The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1868-11-28

choking into calmness, by an iron
will, some terrible emotion, and he
so far succeeded as to address the
waiting servant in anSordinary tone.
James said he, "who gave you
this letter ?N
"A man, sir, as said he'd wait for
an answer
"Then | suppose he is waiting?'
ayes, sirp
every wei; ; show him in." .
Soon there was a light tap on the
door, and the banker said "Come in"
in an ordinary tone.
The servant opened the door, ush-
cred in the stranger, and Immediate
ly withdrew. The latter was man
verging on sixty, of rough appear
ance, and coarse attire. He wore an
old gray overcoat, buttoned to the
throat, and pair of green goggles,
and his whole attire was saturated
with rain. ...... ....
"Take seat,n said the banker,
pointing to n chair near the fire.
"No, thank you, III stand,h was
the gruff reply. "You got my letter
and, of course, know my business"
he added. :,
You allude to this, l suppose"
returned the banker, producing the
letter which had deaused him so much
perturbation.
"Yes.n
IT do not understands. You must
have made mistake
"No no mistake at all l.; Twas pres
ent twenty years ago, come the tenth
of next October, and saw you, Ste
phen Edwards, shoot the man, and if
you go to deny it, Ill have you in
prison before morning. I've laid my
plans, and got everything sure; and
if you go to playing innocent, and
refusing my terms, I'll take care to
see that you die stretching hemp"
The banker, in spite of himself,
turned pale, shuddered, and staggered
to a seat.
"What do you want?" he groaned.
"a hundred thousand dollars. Not
a cent less"
~ cannot give it; it would ruin
me.n
"Just as you say" rejoined the
other, moving toward the door.
"You know what will follow if go
this way.n
ooh stay; you must not go yeti"
cried the man of crime in terrible
alarm.
He argued, pleaded, implored for
mercy at q less fearful cost. In vain.
At last, the banker, seeing ruin, dis
grace, and death before him if he re-
fused, agreed to the terms. He also
agreed to meet the stranger, with the
required sum, on the following night
in front of st. Paul's church. Both
were punCtual to the fixed time, and
bills and checks, to the amount OF
one hundred thousand dollars,
changed hands.
| A month later, there was q tremen-
| dOus run on the bank of which Ste
phen Edwards was the principal own
er. 1t was soon broken and closed.
Then the sheriff was set to work by
eager creditors, and all the real es-
tate and personal property of the late
millionaire were seized and sold leav-
ing him a beggar and the just
claims unsatisfied. Fashionable
friends deserted the family, and the
proud nobleman refused the hand oi
| the ruined bankers daughter.
In the very midst Of his disgrace
and tribulation, Stephen Edwards
encountered the man who turned sc
| pale and became so agitated in his
presence short time before.
~ think you donot know me, sir, !
said the gentleman, with a forma
| bow. .-
"Your face seems familiar, but
cannot place you," said Edwards.
"Permit me to bring myself to YOU
recollection then; | wish you tc
know me. A little over six weeks
ago, / was talking with you on busi,
ness, and you observed that turned
deadly pale and became agitated.n
"Ah, yes [ remember you now ,
"Let me tell you why l was thus
affected. My eye had just chancet
upon a curious watch-seal, which
had once belonged to merchant
named Philip Sidney, who was shot
in the western part of this State
some twenty years ago and on look
ing at your features closely, | knew
you to be the villain who perpetrated
the foul deed.n
"Merciful God ~ exclaimed the CT
aGpaat banker, with blanched face
and quaking form.
"Yes, l know you," pursued the
other; "and a week after | disguised
myself, and had an interview will
you in your own mansion. You re
| member that, of course?n
"But," gasped the trembling
wretch, did not pay you your owl
price to keep my fatal secret ?h
ayes, and with that very money
and what other | could command,
was enabled to buy up enough o
your own bills to make that run OF
your bank which broke it, and forced
ruin upon your
"And what would you now that
am ruined ?n inquired the other, witt
the deadly calmness of desperation.
"Now that / have had my revenge
| want you to know | myself am the
man you attempted to murder, ant
did rob ] am Philip Sidney Be
hold the scar where the bal
struck and glanced !n and he lifteC
his hat and showed it.
"God be praised u CALCULATED thu
other, "God be praised that you ar,
still living ~ and, unable to restrain
his emotions, he burst into tears
TO- sir ~ he continued, you hav'
talzenLa a load from my nonseienee--1
: weight from my soul, Though pov
erty, disgrace, beggary, and deatl
are staring me in the face, am hap
} by in the knowledge that / am no
, guilty of murder-more happy thai
: / have been for twenty years, will
all the luxurious surroundings o
. wealth 1t was my first and las
i crime, and have never been able Il
, tell how was tempted to so outrag
: my own nature as on that fearful oc
7 casion. Now, sir, do with me wha
you will-only, pray you, be meroi
: ful.to my innocent family,p
t 81 forgive you!p returned the 9th
er, extending his hand. ~ forgiv
0 you. You have been fearfully pun
: ished already, and, as God has see
+ fit to preserve us both, and bring u
h together, let us hope it is for our pres
/ enf and future salvation, and endeay
n or to live so as to deserve the bles
sings we receive. / will restore ye
d enough to keep you and your famil
2 ~. 4 4 L.