The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1869-12-03

thinking. A whole year we agonized over
the dreadful problem, and then we receiv-
ed another message, which you shall see"
lie thrust n second slip of paper, identi.
onl in shape and appearance with the first,
before the gazo ofDr. Hutton. who read il
aloud:
"Augustp ., 1855. Pour Jesse stu Rpes."
The physician started, rs if electrified.
A this Is something definite-some-
thing decisive, he muttercd. ut convir-
Ccd you That your daughter was still l%ivinp"l
"Ycs, DOCTOR said Mr.. Preblc, 'and
every anniversary Of that day has brought
MS some message. The disappearance of
the child, mysterious rs IL is, does not
eccm 20 me half 80 strange rs that the viii
liam who took her away could contriye TO
communicate with us every year since, and
always on n particular day-the anniver-
slty Of that on which she was stolen
without our being able to discover who he
rs. Aud u stll greater wonder TO me is
what can be his motive. IL seems incred-
illc. tt it was stated in n novel many peo.
pie would not believe it. But " truth is
stranger than fiction -
Mrs. Preble drow from her husbands
breast pocket his notebook, opened Il TO
the proper page; anC presented il TO the
physician.
DR.. Hutton adjusted his spectacles,
! 1hHAA'N'H WV NAA' NNhn'N NNAAAA AiAth hAOMNN
read tho group Of entries aloud. The en-
try the first year was as follows:
"August o, 1888. Jessie, Ia, hal Jessfei''
And the next wear &c is
Augusta, 1880. Your Jessie siu ires p'
Aud the upNt-
"Ausust ., 1857. She is in good hands pc
And tho ncxt-
"hugust o, 1858. s1e is nell as eper Pc
And the next
"Augu-t o., 1880. TSaw her yesterday Pc
And the ncxt-
"August o, 1890. shes syooino rapidly p
'August o, 1901. she continues to do goli"
'Augus o., IsG2. Zee seen her a0ainr ="
"AugustO o, 1903. SHE'S becoming a sOman Pc
Aud Inc uoAt-
august 9, 1901. your cSld 10 thirteen ="
And The next
August O., 1853. shes ioreii,r than evcr Pc
! And Tho uvxt-
august o, 1850. shes really charming, p"
Aud the next
"August o, 1867. NJ reward Is at haRd Pc
And what shall We get to-day
The physician looked NJ and Fixed his
thoughtful quo upon the bcrcavod hus-
band and wife.
"ilow did those messages come to yon2"
he demanded.
Invariably by post, replied Mr.. Pre-
Bile. Usually to the house, but sometimes
To- tho officer
And you hoyo never soon their author"
"Noycr!'
"'rhe lasl Of them is dated, l SOC, Il year
ago to.d1y!'
"lus yca,' Gltercd the banker, ''and
thc tiuo Lus com for another message
lli, ig The oh of August, lSGSl'
'l see, siid DIR. Hutton. "And this tx
the secret of your terrible excitement You
are expecting TO receive to-day another of
these strange mcssngcsl"
There WIS d brief silence. Mrs. Preble's
hand lutiorrd in lis task, andher facegrew
very pale. The banker breathod gasping-
~, TIE physician regarded them both In
friendly sympathy.
"We shall hear Of her ngain to-day, - said
Mr.. Preblci 'and what will the message
bc?"
Tho mother aycrtcd her face. Her brave
heart idltcred as that question echoed in
her soul.
"1'he writer Of these letters il unques.
tiounbly the nbductor of your childl' said
DR.. Hutton. "lIHyo you any suspicion as
to his IDENTIFY
"Not the slightest" said Mr.. Preble.
1--WE have puzzled over the problem for
many years, but We cannot guess who he
H."
'ThinI," said the doctor. ,Hayo you
no enemy? | do not mean people with
whom you are not triendly-every stirring
mau has plenty of these but II downright
onomyl IL there no man whom you knew
in the Elst who hated your No one against
whom you were called upon TO testify--nO
ono whom you possibly Iniured?"
Tho banker shook his head. He had
asked himself all these questions repeated
ly,
81 have no such enemy, doctor" he an-
swcrcd with sincerity of voice and manner.
"Aud Mr., Prcbic?" suggested the doc
tor, turning to her. "IIayo you no reject
ed suit2r who might be royengeful enough
10 dosolate your homer
"No,' said the lady. IL was married
early, Morton was my first lover!'
This is is strange-very strangel' mutter
ed the doctor. "You are not conscious OF
having m enemy in the world, and yet you
have ou enemy a hidden foe-a fend in
human lOrm-who is working out against
you n fearful hptrcdl And You have not The
lightcst suspicion as 10 whom he is?"
"Not tho slightest, - declared the banker.
"NOt the slightest !" echoed Mrs. Preble.
Only husband had a step-brother who might
have boon capable of this inflmy-but ho
is dead!'
'Thc handwriting isnot familiar"
ono. Il is merely II rude scrawl, as you
gco,' said the banker. 1T suggests moth
ing except chat IL is evidently disguised"
Aguin thcro was n profound silence.
"Our child is seventeen years old now, p"
at lougth murmurcd Mrs. Preble, her voice
trembling. "She Ia in the threshold o
. wommhood. No doubt, during all these
years, she has yearnod for us, wherever she
may be, as we have ycarned for herr
ID "lut whore is she2" asked the physician
and now his voice was broken by his
/. deep sympathy with the agOnized parents.
? "Where can she bey'
"llelyen only knows" answered the
mother. "pclhaps i'm San Francisco per,
haps IN some rude hut in the interior, with
some obscure farmer, and under a mann
that is not horol / think Her abductoi
e would have carried her TO some lonely TO-
. giou of tho interior, among the valleys and
mountains, Yet | never see n young girl
IN the streets without turning 10 look Al
her. never hear n girlish voice without
@ listening eagerly, half iancying that il may
. provo the voice of my lost Jessiei'
"Oh, plying heaven p sighed DIR. Hut.
@ ton, dashiug II flood of tears from his eyes
: will this long agony never DO oyer2"
! 1--WE hoPe 80, and even believe no, an,
swered Mrs. Preblo, with the firmness OF
AN ~uuiItCriug trust in Gods mercy. ''Thc
d last message We received from our enemy
seems TO point TO some KIND of n change
. "Hruc, ussented Dr. Hutton, looking nj
. the message in question. 1T is unlike the
p others. II Says that his reward is nt hand.
+ lie means either that hr intends 10 marry
i your daughter, or that ho intends TO dc.
mnd money of you lor bringing hor back
70 or both"
I "We shall soon know, " said Mrs. Preble,
e with forced calmness. "To-day we shall
u havo another message, no doubt, What will
10 it bs?'