Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-11-30
had asked himself all these questions

manner.
"And Mrs. Preble ?" suggested the
doctor, turning to her. "Have you no
rejected sutton who might be revenge
full enough to desolate your home ?"
NO." said the lady. Il was mar
ried early. Morton was my first
loverr
"This is strange-very strange p
muttered the doctor. you are not |
conscious of having an enemy in the
world, and yet you have an enemy
a hidden foe-a fend in human form
who is working out against you a
fearful hatred And you have not the
slightest suspicion as to whom he is ?"
"Not the slightestr' declared the |.
banker.
Not the slightest" echoed Mrs
Preble. "My husband had a STEP
brother who might have been capable
of this iniamy-but he is dead"
"The handwriting is not familiar 2
No. 1t is merely rude scrawl,
as you see," said the banker. at
suggests nothing-except that it is
evidently disguised p
Again there was profound silence.
"Our child is seventeen years old
now," at length murmured Mrs. Preb-
lie, her voice trembling. "She is on
the threshold Of womauhood. No
doubt, during all these years, she has
yearned for US, wherever she may be,
as we have yearned for herr
But where is she ~ asked the ply
sician-and now his voice was brok-
en- by his deep sympathy with the ag
onized parents. "Where can she be ?"
"Heayen only knows" answered
the mother. "PerhapS in San Fran
cisco-perhaps in some rude hut in
the interior, with some obscure farm
er, and under a name that is not hers.
| think her abductor would have car
ried her to some lonely region Of the
interior, among the valleys and noun
tainS. Yet | never see a young girl
in the streets without turning to look
at her. never hear a girlish voice
without listening eagerly, half fancy
ing that it may prove the voice of my
, lost Jessie "
"Oh, plying heavcnw sighed DR..
Hutton, dashing a flood of tears from
; his eyes. "Will this long agony new
! er be over?"
t ave hope so, and even believe so, P"
answered Mrs. Preble, with the firm
.. ness of an unfaltering trust in Gods
t mercy. THE last message we receiv-
: ed from our enemy seems to point to
e some kind of a change"
il True, assented DR.. Hutton, look,
/ ing at the message in question. at is
unlike the others. 1t says that his
:, reward is at hand He means either
c to marry your daughter, or that he
:. intends to demand money Of you for
bringing her back-Cr both
y ave shall soon know" said Mrs.
Preble, with forced calmness. ITO
i day we shall have another message
no doubt. What will it be-"
- The banker turned restlessIy OF
1t his sofa, and his face grew even pa
IS Ter.
Whatever it is, let it come" he
@, murmured. Anything can be borne
" better than this awful suspense. lie
le it comet
i, As if his impatient words had pre-
If cipitated crisis, step was heard OF
10 he walk at this moment, and a rine
n. at the front door followed.
e, Another mesSagcr breathed tn
he banker.
as A servant soon entered bearing
is letter, which he extended to Mr.. Pret
er lie, saying:
TO- "The bearer is in the hall
as With an eager gaze, the banke
Id glanced at the super5cription of tn
er missive.
at is from him ~ he faltered.
Is He tore the envelope open.
*, 1t contained a slip of paper, of we
re- known shape and appearance, upo
which was scrawled a single line, /
es. an equally well known hand wIitin!
W. which the banker exhibited to his vii
. and the physician.
s: The line was as follows:
p, august 8, 1868. At sir l ,ci
call"
," A shock of wonder and horrC
shook the three simultaneously.
~ "WiIl call p cried Mr.. Preble, star
ing to his feet and glaring wildly a
ound.
as coming here ?" cried Mrs. Pre-
lie, also arising.
Z" alt seems so, said DR.. Hutton, h
-, eyes again reverting to the messag
"He will be here at six o'clock, an
see it is six alreadyW
y, Even as he spoke, the clock on tt
% mantel piece commenced striking Il
,r' appointed hour, and at that insta
heavy footsteps resounded in the ha
p" approaching the library.
,ro at is he :" cried the doctor, all
arising.
l" As the last stroke of the hour I
sounded, the door leading from t
led hall again opened.
red One long and Mortified glance ca
the banker and his wife in that dire
to ton, and then she fell heavily to t
floor.
Mr.. Her senses had left her. The a
but owe we publish as a specimen chapte
but the continuation of this story W
au- be found only in the New York Lee
er. Ask for the number dated [
cember 4th, which can be had at a
., a news office or bookstore. If you a
not within reach of news office, V
ler, can have the Ledger mailed to Y
her for one year by sending three dolls
uSt to Robert Bonner, publisher, 1872 "
liam street, New York. The Lede
this pays more for original contribute
lite than any other periodical in the wor
ave 1t will publish none but the very. We
1es- best. Its moral tone is the pure
and its circulation the largest. Eve
lr8; body who takes it is happier for h
and ing it. Leon Lewis, Mrs. Harr
INK Lewis, Mrs. Southworth, Mr.. Co
ysl- Professor Peck, Mary Kyle Dali
IDLY Fanny Fern and Miss Dupuy v
write only for the Ledger hereafter