Eveline Mandeville

s scheming wits to work for the purpose of devising some means whereby to accomplish his ends. As we have already said, Duffel had taken a fancy to Miss Mandeville, with

aversion for his society, and that it cost her an effort to treat him with politeness, even though it was

ng as that of placing her there. I wish I had not sent them after Hadley; I might have accomplished all without that; and it is not the pleasantest thing in the world to have a murder laying on one's conscience. But then, I thought other means would succeed: I had no id

ide over the League at the regular meeting, as already known to the reader. The night of the meeting came, and found him undecided as to th

, he began pacing up and down in a state of uneasy and restless disquiet, looking expectantly At every new-comer, but with the same result-disappointment

f the order making this a duty at initiating meetings, and he c

eeded until the q

nocked at the door of our order

m Hurd, who has been found

e pre

waiting, y

ted into the prese

itiation into the order, as we apprehend that a few of the leading features in the

yet impressive combination of devices, well calculated to excite a feeling of awe, and, with the timid, of terror, in the mind of the beholder. Into this singular assemblage Hurd was ushered, a wilderness of confused images before him. He was taken thr

, I am to understand that you desi

d

are often laborious, and their performance attended with the most immin

a

nds should cause you to look the penitentiar

hav

to take the life of a fellow-being, would you, in obedience

ncluded in the catalogue of duties

tion or advantage of the order, in case of necessity? You will mark the difference between murder a

a

self to do all that shall be required of you for the good of the order, even to the taking of li

a

mposed upon you, or manifest the least disposition to betray the order, your life

a

rself these obligations

wil

ng one; perhaps you may consider it

ll ta

ves life

pared if

abide with us or not, it binds you to secrecy. No after-thought, no change of feeli

a

tered, you are at liberty to retire, and, blindfolded as you came, will be escorted to a place of safety to yourself and us, where we will leave you as

a

ur order. Lay your right hand upon your heart,

Oa

aid in my reach, including fire, steel and powder. And I most solemnly swear, in the presence aforesaid, of the visible and invisible worlds, that I will faithfully keep the secrets of the Order, and of all the members of the same that shall be intrusted with me, and no torture of body or mind shall extort them from me. And I hereby bind myself, in the same solemn manner, and in the same presence, that I will defend the members of the Order in all circumstances and places, us far as in me lies, even to the giving up of my own life, if such a sacrifice shall be required-that I will stand by them one and all in every emergency, and, if occasion require, will not hesitate to give false testimony in courts of justice, to clear them in suits at law, or in criminal prosecutions, choosing rather to brave the penalties

to sign a compact with his own blood, when he was duly pronounced a member o

remove your masks, and

pany were more than a dozen of his acquaintances and neighbors, who passed in society-most of them-fo

hand, and to their friendly gr

's 'Squire F., and Constable H., as I'm aliv

as the League adjourned, he drew them one side, and began a confidential conversation with them; but fearing that

penciling. In one corner of the room was a door which opened into an inner room of small dimensions, in which was a downy couch, and all the paraphernalia of a luxurious and elegant bed-room. It was a place that contrasted very strangely with the misery and crime it had sheltered-with the tears of unavailing agony that had been wrung from eyes that sparkled above once happy hearts-alas! no longer the abode of peace, hope or joy. Ah! had those walls the power of speech, w

tes were securely to the

hat affair. Well, I hope,

nt through his heart, and in less than an hour his body was devoured by howling and hungry wolves, from a

al truth of the matter, and how they were driven away, and had to flee for their lives. He knew that his story had the characteristics of probabi

"but are you sure the act was u

ime, and no one near, and therefore impossibl

is plot. You shall have your reward for the diligence and faithfulness of your la

e your

e reason I have chosen you from among all t

choice. What is the nature of th

cipal feature. It relates to a lady, and you may rem

, perfec

en-kidnapped-and brought to this place

pledged ourselves

ndicate that they will. When everything is ripe for action, I will inform you of particulars, and give you th

t; we'll

nference of the