Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1869-11-26

Again there was profound silence.
"Our child is seventeen years old now,"
at length murmured Mrs. Preble, her voice
trembling. 'She is on the threshold of wo-
manhood. No doubt, during all these years,
she has yearned for us, wherever. she may
be, as We have yearned for her!''
"But where is she ?" asked the physician
and now his voice was broken by his deep
sympathy with the agonized parents
"Where can she te?
Heaven only knows answered the moth.
er. "Perhaps in San Francisco-perhaps
in some rude hut in the interior, with some
obscure farmer, and under name that is
not hers: / think her atductor would have
carried her to some lonely region of the in
terror, among the valleys and mountains.
Yet never see young girl in the streets
without turning to look at her. never hear
a girlish voice without listening eagerly,
half fancying that it may prove the voice Of
my lost Jessie y
"Ob, plying heaven! r sighed DR.. Hut
ton, dashng food of tears from his eyes.
"Will this long agony never be over?'
ave hope so, and even believe So" an
swered Mrs. Preble, with the frmness Of an
unfaltering trust in Gods mercy. "The
last message we received from our enemy
seems to point to some kind of charge"
"True," assented DR.. Hutton, looking at
the message in question. at is unlike the
others. 1t says that his reward is at hand
He means either that he intends to marry
your daughter, or that he intends to demand
money Of you for bringing her back-or
BOTH"
"We shall soon know" said Mrs. Preble,
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.
"Whateyer it is let it come T. he murmur-
ed. Anything can be borne better than
this awful suspense. Let it GOMEZ
AS if his impatient words had precipita-
ted crisis, a step was heard on the walk at
this moment, and ring at the front door
followed.
"Another message breathed the bank
/ A servant soon entered. bearing letter,
which he extended to Mr.. Preble, saying:
"rhe bearer is in the hail."
With an eager gaze, the banker glanced
| d. tuc VI tHc ulSSltcs
! at is from himr' he faltered.
He tore the envelope open.
1t contained slip of paper, of well-known
shape and appear ance, upon which was
scrawled single line, in an equally we'll
known handwriting, which the banker ex-
hibited to his wife and the physician.
This line was as follows:
! august 9th 1868. At sir I ,oiH CALI"
A shock of wonder and horror shook the
three simultaneously.
"Will call I" cried Mr.. Preble, starting to
his feet, and glaring wildly around.
as coming here?' cried Mrs. Preble, al
SO arising.
''It seems so,' said DR.. Hutton, his eyes
again reverting to the message. "He will
be here at six o'clock, and see! it is six al
eady! +
Even as he spoke, the clock on the man.
piece commenced striking the appointed
hour, and at that instant heavy footsteps re-
sounded in the hall, approaching the libra
ry.
ut is he!" cried the doctor, also arising.
As the last stroke of the hour resounded
the door leading from the hall again open
ed.
One long and Mortified glance cast the
banker and his wife in that direction, and
then she fell heavily to the floor.
Her senses had left her. The above we
publish as specimen chapter; but the con-
tnuation of this story will be found only in
the N. y. Ledger. Ask for the number da-
ted December 5th, which can be had al any
news office or bookstore. II you are not
within reach of news office, you can have
the Ledger mailed to you for one year by
sending three dollars TO Robert Bonner, pub
Usher. 49, William street, New York. The
Ledger pays more for original contributions
than any other periodical in the world. Ii
will publish none but the very, very best
Its moral tone is the purest, and its circula
ton the largest. Every body who takes il
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 hereafter.
Mr.. Bonner, like other leading publish
ers, might issue three or five papers anc
magazines; but he prefers to concentrate
all his energies upon one, and in that way
to make it the best. One Dexter is wortf
more than three or five ordinary horses.
One science only can one genius fit.
So vast is art, SO narrow human wit.