Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-12-16
THE DEAD HAND.

%, tftf = GH'G- y IL. o-T 1871 .
"a large, coarse sheet of letter
paper, intricatelyl foldedgrand
, sealed with a red wafer. The
simple snperscription, "Charles
Client, Wildlands," was legibIe
enough, despite the cramped, .ir-
regular penmanship So also
, were The following lines, desti-
tutute of date, address and sig
nature: bsssrs
"Years ago you did me a
kindness, which / vowed never
to forget. 81 In return I I.nowi pen
the warming that yonr house
| will be entered tomorrow night.
1t is we'll known to certain
thleving gang that you have a
large sum Of money by9syou.
Be wise, and have it removed to
a place Of safety. Above all
things employ some trustwor-
thy person to act for you. So
surely as this charge is neglect
ed, suspicious will be excited,
and your life possibly pay the
forfeit of your folly.
"Be careful also to provide a
good and open reason for any
Tourney you may, deem it advis-
able You should make, for | as
sure you every one of your
movements are closely watched.
And, lastly, do not be foolish
enough to give battle. The
money is all that is wanted, and
no personal injury will be offer
ed if you keep quiet Wheth-
err or not your servants haze
been lampered with I can't say.'"5
Heavy lines Of anxiety mark
ed Mr.. Clients fine forehead as
he read, and IL was NOT silrpris-
ing, the region being at that PEE
I'iod IA rough one in every way.
It's locality and the circumstan-a
ccs which sent him there with
his family it is needless 70 mes-I
ton. assse
strange how, the thing ever
leaked oug'fehe mnttcrcd 60
himself, "bntI suppose through
Oscars folly, and liow Whit am
| to do? Oscar will be off IN
ten minutes, "sgtancing from. The
letter to therpaFe, faded eolfnte-
nance of his dissipated step-son,
who stood at a little distance,
making hasty preparation for a
Journey. "And perhaps it is
well-those gambling heIls haze
sunk hirn toolow for an y hon
est employment -
The entrance Of the tw6ire-
naming members of his family, !
with the hurried adieus anG de-
parture OF Oscar Layne. .ended,
| for the ctiine, ,'9his uncon1fort-
able reflections But the MORN
ing cup Of coffee just then seEVr
ed, fully discussed, be passed
the letter to his vile and
daughter. ---9
Mrs. Client sat in mute hor-
ror. The daughter, a nob!er
looking creature pof some 20
years, was stronger neryed,. She
read the letter slowly and crit
ically. ffa1os 3 . -. s.gs.as ~ ts.s
"To-morrow," she comment
ed edthoughtlully. .That may els
ther mean tonight or .to-mor-
row night, papa. You see there
is no date. We don't know
whether it was written twelve
or twenty-four hours ago.
"Yon are right. That never
occurred to me. WeIiayc escn
less time than | supposed. But
| see nothing for it but to lei
the money 60"
'1t is too badly needed, papa,
to be quietly yielded to those
wretches," Bessie answered.
quietly. asss
'True. But what is to be
done? If you and your mother
were not here / would risk my
life ia taking it to the Bolton
Bank. But, asst is; Z can't.eon-
seientiousIy do SO, and there IL
no one to whom ! can call
'sYcs, there is; l will take it,
"You!'' exclaimed both par
Ients, utterly aghas. for the mo-
Iinent.
Eyes, ! am going," was Ithe
cool rejoinder. acssrvEf,
@YoI are demeniel, Bessie e
cried her stcpmother. = sit is farf
better to lose the money than
for you to run so great q rislxS|I
Determined, mamma, rot de-
mented," said Bessie, as her fla,
ther said: s saa3 sldls
"You forget, Bessie, that youii
will have a drive Of three miles
over a road too lonely to maker
you feel quite at ease, consider
ing the character of those a.
bout us" .gssr sfsl,ssl
II am too much like yourself
TO be a coward" she answered, I
firmly" "And indeed / don't
think there is the slightest dam
ger, except in imagination. My
best protection, l think, eis our
market basket, aad that I sh;ill
take aud bring home well filled.
Your vest pistol would not. II