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Show 386 RTCHAitD JIOHOJS. of pleasure, that l1c found no snch cvitlcncc, and felt l1imsclf morally if not legally freed from the necessity of prosecution, which such n. knowledge must have brought with it. 'l'o secure Eberly until h is 1atc a ssociates were disllcrscd or destroyed, was the simple object of his detention i for, to speak frankly, it was Grafton's fcnr that, if suffered to go forth, be migl1t still be carried back, by the desperate force of circumstances, to the unholy connections from wl1ich he had voluntarily withdrawn himself. lie hnd no confidence in the avowed resolutions of the yout.l1, and deemed it not improbuLlc that, as l1is repent. ancc seemed originally to have been the result of ]lis attachrncnt to Julia, the legitimate consequence of her rejection would be to throw him back upon his old principles and associntcs. l3ut this doubt did injustice to the youth. 'l'he evil aspects of crime hail disgusted him enough , even if tl1c loveliness of vir· tue hnd failed to pcrsunde him. llis resolution was fixed; and, considering his moral claims alone, without rcfcrOllCe to the exactions of society, it may be safely said tha.t never was Eb· erly more worthy of the love of Julia Grafton than at the very moment when it was lost to him for ever. 'Vith cautious hands she undid the fastening of her apart· mont, and, trembling at every step, but still resolute, she as· cended the stnirs which led up to the garret-chambers. In one of tlJCse Eberly was confined. l!""rom this-as there was but il. single window, to leap from wl1ich woulcl have 'Leon certain death-there was no escape, save by the door, and this was securely fastened on the outside, and the key in the possession of a faithful negro, to wl1om Colonel Grafton had given particular instructions for the safe-keeping of the prisoner. But the guardian slept on his }lOSt, and it was not ditncult for Julia to detach the key from where it lnmg, upon the fore-finger of his outstretcl1ed hand: this sltc did without disturbing l1im in the sligl1test degree. In another moment she unclosed the door, und fearlessly entered the chamber. "Julia !" was the exclamation of the prisoner, as, with a fresh sentiment of joy and love, he beheld l1cr stnnding before him. "Julia, dear Julia, do I indeed behold you 1 You have not then forgotten-you do not then scorn the wretch wl10 is an outcast from all beside 1" ANOTI!En VICTIM. 387 n:c approached Iter. ller fin . . rel,}}le(~, in melanclloly accents-~~ waved lum back, while sho Chfton, you must fly 1 y · . is endnngered, if you lin~er h~~e ~~c m danger-your very life "My life 1" cried tlle crimin(;! . spa~r - " my life 1 l~ct them t:kcui~ ,tones of melanclloly de. Julta, I care not to live O t · If I must leave you tl - · 0 O your father ] t 1 - ' lC ~xecnt1oncr- you will sec thnt I will - c. 11111 bring dcfi llllg halter rmcl the cruel J . I not shnnk from the their avproach, when I ·un on cat ~-;lay, that I will smile at you." ' cc assurct that I can not li\'e for "And you crm not!" said the maiden in sad :• You must forget thnt thought, Clifton~tl ~ut fir~1 ~ccents. lt be your wish. You must for ct me ~~t w•sh - Jf, mdeed, c1Jicf task of my life to forget y~u." 'as •t shall JlOW be the "And can you, Julia-can you for ct of joy-those dear walks and th g n;c, after tllose hours precious nml ncver-to-bc-fo:·gottene n~~~et~~ ( c!ig-llt~ of so many them, Julia 1 Nay, can yon desire to fogs. t C.m you forget can-if such be, indeed, your desire t;ge them 1 If you iloubly welcome- death in an f. . - len death shall be "t J r I y Olm. Dut I can not b r 1 ' u m- will not. I remember- but no I I . c J~vc you-! will not seck to re . 1 I . wlll not rcmnul desire to forget WI I mmc you, w JOn you declare your · 1y 1ave you sough t m 1 . J r you not whnt I tun? llavc o . t e lCtc, u Ia? Know calls me-what the m·:licc ~f u no bcle~ told what tllc world me to become 1 llav~ you n ~;r cr~~c1 ortune has compelled am-" o lCm c must I toll you that I "Hush!" she exclaimed, in falterin . cents. "say it not CI"ft . g and expostulatmg ac~ as th~y told me-'; J on - say It not. If, indeed, it be true, "'rhey have told you, then Julia 1 f I and, oh, joy of my heart I ·ot: asl· of ym~r at lOr has told you 1 to you can be true. Yot~ ~ot b~ ... me If what they have said You shall not believe it- " l - you can not believe it of me u '~~hen it is not true, Clifton?" cried t he "I vancmg I k mmc en caO'crly ad eyes too~' r:o:~ ~re~. ~:h':~'il~ t:'e tea; which glisten~d in' he~ hope which llad e ea ures t 18 glow of that joy and sprung up so suddenly in her bosom. "They |
