The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-11-25
1.-THE handwriting is not familiar?'

THE handwriting is not familiar"
"No. 1t is merely a rude scrawl,
as you see" said the banker. at
suggests nothing-cxcept that is evil
IDENTIFY disguised"
| Again there was profound 81
lence.
"Our.child is seventeen years old
now" at length murmured Mrs. Pre-
bic, her voice trembling. "She is on
the threshold of womanhood. No
doubt, during all these years, sho has
yoarned for us, wherever she may
DO, as we have yearned for her!"
"But where is shem asked the
physician-and now his voice was
broken by his deep sympathy with
the agonised parents. "Wherc can
sho bef''
"Heaven only knows" answered
tho mother. "Porhaps in S..n Fran
cisco--perhaps in somo rude hut 10
the interior, with some obscure far
mer, and under o name that is not
hers think her abductor would
have carried her to some lonely re-
gion Of the interior, among the val
leys and mountains. Yet never see
young girl in tho streets without
turning to look at her. / never hear
a girlish voice without listening ca
gerly, half fancying that it may prove
tho voice of my lost Jessie p
"Oh, plying heaveni" sighed DR..
Hutton: dashing food of tears from
his eyes. "Vill this long agony never
be over2'
eve hope SO, and even believe So"
answered Mrs. Preble, with the firm
ness of an unfaltering trust in Gods
mercy. "The last message we re-
ceived from our enemy seems to point
to some kind of q change"
"True," assented DR.. Hutton, look
ing at the message in question. at
is unlike tho others. 1t says that his
reward is at hand" He means either
that he intends to marry your daugh-
ter, or that he intends to demand
money Of you for bringing her back
or BOTH
eve shall soon know said Mrs.
Preb.e, with forced calmness. "To-
day we shall have another message,
no doubt. What will it be ?"
The banker turned restlessly on his
sofa, and his face grew even paler.
"Whatever it is, let it come !" he
murmured. "Anything can be borne
better than this awful suspense. Let
it come ~
AS if his impatient words had pre-
;ipitated crisis, a step was beard on
| the walk at this moment, and ring
at the front door followed.
"Another message y breathed the
banker.
A servant sood entered, bearin G n
etter. which he extended to Mr..
Preble, saying:
"The bearer is III the hail."
With an eager gaze, the banker
glanced at the superscription of the
missive.
at is from him !" he falterod.
He tore the envelope open.
1t contained a slip Of paper, Of
awcll-known shape and appearance
upon which was scrawled single
line, in an equally wcll-known hand.
writing. which tho banker exhibited
to his vito and the physician.
This line was as follows:
AUGUST 0, 1868. At six will call"
"A shock Of wonder and horror
shook tho three simultaneously.
"Will call p cried Mr.. Preble,
starting to his feet, and glazing wildly
around.
els coming here ?" cried Mrs. Probe,
also arising.
at seems SO, said DR.. Hutton, his
eyes again reverting to tho message
ST" will be here at six o'clock, aud
soc it is six already"
Eyen as he spoke, the clock on the
mantelpiece commenced striking the
appointed hour, and at that instant
heavy footsteps resounded in the hall,
approaching the library.
"It is he'" cried tho doctor, also
arising.
As the last stroke OF the hour re-
sounded, the door leading from the
hall again onened.
One long and Mortified glance cast
the banker and his wife in that d.
roction, and then she fell heavily to
the floor.
Her senses had left her. The above
We publish as q specimen chapter;
but the continuation of this story will
be found only in the N. Y. Ledger
Ask for the number dated December
4th, which can be had at any news
Office or bookstore. If you are not
within reach of a news office, you can
have theLedger mailed to you for one
year by sending three dollars to
Robert Bonner, publisher. 1872 Will
liam street, New York. The ledger
pays more for original contributions
than any other periodical in the world.
1t will publish none but the very,
very best. Its moral tone is the pur.
est, and its circulation the largest
Every body who takes it is happier
for having it. Leon Lewis, Mrs.
Harriet Lewis, Mrs. Southworth, Mr..
Cobb, Professor Peck, Mary Kyle
Dallas, Fanny Fern and Miss Dupuy
will write only for the Ledger here.
after.
Mr.. Bonner, like other leading pub
fishers, might issue three or five pa
pers and magazines; but he prefers
to concentrate all his energies upon
one, and in that way to make it the
best. One Dexter is worth more
than three or five ordinary horses.
One science only can one genius fit,
SO vast is art. SO narrow human wit.
The Ledger may be had at Bon
ny's News Depot, in Ottumwa.
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