r, the
gallows has been shamefully cheated."

This bold speech fairly took the rascal out of himself. He ground his teeth
in rage and seemed on the point of committing some desperate deed, but
those unquailing and flashing eyes were fixed upon him with a look that
seemed to burn into his innermost soul, and penetrate its dark recesses of
guilt. He was again conquered by that look; there was a magnetic power
about it he could not withstand; and swallowing his rage as best he could,
replied after this manner:

"I perceive you have that implement for which your sex is so distinguished,
a ready tongue, and I must confess it points words sharply and drives them
home with force, and under some circumstances I might feel like
retaliating; but here, as my guest, I shall not presume to do so; it will
accord much better with my wishes to proceed with the matter in hand,--As I
was saying, your father fully believes that Hadley has persuaded you to
leave home and elope with him, and he is so shocked by your want of filial
affection, as to be totally disqualified for acting with his usual energy;
beside, he says if you care so little for him as to desert him and the home
of your childhood for a horse-thief and a vagabond, he cares not to seek
after you, but says you may go."

At the first, Eveline felt like weeping, and for a moment buried her face
in her hands; but then she felt it would not do to give way to feelings of
tenderness and sorrow in her present situation, and choking down the great
grief that swelled up in her bosom on her father's account, she suddenly
assumed a commanding attitude, and addressed the calculating human fiend as
follows:

"Inhuman monster! how long do you expect thus to dare the vengeance of
heaven? You have stained your soul with crimes that would darken the pit of
night; you have committed robberies, and thefts, and _murder_! Ay, start
and turn pale when your crimes stare you in the face, you have done so
before, and you will again. You thought there was no eye to witness your
plotting deeds, no ear to hear your murderous plans except those of your
vile confederates, but you see I am aware of your crimes."

"Who told you these things?" he demanded, breaking in upon her discourse.

"That is a question I shall not take the trouble to answer; it is enough
for you to understand that _I know what you are_, and that long-delayed
justice will overtake you, perhaps, sooner than you deem it possible your