The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1869-11-25

mean people with whom you.
are not iriendly-every stir
ring man has plenty Of these
but a downright enemy! Is
there no man whom you knew
in The East who hated you2 No
one against whom you were
called upon to testify-No one
whom you possibly injured T.
The banker shook his head.
He had asked himself all these
questions repeatedly.
u have no such enemy, doc.
tor" he answered with sinceri
ty of voice and manner.
"And Mrs Preble9" suggest,
ed the doctor, turning to her.
Have you no rejected suitor
who might be revengeful
enough to desolate your home2"
"No," said The lady. 81 was
married early. Morton was
my first lover!"
"This is strange-very
strange!" muttered the doctor.
"You are not conscious of bav.
ing an enemy in the world,
and yet you have an enemy
a hidden loe-a fiend in hu.
man form who is working ont
against you u fearful hatred!
And you have not the slight.
est suspicion as to whom he
isg" N.
"Not the slightest" declared
the banker.
"Not the slightest" echoed
Mrs. Preble. "Mv husband
had a step.brother who might
have been capable of this in.
famy-but he is dead!"
"Tho handwriting is not ia.
miliars"
"No. 1t is merely a rude
scrawl, as you see,' said the
banker. lit suggests nothing
except that it is evidently dis.
guiSed!"
Again there was a profound
silence.
"Our child is seventeen years
old now," at length murmured
Mrs. Preble, her voice trem.
bling. "She is on the thresh.
hold Of womanhood. No doubt
during all these years, she has
yearned for us, wherever she
may be, as we have yearned
for her!'
"But where is she9" asked
the physician-and now hi
voice was broken by his deer
sympathy with the agonizet
parents. "Where can she be?'
"Heaven only knows" an
swered the mother. "Perhap,
in San Francisco-perhaps il
some rude hut in the interior
with some obscure farm er; her
abductor would have carried
her to some lonely region o
the interior, among the val
leys and mountains. Yet
never see a young girl in the
streets without turning TO lool
at her. | never hear a girlisl
voice without listening eager
ly, half iancying that it ma,
prove the voice of my lost Jes
sie!"
"Oh, plying heaven!' sighed
Dr.. Hutton, dashing a food o
tears from his eyes. "Wil
this long agony never b.
ovei?"
ave hope so, and even be
lieve So" answered Mrs. Preble
with the firmness of an unfal
tering trust in Gods mercy
"The last message we received
from our enemy seems to poin
to some kind OF a change"
True," assenied DR.. Hutton
louking at The message il
question. at is unlike the tn,
others. 1t says that his re
ward is at hand. He mean
either that he intends to marry
your daughter, or that he in
tends to demand money of yor
for bringing her back-ol
both"
ave shall soon know" said
Mrs. Preble, with forced calm.
ness. "To.day We shall have
another message, no doubt
What will it bes" ,8. .u
The banker turned restlessly
on bis sofa, and his face grew
even paler.
"Whateverit it is, let it GOMEZ
he murmured. aAnything can
he borne better than this aw.
ful suspense. Let it come.r
AS if his impatient words
had precipitated crisis, a step
was heard on the walk at this
moment, and a ring at the
front door followed. 3Hl 10 ,54
"Another message!" breath,
ed the banker.
A servant soon entered,
bearing a letter, which he ex. :.