Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 259: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

IVAN of such a villain as that, and against one who has done so much for you ?” “Done so much of what? Villany you mean, perhaps.” A pause ensued. “ Timothy,” said the earl, “ wheel |in that fellow you have there in custody.” | ! Tim did so. “J told an untruth when Isaid I had killed him. I meant no harm in that silly story, but kept him alive so that both these knaves might bear testimony against you, for, from what I have heard this night, it appears to me, Morton, instead of being a friend to me, you have been the bitterest and deadli- est enemy I have ever had.” _ The two rogues confronted each other, and looked most -Indicrously chop-fallen, “Ts this Morton the same person I overheard you talking about in the shrubbery ?” ‘‘The same, my lord.” « And you have direct evidence of his traitorous designs ?”’ _“ Yes,’”? answered both. op you tell me what he has done against me person- 4 y 7 “He has reported you to the king as being a traitor, in order to disguise his own base designs.” “And he expects, you said, that if Iam not punished by King James, that I shall be,when the Prince of Orange ascends the throne, which they hope one day may happen ?” “Yes, my lord, and succeed to your estates and titles, by virtue of deeds which he has in his possession.” “ Some of which he has stolen from me.” “Stolen, my lord?” said Morton, jumping to his feet. Aye, stolen ; you cannot mistake my words or meaning, Morton. Sit down, if you do not wish me to shoot you on the spot like a dog.” “Your son Henry, my lord, is also doomed to die—that is, | if they can accomplish their ends—Morton has long been in league with Ivan to effect this.” “Tis false !” said Morton, “Tis true, my lord !” «They will not succeed ; but as you know so much, who ‘caused the Forgers to attack my house, and partly burn it ” “Money given to them by Morton and others, was the occasion of it. He told Ivan that he hoped all your family might be buried in the ruins.” In all of which he has been thwarted, thanked,” said the earl. After a pause, he added, Heaven be THE TERRIBLE. 255 “And now, Morton, smooth-tongued villain as you are, what punishment is good enough for all this trickey roguery and deep-dyed devilry ?” “Tis false,” said Morton, ‘‘and I defy you to prove aught these knayves have said ; yet, believe me, when I tell you, my lord, were it not that Ishould dirty my hands in shedding such plebeian blood as theirs, I would with this dagger slay them as I would a couple of dogs. ’Tis.all false, their hearts are as black as thine, my lord, and here, in thy teeth, I defy pee to do your worst, I loathe you!” he said, in hissing ones. At that moment he drew his dagger, and rushed at the two rogues, and would have slain them, As he raised his dagger, however, the earl fired a pistol. With a yell of pain the dagger fell from Morton’s hand, and his arm fell helplessly to his side. “JT bleed, my lord,’ he said, with a savage oath; “ but I shall be avenged ere long.” ‘‘T would not kill such a viper as you outright,” the earl replied; ‘‘I wish you to live that you might grace a gallows.” With a bound like that of a wounded panther, Morton dashed at the table to secure one of the pistols. The earl fired again. He missed his aim, With a shout of triumph, Morton seized a pistol, and made towards the door, The earl presented a third pistol. Morton dodged out of the way. The weapon missed fire. “Vengeance !”’ shouted Morton, “ vengeance, my lord; you are now in my power ; you die |” Taking deadly aim at the old noble, Morton was about to fire, when the door was suddenly thrown open. It struck Morton on the elbow. His pistol went off, but the shot lodged in the ceiling. ‘«‘That’s the man,” said a military officer, rushing into the room, sword in hand, followed by a file of men : “that’s the man! seize him |” Tn a trice Morton was secured and hand-cuffed. With bitter curses, Morton was led forth from the room between a file of soldiers, followed by one of the Forgers. The other was still confined to his chair, and could not stir. “So, so,” said the earl, as he paced his library in deep thought, “two villains are disposed of ; now let me see to the safety of my son Harry.” (To be continued.) ‘THERE is no part of England more adapted for that lawless system of receiving and disposing of contraband goods than the line of “coast extending along the shore of Cornwall. The many daring ‘adventures the men are accustomed to, give them a kind of zest for alife full of excitement. To their intimacy with danger, if I may so call the hardships they expose themselves to, may be owed a kind ‘of recklessness of manner and desire of enterprise not usually met ‘with in more orderly people. _ The scenery near the seaside is rugged in the extreme, the open- ‘ings in the cliffs piled some hundreds of feet high, often times leave Yecesses in the rugged rocks, caverns, at whose base the ocean wave sullenly dashes, and the floor is smoothly worn by the eternal flow- ing and ebbing of the ceaseless waters. With feelings of surprise not unmixed with apprehension the stranger beholds the resident among these majestic scenes running from crag to crag, dropping from one steep ledge to another without delaying to indulge in any of those sensations of deep and trembling awe with which the mag- ificence and grandeur of ON scene have impressed the mind of the beholder not so accustomed. isthe time had elapsed since I had been among'st those places en- deared by youthful associations, and as I dismounted from my ‘vehicle to wander for some time on foot, I shall never forget the delightful track that unravelled itself before me ; I pursued my way by the banks of a small stream which runs into the sea, and woun round its steep and craggy rocks. ; _ The tops of the cliffs were capped by clumps of tall trees which THE SMUGGLERS BRIDE. —__@— seemed to totter on the verge. In the rear the hold outlines of the mountains close the view, and in front lay the little river till it emptied itself into the vast ocean, looking like a huge veil of mist save where its surface was broken by a few white-sailed vessels, looking like sea-fowl] upon the great expanse. Here the coast is rendered hazardous for the approach of vessels by a continuous chain of bold jutting rocks stretched along the shore, and in some places leaving natural caverns running many yards beneath, which often afford convenient store-houses to those en- gaged in the running trade. Notwithstanding the watchful scrutiny of the coast-guard, and the line of towers extending along the beach, many a daring act and deed of strife have marked the love of the surrounding peasantry for their hazardous and desperate occupation. Yet it has happened, though rarely, that ‘* this rugged nurse of savage men,” has nurtured some gilted with feelings which belong to the highest order of humanity. ary Fowey, when I knew it first, was a small fishing village, the ren- dezvous of wany of the gentry I have above alluded to, as its proximity to the opposite French coast afforded opportunities not a few fora “fran.” It had lately much improved in appearance and morals, and as I looked down from the overhanging height on its comfortable harbour, studded with vessels from divers nations, and beheld the tormidable craft of cruisers, I shook my head, as J thought all my worthy friends the smugglers must ere now have played their part, fretted their busy hour, ibs made their exit. CONMUGC VOOKXS «COM