Eveline Mandeville | Page 4

arm to strike.
At this moment, a piercing shriek arrested the attention of both
gentlemen. It was a deep wail of agony, as though it came from a
crushed heart. It emanated from the house, and the first motion of the
two in conversation was to start forward in that direction; but recalling
the words of the proprietor, that he was never to enter his dwelling
again, Hadley paused and turned away, but loitered about the premises
till he saw the father ride off in great haste toward the nearest village,
and speedily return, quickly followed by a physician; then he left, with
a vague feeling of dread laboring at his heart.
CHAPTER II.
THE EAVESDROPPER.
As Eveline Mandeville had mentioned the circumstance of having
overheard the conversation between the two worthies, related, in the
first chapter, to no one but her father, it becomes a matter of curiosity
to know how Duffel had come in possession of the secret. A very few
words will explain the matter. Like most persons who feel a
consciousness of want of rectitude of purpose, he felt desirous to learn
what other people thought of him, fearing his evil intentions might
possibly manifest themselves in some manner unnoticed by himself;
and as he had most at stake with the Mandevilles, he was
proportionally more interested in the opinions they might entertain
respecting his life and character, than in those of any others. He
accordingly resorted to the mean and cowardly expedient of

eavesdropping, in order to gain a knowledge of the standing he
occupied in the estimation of this family, particularly with regard to the
father and daughter. He would approach the house unobserved and
listen at some point, to overhear the conversations that took place in the
family circle!
He was thus occupied during the conference of parent and child, above
referred to, and learned, to his great joy, that in the father he had a
warm advocate, but with equal chagrin that the daughter had no
good-will toward him; a fact, however, that he had more than suspected
before; but, having taken a fancy to her, and the prospect of obtaining
with her hand a good property being a still stronger motive, he had set
his heart upon making her his bride, even though she might detest him
as a companion.
But when he heard the revelation made by the daughter to her father, at
the close of their interview, concerning his association with the
suspicious stranger and probable connection with some secret body of
villains, and perceived the marked effect it had upon the latter, he
became alarmed for the success of his schemes, and seeing the
conversation was ended, hastened away, ere he should be discovered, to
invent some plan whereby to counteract the effects likely to produce a
permanent feeling against him.
After long and deep thought, during which scheme after scheme was
suggested to his mind, turned over, examined, and abandoned, he
finally hit upon an expedient that suited his purpose exactly, and at
once resolved to act upon it. For this purpose he sought and obtained a
private interview with Mr. Mandeville, as already intimated, in which
he began the development of his plot as follows:
"I have sought this interview with no idle purpose, Mr. Mandeville," he
began. "You are already aware of the deep interest I feel in your
daughter, and how intimately my future happiness is interwoven with
her good opinion. That good opinion, I have the best of evidence to
believe, is being undermined by one to whom you have ever been kind,
but who, I am sure, you would not wish to become your son-in-law,
though he has the audacity--if I may be allowed so strong an

expression--to aspire after your daughter's hand! Having nothing of his
own to recommend him, and knowing that I am in his way, he does not
cease to traduce me to your daughter on every occasion, and I fear the
insidious poison of his oily tongue has already had a serious effect on
her mind, which, if not put an end to, will turn her good opinion of me
into dislike or even aversion. Why it was but a few days ago that he and
another fellow, a stranger in these parts, and a very suspicious-looking
chap, had a conference in private, of, to say the best of it, a very sinister
character; and, would you believe it, this fellow disguised himself so as
to appear the very personation of myself?
"I was struck dumb, sir, when these facts were put in my possession by
one of my workmen, who happened to see the villains and overhear a
part of their talk. But the worst of the story remains to be told. Either
by chance or design--and with