The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1880-11-09

want them all to know that am alive
vet
A. Mike a!xed of he did look like
q very animated corpse. his figur,
reaching six fni one inch in height
and his broad shoulders and muscular
limbs showed his great strength hst
nor vet departed.
THE DEAD HAND.
A servant found j: under the from
door early in the morning. large
coarse sheet OF letter paper. Intricalei,
folded. aud sealed with a red wafer
The simple superscription. Charlie
Client, Wildisnds. was lcgi6!e enough
despite the crampei. irregular pen
manship. 80 also we're The following
lines, destitute Of date. address and
signature:
Years ago you did me q kindness
which 1 vowed never to forget. IL
return now pen YOU the warning
that your house will be opened tn
morrow night. 1t is we'll known TO 4
certain th;eving gang that You have :
large sum Of money by You. BE wis:
and have it removed u place %
safety. Above all things, empio,
some trustworthy person t. act in'
you. so surely "a you neglect thi.
charge. suspicious will be excited. ant
your life possibly pay the forfeit o
your folly.
BE careful. also. to provide a GOOD
and open reason tor any journey YOU
may deem il advisable that you shouit
make, for l assure you every ore al
your movements i. closely watched
And lastly. do not be ;"olaar,:v enough
10 give hattie. The money is all that
is wanted, and mo- personal injury will
be offered il you keep quiet. Whether
ur not your servants have been lamp
cred with. cant sny.
Heavy lines OF snxietv marked
Mr.. Clients fine forehead ne he read.
and it wac cot surprising. the region
being at that period a rough one il
every way. Its lecslitv and the cir
cumstauces which s-nt him there with
his family il Is needless to mention.
Strange how the thing ever leaked
nut. he muttered to himself. but
suppose through Oscars i,liv. And
now what sn to do: Oscar will be
off liz ten minutes. gIsncing fran In.
letter TO the pale. jaded countenancs o.
his dissipated step-.on. who stood At a
little distance. making hastv prepsra
tons for journey. And perhaps il
is well-those gambling-heils have
sunk him too low for any honest EN-.
ployment.'
The entrance Of the two remaining
members Of hi. family, xilh the hur.
ried sdieus and departure of Oscar
Layne. ended. for the time. HE IN
reflections. But The
morning cup Of coffee. JUS. then serv,
ed. fully discussed. he passed the let.
ter to his wife and daughter.
Mrs. Client set IN mute horror. Tie
a noble-looking creature 81
some 20 vesr-. was stronger nerved.
She re-read the letter slowly and crit
cally.
Tomorrow, she commented,
thoughtfuily. That may either mean
tonight or tomorrow night. papa
You see there il no date. We don't
know whether it WAS written twelve
or twenty-four hours ago.
You are right. That never occur.
red to ne. We have even less time
than supposed. But l see nothing
for it hut to let the money CO.
1t is too badly needed. Papa. to b.
quietly yielded to those wre:cbes.
Bessie quietly answered..
'TrHe. But what is to be done? /:
you and your mother were not here
would risk nv life in taking it to the
Bolton Bank. But as it is. I canuo,
conscientiously do so. aud there lie no
one upon whom can CALL
Yes, there If /; I will take it,
You (" exclaimed both parents, ut
terlv aghss. for the moment.
Yes, | am going. was the cool re-
joinder.
You are demented, Bessie cried
her step mother. 1t 10 far better to
lose the money than for you to run 81
great risk
Determined. mamma, not dement,
ed. said Bessie a- her father said:
You forget. Bessie, that you will
have drive of three mile. over u
road too lonely to make you feel quite
At ease, considering the character OF
those about US
i am too much like yourself to be
n coward she answered, firmly. And
indeed don't believe there is the
slightest danger. except in imsgina.
lion. My best protection. l think.
will BE- our market-basket, and that l
'hall take and bring home we'll filed.
Your vest pistol would not. however.
be out Of place 10 nv pocket. and l
will take It also. since | can handle il
a. dexirously az yourself
A few more objections were urged,
'nly TO be skillfully overruled, and
Mr.. Client. feeling also that there was
10 actual danger. at last fully coueent-
ed.
'Why not send for assistance.
charlesT suggested the not very per.
istent Mira. Client.
That would never do 10 such q re-
ion and under such circumstances,
lnless we intend to keep an armed
orce about u.s. Bessie answered
promptly, Mr.. Client echoing her
opinion most emphatically.
Owing to various trying delays,
'early two hours passed before Bessie
ould start. As she left the sitting
oo,v, kor the Evhe .~co,, ~ tho loo.