Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-09-10
hated, but from ~hOg4 she had received

hated, but from whosl she had received
no wrong.
Fortunately, however, for the moral
health Of society, the wicked are often the
victims Of their own machinations and
when success seems most certain, and their
evil deeds perfectly hidden from public
scrutiny, some false step--some unforeseen
circumstancs-some word spoken in an
unguarded moment reveals their wicked
ness and brings punishment upon their
own heads, though oftentimcs too late to
save their innocent victims. SO twas with
Joe Estelle, whose well merited fate was
the immediate result of words overheard
by Dolt, and the hint he had given to Bar
ton who, thus warned, was prepared for
the assault which proved fatal to the as
sailant and the assailed t3a3A az
So, too, was it with Mrs. Meddler Dolt
now free from the despotic power exerted
over him by the more powerful will of J oe
Estelle, felt something like man and
free agent, and acting upon his own con-
victions of duty, Went in search Of mag
istrate and accused, on oath, Hrs. Meddler
with being accessory, before the fact, to
the deliberate murder of Tom Burton
Upon his information, warrant was iss-
ued for her arrest, and placed in the
hands of the proper officer 1t was af-
ter dinner when Dolt and the officer reach
ed the Springs. An inquest had been
held upon the bodies of the murdered
men, and they were shrowded for the
grave. The visitors were collected togeth-
er, in squads, discussing the incident of
the morning, and speculating upon the
manner and the cause of the bloody rem
counter. On one side of the walk, lea.
ding from the hotel to the main road, and
but a few steps from their junction, Jane,
Helen, and Messrs. Motley and Eskridge
were converseing earnestly together, and
on the other side. and nearly opposite. was
another group of which Ann Lee and Mrs.
Whitman formed part. At the termin-
us of the walk, stood a carriage and hors-
es, of no great pretensions to style; the
steps were let down, and the driver stood
ready to fold them up and close the door
as soon as the expected occupant was seat.
ed within. oa.isaae ~ SAP y saf
Whose carriage? Who is going to
leave? Were questions asked, but mol
answered, for none seemed to know the
equipage, and none deemed the matter o.
sufficient consequence to authorise an in.
terrogation of the driver But the mys
terry was soon solved, and its elucidatior
gave deeper interest to the tragedy
which was the theme on every tongue
Mrs. Meddler was seen to emerge from th,
door of the hotel, and, closely veiled
though known to all, walk, somewhat hur
riedly and without looking to the right o.
left, towards the catriage. All eyes wer'
turned upon her, but not word was spo
ken--not farewell nod of the head wa
seen, to indicate that ars one of tha
throng was aware that she was passih,
from among them, never to be seen agaiI
by more than two or three of those VIII,
looked upon her retreating figure.
She had reached the carriage her foo
was upon the first step, when a hand wa
; laid upon her shoulder, and voice wa
, distinctly heard, amid the silence, reading
} the warrant for her arrest, as party t
the murder of Thomas Burton. Her fac
assumed almost the hue of death, and sh
leaned heavily against the carriage for sup
port; but her tongue, usually SO Auent
refused utterance to the emotions Of SUI
prise and terror expressed by her counte
nance, and she stood before the astonish
ed crowd, a picture Of mute despair.
, GAS you are to go two or three miles
madam, to the residence of the magis
$ trate," said the officer, very courteousl,
a "let me assist you into the carriage, and
win take seat by your side, leaving m
S horse to be led by Mr.. Dolt who will a
G tend us
r On hearing the name of Dolt, her eye
t sought his face, and upon her countc
$ nance, the last CLEAN of hope seemed
+ fade away and give place to despair arisin
n from the conviction that he knew all, an
r that escape was hopeless. Without a wor
r she entered the carriage, followed by IL
/ officer, and was driven rapidly away, leav
r ing behind few whose hearts beat wit
n strange emotions, at the recollection
e the influence exerted over their feeling
IL an