Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-04-10

e, At Chester, then, they stoppe
o and while supper was preparin
Cristian, (whose cogitations in regal
!, to.the unexpected circumstances
= round him resulted in determin;
d ton to satisfy himself that vel
# night took walk by himself in ii
e street. Five hundred dollars f
t bis passage he exclaimed to hin
e self, sand in our vessel! Why di
. not some of the English cruisers ia
D in with her? The old sea dog, CaE
D tain Q. would certainly have Tough
: and then we might have got rid Q
!. this serpent, who comes to cause m
: misery. l wonder does he know b
, is paying me a part of this money!
Unconsciously he stopped; but hi
eye was attracted by the glare of al
apothecary's shop. 'Ab,' he thought
Il have a key here He saw tn
ruin ofhis hopes if Selby succeeded
he should lose Mary, he should lost
her fathers wealth. Could he MOI
obtain the means in this shop tc
save them?' True, the scheme was,
perhaps, dangerous: but then the risk
was not great compared with that ol
losing the lady and her wealth. So
into the shop he went and purchased
a pbial of laudanum.
1t was, of course, then. no surprise
to Christian to observe Selby, after
supper, (Which was followed by a bot
tie Of wine,) grow drowsy, and fall
fast asleep. Christian assisted the
landlord in carrying up stairs the VIC
tim of his villainy, remaining, how
ever, to see the complete success of
| it in the profound slumber of Selby.
Searching carefully the pockets Of
his rival, he found letter Of some
length from the merchant at Ham,
burg to Mr.. Morrison, stating that
the commissioners of the United
States and those Of England were
then at Ghent, to fix upon the terms
of a treaty Of peace, and perhaps by
that time one had been agreed upon.
1t proceeded to advise him to
profit by the information, BY making
large purchases ofmerchandise there
in specified, even to the extent of
his capital, in order to meet the
heavy demand on the American
market. which the expected treaty
would create-the profits to be shar-
ed between him and Mr.. Selby, who
had eagerly undertaken to be the
bearer of the news, even at the risk
of capture.
Yes said Christian, as he repla-.
ced the letter, Mary Morrison is the
cause of this undertaking, as she has
been the cause Of my being engaged
in this dirty work; but is it not all
fair? ! was her suitor before Selby
ever dared address her, he would
cut me out-but it's all right, now
It is said by the Great Bard, that
'vaulting ambition oft Ger leaps it.
SELF and in this example be is sus-
tained; for Selby, on agreeing to the
proposal of Christian to stay over
night, thought proper to place in
the hands of the driver of the next
coach, a duplicate copy of the letter
which Christian read, to be handed
to Mr.. Morrison on the arrival of
the coach that night. The man was
to leave word that Selby would ar
rive next day. Two Spanish dollars,
with the promise of more for the faith
fll delivery Of the letter, had sealed
his lips, and secured bis confidence.
The next morning found Selby
, very unwell, and q physician was
called, who saw at once the cause Of
his illness. Administering a mus
tard emetic,< and advising his pa
tient to rise from his bed as soon as
it should operate, the doctor took his
leave Selby, however, who now
clearly suspected the yillaiuy Of his
rival, resolved to keep his bed for
such a length of time as would de-
feat, perhaps, the whole design. The
tdriver who carried this letter would
return at noon, and Selby requested
j Christian to remain with him until
evening, when he should no doubt BE-
able to proceed with him to the city
i To this the latter consented at once
! but as time would thereby be lost
he wrote by Especial messenger, WHIT
would reach philadelphia by two o.
, three o'clock in the afternoon, in
j structions to his chief clerk, simila
to those in Selby's letter. His OF
f der, we're peremptory, and left to
lclerk 20 time to hesitate,