The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-11-24
lot the Slightest" declared the

banker.
Preble. MY husband had a step
brother who might have been capable
of this infamy-but he is deadF'
1.-The handwriting is not familiar?
mo. It is merely a rude scrawl,
as you see," said the banker. at
suggests nothing-except that it is
evidently disguised!'
Again there was a profound silence.
Our child is seventeen years old
now" at length murmured Mrs.
Prebie, her voice trembling. "She is
on the threshold of womanhood. No
doubt. during all these years, she has
yearned for US, wherever she may be.
as we have yearned for herl'
But where is she?n asked the
physician-and now his voice was
broken by his deep sympathy with
the agonized parents. Where can
she be?"
Heaven only knows" answered
the mother. perhaps in San Fran
cisco-perhaps in some rude hut In
the interior, with some obscure far
mer, and under a name that is not hers !
/ think her abductor would have ear
ried her to some lonely region of the
interior, among the valleys and
mountains. Yet | never see a young
girl in the street 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!"
"Ob, plying heayenl' sighed DR..
Hutton, dashing a flood of tears
from his eyes. will this long ago
ny never be Oyer?"
"We hcpe so, and even believe So"
answered Mrs. Preble, with the firm
ness of an unfalteriDg trust il Gods
mercy. The last message we re-
ceived from our enemy seems to point
to some kind of a change"
True" assented DIR. Hutton,
looking at the message in question
1T is unlike the others. It says that
his reward is at hand He means
either that he intends to marry your
daughter, or that he intends to de-
mand money of you for bringing her
back--or BOTH"
We shall soon know" said Mrs.
Preble, with forced cssnness. To
day we shall have another message,
NJ 'oubt. What will it be?"
The banker turned restlessIy on
his sofa, and his face grew even
paier.
"Whatever it is, let it GOMEZ he
murmured. Anything can be borne
better than this awful suspense. Let
it comel"
As if his impatient words had
precipitated e crisis, a step was heard
on the walk at this moment, and a
ring at the front door followed.
Another messageP' breathed the
banker.
A servant soon entered, bearing a
letter, which he extended to Mr.. Pre-
BILE, saying:
THE bearer is in the hail."
With an eager gaze, the banker
glanced at the superscription of the
missive.
ut is from hinl!" he faltered.
He tore the envelope open.
1t contained a slip of paper, of
well-known shape and appearance,
upon which was scrawled a single
line, in an equally Well-known hand
writing, which the banker exhibited
to his wife and the physician.
This line was as follows:
Augusta, 1868. Atssr I WiI caH!"
shock of wonder and horror
S. 3k the three simultaneously.
will calll' cried Nj. Preble,
starting to his feet, and glazing wildly
around.
rs coming here?" cried Mrs. Pre-
bic, also arising.
ut seems So" raid DR.. Hutton, his
eyes again reverting to the message.
He will be here at six o'clock, and
see! it is six ~alreadyl"
Even as he spoke. the clock on tho
mantle piece commenced striking the
appointed hour, and at that instant
heavy foot steps resounded In the
hall, approaching the library.
1T is her cried the doctor, also
arising.
As the last stroke of the hour re-
sounded, the door leading from the
hall again opened.
One long and Mortified glance cast
the banker and his wife in that direc-
ton, and then she fell heavily to the
floor.
Her senses had left her. The above
we publish as a specimen chapter;
but the continuation of this story
will be found only in the N. Y. Led.
ger. Ask for the number dated
December 4th, which can be had at
any news Office or book store. If you
are not within reach of a news Office,
you can have the Ledger mailed to
you for one year by sending three dol
lars to Robert Bonner, publisher, 1872
William Street, New York. The
Ledger pays more for original contri-
buttons than any other periodical in
the world. 1t will publish none but
the very. very best. It's moral tone is
the purest, and its circulation the
largest. Everybody who takes it is
happier Tor 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 TT.
so vast is art SO narrow human wit.
THE