Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

56 ““ Who are you?” said Adah, in fear lest it was some agent her implacable foe had sent to murder her, which the reply to her question seemed to heighten. ‘“‘Tam ao man,” answered Tony, ‘‘ who wishes to put an end to your difficulties.” ‘‘T have want of consolation,” continued Adah, ‘‘ anxiety preys upon me ; and desires, whose flames I would fain extinguish, consume my soul. I have title, rank, wealth, a son; these have been torn from me.” «What would you say were itin my power to restore them to you?” “Dare I trust in the hope from one who appears to me an enemy ?” “© When I tell you that I am sent hither by Frederick Edgeworth,” replied Tony, “you should no longer doubt my intentions. Your secret has been confided to my keeping ; this young man exercises upon your fate a fatal influence which no human effort can destroy. For the present let it suffice you to know that those precious papers that restore you to your position must be delivered up to me in order to—”’ ‘* Fool !”’ exclaimed Adah. ‘‘ You have betrayed yourself; your words tell me too plainly that you are ignorant of their contents, and that you will plunge into the pitfall you have dug for me.” ‘< Since, madam, you have torn the mask from off my face,”’ replied Tony, with perfect sang froid, ‘‘I must needs of a necessity appear before you as nature framed me, and in a word will inform you that, without disguise or deception, you will give me the documents I have asked for.” ‘And should I object ?”” *¢T shall be under the unpleasazt necenatty of taking them.”’ ‘ Whatif I tell you I no Jonger possess the papers?” ‘* My reply would be,’”’ said Tony, ‘‘ that I saw you secrete them in your bosom, where they still remain.” “Tam lost !” “You see I know everything. Yield them without resistance, and ’twill be better for you; upon them depends my existence, my happiness, my future fortune. The blood flows quietly in my veins, and while I make the request I am calm ; refuse to grant it and I am no longerso. The papers before we depart from hence.” “What would you do with them?” ** Place them in the hands of Lady Edgeworth.”’ ** T will never resign them for such a purpose.” **You must. Look at me well,” exclaimed Tony. ‘‘ You see I grow pale, my voice trembles, and if you are obdurate, heaven itself will demand in vain pity for you. For the last time, the papers, the papers !” These words were spoken in a voice of thunder, and as they were uttered the eye of Adah wandered towards the door, the key of which was still in the lock. ' Anticipating an Bitempt at escape, the ruffan in haste with- drew the key, and securely fastened the window. In endeavouring to seize the papers, a fearful struggle took place between the frenzied Adah and Tony, the former falling before the assassin’s | steel. Tony then thrust his hand into the bosom of the wounded woman and drew forth the coveted papers. Adah was too exhausted and weak to resist him, and as she sank bleeding, she saw them pa in the hands of her bitterest enemy, the haughty Catharine Edgeworth. CHAPTER X. THE SPECTRAL RIDE THOUGH DARLEY WOOD. PROSTRATE Ona couch, in a chamber of the Manor House at -Dartford, laid a recumbent form—it was that of Adah Latimer, By her side-was Frederick, who watched her, tenderly clasping her icy hand within his own. He pressed his lips to the marble figure ; he bathed it with tears, and prayed for her whose only fault was that she had been a bar to a proud woman’s ambition, and that she was his own mother, ** She deere in peace,” said Frederick, ‘‘ though the malediction of heaven still pursues her—her husband murdered, her son’s -in tten J heritance lost, and she, herself, under the accusation of a capital, Ranks crime, for which she will suffer death assuredly unless I can recover the proofs of her innocence from Lady Edgeworth. Under any cir- — cumstances, I must remove her from this house to night. For- tunately, the wound she received from the base Tony Foster is neither deep nor mortal, and her strength appears to be gradually returning.’ - Rapid as the hawk turns upon her wing, did Adah turn, as, on awakening, she heard Frederick pronounce her name. Trembling, she raised herself upon her couch, and passed her hand over her forehead as if to recall the incidents of the past hour. ‘ Am I still dreaming,” she cried, ‘‘ or do I awake to life, to hap- piness? Something I remember of a youth, who hung o’er my rostrate form, and tended my wound ; he was fair and noble; his eatures those of one I haye pillowed on my breast—one whom—” She pressed her fingers through her waving tresses, and pressed — her palm upon her pallid brow, in hope to collect her scattered senses. Asa lightnings shaft, a thought flashed on her brain: a miracle had been grougnt ; her son had been restored to her; he Siuae pelre her, while his fond embrace plants sweet conviction on er soul. Overcome by the wild delirium, Adah again sank backwards. Frederick regarded her with love, tenderness, and commiseration, and fearing, in her present state of excitement, to remove her from the danger that beset her to a place of safety, the son was at Joss what course to adopt with regard to the mother. Slowly, and by degrees, she recovered from the violent agitation, and Bredene was enabled toresume his inquiries and chide her im- prudence. “‘ Tell me, dearest mother,” he asked, ‘* how came you to admit any one to your presence without receiving the signal I had given you? / “Tt would have been useless,” replied Adah, ‘* seeing that the assassin was provided with another key. .I was afraid to give an arn ee I might unnecessarily betray myself. Is the villain yet ~ arrested 7?’ ie “¢ Not yet,’’ said Frederick ; “‘ for the present he has escaped from the eye of justice; but the finger of heaven will point out his — lurking-place.”” be ‘ha “ And Catharine Edgeworth ?” i ‘* Has already been smitten by the All-powerful. At first finding that the papers which could ruin her existed no longer, she became more fierce and overbearing than ever. Her triumph was but of short duration. Learning that she had sacrificed her own son for me, she became a victim to the greatest calamity flesh is heir to— insanity, idiotism.” an ‘* Woman’s love, as her hate, is constant,” saith the proverb, “ and my rival hath ever verified the adage. And the Omnipotent, in her deprivation, hath terribly avenged me.” ie The pallid face of Adah crimsoned with triumph as she spoke, and its hue was that of snow tinged by the ruddy gleam of sunset. a (To be continued.) 7 THE GHOSTS HOUSEIN THE LONELY ROAD. | | ‘ BOYS, LOOK OUT FOR MOONLIGHT JACK, | THE KING OF THE ROAD! ~ | A New Tale of extraordinary interest, showing, aniong numerous exciting incidents, how Moonlight Jack was hung in chains, and how he was restored to life—how a wealthy miser caused a young man to become a highway- man—the strange disappearance from the Round Room of the Inn—the Stain of Blood—the White Spectre -the Cloud of Fire—the Baptism of Blood—the Marriage, and disappearance of the Bride—Strange Secrets of Huntley Manor—Wild Scene in the Glen, &c., &c., &c. A LARGE PICTURE AND No. 2 GIVEN AWAY WITH No. 1, ~~ With a highly ornamented wrapper. ORDER EARLY. WILL BE PUBLISHED JANUARY 13. The Christmas Story of the ‘‘GHOST’S HOUSE IN THE LONELY ROAD "’ will conclude in No, 9. © In No. 10 will be commenced a New Tale of most absorbing interest, lonel of the American Army, from an incident that came aden MOE ere); (e books7e¢om