her health restored,
 
 296 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 and her beauty more brilliant than ever, until claimed as a 
 bride by one who had long loved her. Dr. Crawford had 
 settled near them, and was also a frequent and welcome visitor. 
 
 " Look at Theresa," said Julie ; " her only pleasure appears 
 to consist in sitting in the open air, when the weather will 
 permit her to do so. It makes me sad to look on her vacant 
 countenance." 
 
 " Yes," replied Russell, " she has been thus ever since the 
 day of my mother's death. That event appeared to destroy 
 the little intellect she then possessed. She is far happier in her 
 present state of harmless idiotcy, than if still retaining sufficient 
 reason to remember the sorrows which have destroyed her 
 mind." 
 
 As Russell spoke, an aged black, mounted on a grey pony, 
 came over the lawn. He alighted, and descended the steps, 
 holding several letters in his hand. 
 
 " I has been to de city, sir, to require for de letters, hopin' 
 dat you has some news from my master dat was," said the 
 negro, removing his hat from his grizzled head. 
 
 " You are gratified, Corporal. Here is a letter from Madame 
 Zavala." 
 
 As he glanced his eye over it, the alteration in his counte 
 nance did not escape the eye that was fixed eagerly on him. 
 
 " What is it, sir for God's sake, what has happened ?" 
 
 "There is ill news, old man. Your old mistress tells me 
 that her son is dead." 
 
 A shriek burst from the lips of the black, and he stood 
 several moments with his hands clasped, tears coursing each 
 other over his wrinkled cheeks. 
 
 " God's will be done," he at length said ; " though 'tis hard 
 to give up de child one has carried in his arms, and seen grow 
 to be a man." 
 
 " Be comforted, Corporal, when you remember how lost he 
 was to all who loved or honored him. By his death you gain 
 your freedom." 
 
 " Freedom ! what cares I for freedom ? Oh, Massa Charles, 
 was not my life bound up with de honor o' de family, and now 
 it is all gone for ever. I don't want freedom ; let me die as I 
 was born. You will not cast me off now, in my old age, to be 
 a burden to de country ?" 
 
 " No, old man, never ! with me you may remain to the last 
 hour of your life, if you will it so." 
 
 After the death of Inez, Madame Zavala had retired into a
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 297 
 
 convent in New Orleans with the intention of devoting the 
 remainder of her days to Heaven. Her son, on the marriage 
 of Julie to his rival, returned home, and took the management 
 of his property in his own hands. The claims of his gambling 
 associates and his own carelessness in business soon reduced him 
 to the necessity of sacrificing his estate for much less than its 
 real value. The slaves, with the exception of Corporal Black, 
 were sold with the land ; the old man was permitted to choose 
 his own master, and was purchased for the term of Zavala's life. 
 He had chosen Col. Alwin. 
 
 Zavala then established himself in New Orleans, but neither 
 his respect nor his affection for his mother could draw him 
 from the fatal fascination which enslaved him. He played with 
 indifferent success, until a sudden run of ill luck impoverished 
 him. In a moment of madness and excitement from excessive 
 drinking, he cheated, was discovered, and destroyed himself. 
 
 " Ah, here is a letter from Isabel, and another with a ship- 
 mark ! " exclaimed Julie. " It is it is from my father ! " 
 
 The seals were quickly broken, and the contents read. De 
 Bourg and Col. Alwin were both in New York, and the former 
 might be expected almost immediately. This was the second trip 
 he had made to Europe since the marriage of his daughter. Dur 
 ing the whole of that time Col. Alwin had been a wanderer in 
 other lands. 
 
 Isabel's letter informed them that she had heard of her father's 
 arrival, and was about to embark at a southern port for New 
 York, where he wished her to meet him.
 
 
 
 
 
 298 THE CONSPIRATOR. 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 Oh pity, God, this miserable age ! 
 
 SHAKSPEARE. 
 
 MANY many years after the foregoing scenes were enacted, 
 an aged and solitary man sat alone in his chamber. A volume 
 of Shakspeare lay open on the table before him. The page 
 was unclosed at Henry VIIL, and he was reading the dialogue 
 between Wolsey and Cromwell. He raised his eyes from the 
 book, and they fell on a full length portrait which hung imme 
 diately before him. It was the picture of a girl in the first 
 dawn of womanhood, and the face was a lovely one to 
 look on. 
 
 " Such too was my fate," he muttered ; " yet I could have 
 better borne it, had she been spared to me, or was her loss 
 involved in less uncertainty. Oh, my daughter, thine was a 
 wayward destiny !" 
 
 A knock on the door was heard, and a servant ushered in a 
 stranger. He was a dark, weather-beaten man in the costume 
 of a sailor. 
 
 " What is your business with me ? " inquired the old man. 
 
 The stranger pulled a worn and soiled newspaper from his 
 pocket, and pointed to an advertisement which had been pub 
 lished many years before. He then said : 
 
 " You here offer a large reward for any news of your daugh 
 ter's fate." 
 
 " Yes," said Alwin eagerly, " I will give you more than that 
 anything everything to gain information respecting her ! " 
 
 " I can give it," was the laconic reply, " but I doubt whether 
 it will be acceptable." 
 
 " Let me hear it at once," replied the father with firmness. 
 
 " The vessel in which she sailed was not wrecked. It was 
 taken by pirates, plundered, scuttled, and sunk with the passen 
 gers fastened in the cabin." 
 
 " Fiend ! demon ! wreteh ! " said the agonized old man, " I 
 will not believe you 'tis false false ! " 
 
 " Here is the proof," said the sailor, offering a written paper 
 to him. " This is the confession of one of the pirate crew 
 when on his death-bed. This ring he took from the finger of
 
 THE CONSPIRATOR. 299 
 
 i f 
 
 the only lady passenger. If she was your daughter, you will 
 recognise it." 
 
 As he spoke, he drew forth a ring set with diamonds. 
 
 Alwin took it with a trembling hand, and glancing at the 
 initials on the inside, he fell senseless on the floor. 
 
 That ring had been his parting gift to his daughter ! 
 
 THE END. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
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