Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1880-03-04

L
her efforts to sleep were unavailing,
and she gave up the attempt at last
and rising fiom bed sat down by the
fire TO read. Twice she fancied she
heard footsteps in the corridor, and
opened her door to listen. Your
aunt was not afraid Of the White
Lady, our family ghost, nor Lady
anybody else, girls. Twice she threw
herself on a couch with the intention
Of resting, since slumber was out of
the question; but between the storm
ana the mysterious sounds through
the house, rest was impossible. At
length, about two O'Clock, she fan
cied that she heard some one moving
about my room very cautiously; and
nothing doubling but that l was as
wakeful aud restless as herself, she
resolved to come In and speak to me.
A sudden gust of wind in the corri
dor extinguished her candle, and she
entered my room in the dark, save
for faint ray Of moonlight which
shone through the carelessly-drawn
| curtains.
Gas your aunt gently approached
my bed she saw a form advancing on
the ether side with uplffted hand, in
which something bright CLEANED in
the moonlight. Quick as thought,
without moments hesitation, her
arm was thrown across my neck. The
knife of an assassin descended with
terrible force, and glancing Off tie
bone, inflicted long and jagged cash
in her arm. The assassin, who had
not seen or heard her approach, in
stantly fled, leaving his weapon be-
hind aud [ was aroused from my
slumbers by Edith's shriells to find
myself bathcd in her blood. Bind
ing my silk handkerchief round hel
arm tightly to check the bleeding,
sent Il servant-ior the whole house
was aroused by your aunt's shrieks
and the violent ringing Of my bell
for the nearest surgeon. and then pro
cecded to search for some traces o
the murdcrous intruder. Mechanic
ally l went first to Jeff7s room, pro
habIy because | was astonished at no
having seen his face among the won
dering group gathered round N,
door. 1t seemed amazing that h
should sleep SO soundly through sucl
conmotion. The door of the eas
room (Jeh's) was open, so WAS tn
, window; and the room was empty.
"Where was jeff: Why had h
, gone so suddenly and mysteriously
t Why the open window: l was a
2 the more painfully perplexed, as til
r most careful examination failed t
, disclose amy other means of exit b
p which the would-bc assassin coul
have escaped. Every door was sc
:, curely v barred, every window cxcer
+ that of the cast room was safely fast
:. ened. In tie f1ower-bed underneat
there were distinct tracks of man
i feet leading from the window. non
whatever leading 10 it.
These things made me terribl
y unhappy, and some suspicion of IN
f thoughts must have crcpt into IN
:, counlenance, for Edith OWNED thel
>, ut once. However. she rcmaine
4 silent about the appearance of I'll
man who had attempted my life, ali
, l rctrHncd from questioning her. !
~ best there could be but Il conjectui
the room was dark, the man Ci
p guIscd and your aunt frightened
~ But the knife which lay upon my be
:, appealed with duinh but terrib
- force to us both. 1t WAS NV pful
. in- knife, and that very anernoo
Edith had seen me lend it to .Je
:, Lawson. Whether the knife ha
been in any way poisoned, or wIetl
:, cr your aunt's wound had lcen bad
:. dressed III the iirs: instance, do n,
:. know. but Inflammation set in an
i for weeks she was dangerously il
: For days her life was despaired O
-. and it was only saved at last at Il
: expense of the brave right hand tn
;, had saved me SO well from a tcrrib
-, and sudden death.
= The matter made a sensation
ii which was something more than
-, nine days wonder in our village: b.
Il as | kept my suspicious to myself. /
>. one else vcntured to express any, al
il, Jetfrey's name was never mixed ,
: !, in the matter. Indeed, it soneho
,r got circulated that he left Garri,
,r the evening Of the attempted murde
!, and no one contrad.etea it. The o
7 ject of the attack, which was eviden
, ~ robbery as well as murder, f
every drawer and desk in my roo
q, was thoroughly ransacked, caus,
f. much wonder and discussion.
~ was pretty generally known that n
al allowance as Il minor was scarce
,a adequate to my few simple wants
ri "What became of JEFF Lawso
"a father" Jess asked, with a stoi
h. glance at aunt 5 face.
- 'sFrom the night he had said goo
H. by to us in this very room. thirly-o
,n years ago, | have never haard of hi
re nor from him. He disappeared
ofl the most extraordinary manne
!, Doubtless he is dead and as far
III he is concerned, l have no hope
nc the mystery of that awful night c,
a. being cleared up"
"a. land his mother, papa?" Fr
We queried.
"Ah, his poor mother, she bro
-. her heart over his disappearance, l
oo boy. Mothers will do such thin
off over the most worthless sons. We
NJ Upton, what's the matter!'
Iv "If you please, sir, there's n g
nj tleman wants to see you,'' said q
NO old butler, closing the door behi
I him, and looking mysteriously roul
,le "Hc says his business is urgent,
. he wont give his name
or "a strange gentleman, at t
cd hour, and on such night" exclai
nle ed papa, rising. ''He must be SO
~ belated traveller. Show him in"
int We all looked at each other, 8
nd glanced toward the door in ca.
led nervous curiosity, rs an elderly g
len tleman with very white hair 8
md beard entered the room, made
cir courteous bow, which embrat
er. everybody, and proceeded to unb
it'll ton an enormous travelling cloak
of which he was enveloped. For a n
nj, ,nant or CD his ewes wandered ron