Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-11-26

"And you have never seen their author?'
"Never!"
''The last of them is dated, L see, a year
Iago today
Eyes, yes" faItered the banker, '.and
1.-THE time has come for another message
This is the 9th of August, 1868 p
81 see" said Dr. Hutton. and this is
the secret of your terrible excitement
You are expecting to receive to day another
OF these strange messages y
There was brief silence. Mrs. Preble's
hand huttered in its task, and her face
grew very pale The banker breathed
both in friendly sympathy.
eve shall hear of her again today"
said Mr.. Preble "and what will the mes,
sage be p
The mother averted her face. Her brave
heart faltered as that question echoed in
her soul
"The writer Of these letters is unques-
tionably the ahductor of your child p said
Dr. Hutton. ''Have you any suspicion as
to his identity 2"
''Not the slightest" said IIr. Preble
"We have puzzled over the problem for
many years, but we cannot guess who he
is"
'sIhink," said the doctor ''Have you
l.
whom you are not friendly-every stirring
man has plenty of these-but a downright
enemy! Is there no man whom you
knew in the East who hated you? No
one against whom you were called upon
to testify-no one whom you possibly in
iured ?"
The banker shook his head He had
asked himself all these questions repeat
eddy.
II have no such enemy, doctor,' he
answered with sincerity Of voice and man
nor.
'.And Mrs. Prebie ?" suggested the doe
jected suitor who might be revengeful
enough to desolate your home?"
"No," said the lady. II was married
early Morton was my first lover p
This is .strange-very strange!" NUT
tered the doctor You are not conscious
of having an enemy in the world, and yet
you have an enemy-a hidden foe-a fiend
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 slightest" declared the bank
er.
Not the sljghtestr' echoed Mrs. Pre-
bic. my husband had step-brother
!
famy-but he is dead!'
"The handwriting is Lot famiiiar?"
ono. It is merely rude scrawl, as You
see," said the banker. 1T suggests moth
ing-eXcept that it is evidently disguis-
ear
Again there Was profund silence.
''Oar child is seventeen years old now"
at length nurmured Mr. j. Preble, her voice
trem bling. she is on the threshold Of
womanhood. No doubt, during all thee
years, she has year1ed for us, wherever
she may be, as We have yearned for her!"
But where is she?' asked the physi
clan and now lis voice was broken l.;
bis deep sympathy with agonizing parent t.
''Where can she be?"
''Heaven only knows" answered the
mother. ''Perhaps i'll San Franciscv-
perhaps III some rude hut in TIE interior.
with sonlc obscure farmer, and under
name that is not hersi I think her all
dactor would have carried her TO some
lonely region Of the interior, AMONG the
valleys and mountains. Yet never see a
young girl i'll the streets without turning
to look at her. [ never hear II giriish
voice without listening cargerly, half
tancylDg that 1t may prove Ga" voice Of my
lost jessie!
"Oh plying heaven" sighed DE- Hut
ton, dashing flood Of Feora from his eyes.
"WiIl this long agony never be oyer?"
Eve hope SO, ana even believe so, an.
swerol Mrs. PrebIe, with the trmness Of
an untaltering trust in Gods mercy
50 The lest message we received from our
enemy seems to point 20 some kind Of u
change
"TGuc," asscntvd Dr.. Hutton, looking
at the message IL question. "It is unlike
the Others It Gays 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"
eve shall soon know" said Mrs. Pre-
BILE, with forced calmness. "To-day we |
shall have another message, no doubt
What will it be ?'
The banker turned restlessly on lis sofa,
and his face grew even paler :
Whatever it is, let it come - he muir.
INJURED. "Anything can be borne better
than this awful suspense. Let it come !"
AS II his impatient words had precipita-
ted crisis, step was heard on the walk |
at this moment. and ring at the front
door followed.
" Another message!' breathed the
banker.
~ servant soon entered, bearing letter. |
which he extended to Mr.. Preble, say
ing
The bearer is in the hail.
With al eager gaze, the banker glanced |
at the superscription Of the missivc
1T is from him :" he faltered
He tore the envelope open. i
1t contained slip OF paper, Of we'll
known shape and appearance, upon which
was scrawled single line, in an equally
well-known hand writing, which the bank
er exhibited to his wife and the physician.
This line was as follows
august 8, 1868. ut ST. ,o5N CAL ="
A shock Of wonder and horror shook the |
three simultaneously.
''Will call p cried Mr. Preble, starting
to his feet, and glazing wildly around.
Ills coming here ?" cried Mrs. Treble,
also 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
already
Even as he spoke, he clock on the man
telpiece commenced striking the ap-
pointed hour, and at that instant heavy
%1ko 4 ~