Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1858-08-27
when shall hold you to a fearful reckon.

when / shall hold you to fearful reckon
ling"
"No, Joe Estelle, we can never meet or
equal terms, and God forbid that shoulc
ever sink to your level I am bad enough
but had I the means to lead an honest
life, there is yet latent virtue enough in
me to make me what you can never
be-a gentleman. And with the price
you are to pay for my services, I will seek
strange land and make one desperate ef-
fort to regain my lost position"
And he staggered out of the room, di-
recting, as if by instinct, his steps towards
the gambling hall, to hazard the fifty dol
lars he had just received, upon odds meal
culable against him. Estelle took CO.
pious draught from the bottle, and then
walked the Aoor--his fists clenched and
his lips tightly compressed. Hardened
as he was in iniquity, the reproaches of
Burton stung him to the quick but his
feelings were not those of remorse, as the
malignant expression Of. his counter
ance plainly told For some time, he
continued to pace the floor, in deep
thought, and at last, exclaimed aloud, and
with an oath, II will dc itp
"You should have done it before now"
said Mrs. Meddler, entering the room.
"Should have done what, madam 2" he
asked, with evident alarm. 7ar.e
Something, sir, to vindicase your hon
or and your manhood, instead of submit
ting to insults from every STRIPPING who
chooses to offer them. Lee denounced you
as scoundrel, and you have borne it with
patience ; and now this low fellow Burton
has done the same thing, and even ven
tured to assail my character, yet you sub
mitted with tameness that would have
disgraced known coward. "
"Would you have me throw away my
life, madam, by assailing armed men, my
self unarmed2 You are fool, and know
not not what you are talking about"
perhaps I am, sir; but no coward, to
take insults from men and heap them up
on women"
"ln the devils name, madam, cease your
grumbling, and tell me what has procured
me the honor of this visitp'
~ came on business of course, sir, but,
finding you engaged with Burton, / waited
until he left, and while waiting, heard the
handsome compliment he paid US both
Nay, sir, no more clustering" she contin-
ued, seeing that he was about to speak
angrily, "but tell me what Mr.. Berne has
gone to Winchester for |"
Chow should / know what he has gone
for, madam, when did not know that he
was gone ''
"But he has gone, sir, and concealed
his intentions so effectually that even |
did not suspect them and such caution
implies something of importance"
"He has gone, presume" said Estelle,
to look at my brothers will, and see what
he can do in James behalf. IF so, he is
on FOOLS errand, and will get FOOLS
wages"
Perhaps not, sir, were you not talking
to Burton about a later will of your
brothers."
"And what of that, madam?'
"Why, good deal of that, sir, if such
will was written, old Motley has not
forgotten it, and if you pay Burton four
thousand dollars for it, it may prove bad
investment perhaps he has only copy"
"Mr, Estelle showed signs of uneasiness
at this suggestion, and paced the floor with
unequal strides, muttering his discomfort
in language unintelligible tC the listening
ears of his visitor. At length he paused
and said
"That can not be so, Mrs. Meddler be-
cause he was to have carried the original
will for record in Winchester, and it is for
that original that am to pay him."
"Granting that to be true, Mr. Estelle,
you are still not safe. Mr.. Berne has
heard of that will, and when he finds it
has not been recorded, will write to old
Motley about it, and an explanation will
follow, 1t will then transpire that Burton
was the bearer of the will and, in the
course of events, he may be induced to say
what he did with it,"
"But what harm can that do when the
will is destroyed2 ? can deny any state
ment he may make and so balance testi-
mony that the production of the document
can alone invalidate the first testament"
UThat is all stuff Mr. Estelle Not oDlv