e was the object of her terrors.

"Who's there? stand back!" burst from his lips in nervous agitation as
the shriek rung out upon the air, and turning round, he rushed to the
bedside, but started back; and there was the confusion of cowardice in
his manner as he exclaimed, "You here, Mary! what in the world brought
you into this room at such a time of night as this?"

"David White!" exclaimed she, shrinking back, when the moonlight fell
upon his features, and she recognized the intruder.

"No one else, my pretty lass," replied the vile man, becoming
emboldened by the time and situation; and with a graceful bend of his
fine form, he threw his arm around her waist, and attempted to press
his lips to her cheek; but fear gave her an almost preternatural
strength, and she thrust him forcibly from her.

"What! are you determined to fight shy?" said he, with a dark sneer,
again advancing toward her.

"Off! off!--do you dare to lay that vile hand on me again?" and as he
caught her arm, she struck him forcibly in the face with her clenched
fist, and releasing his grasp, darted toward the door with the
swiftness of the deer.

He sprung after her with arms outstretched, and his eyes on fire with
fierce rage. His hand clutched the folds of her dress as she reached
the door, and he jerked her toward himself with a violence that was
almost stunning.

"Ha!" shouted he, inebriate with passion, as her pallid face turned to
his, "is this your game? Take that, then!" and he plunged a glittering
knife deeply into her bosom.

She clasped her hands convulsively, turned her eyes heavenward, and
with a single groan, the utterance of the last mortal agony swelling
in her soul, sunk, pale and quivering, slowly to the floor. Then a
deep stillness reigned around, broken only by the gurgling sound of
the blood as it gushed from the deep wound near her heart, and
gathered in a dark, clotted pool by her side.

"'Twas quickly done!" muttered he, in stifled tones of still unsubdued
ferocity. "Let this finish it well!" and he made a random stab, which
was followed by a spasmodic movement of the body; and drawing the
blade from its fleshy sheath, he composedly wiped off the warm blood
against the bed-clothes, and thrust it back into his bosom with a low,
savage laugh.

He then crossed over to the chest, and cursing his carelessness,
abstracted the money from its careful hiding-place, and quitted the
scene of his exploit with hurried steps, p