Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1885-12-11

Want.
ASK him to wait"
Eyes, sir; AMI letter by hand, sr.n
''Ob, leave it on the table
Eyes, sir.n
mo, bring it in."
Yes, sir
The servant enterel and gave him the
letter
Mr. Nolan will breakfast"
eyes, sir y
He opened the letter and looked at the
signature.
Joseph NorburYE he exclaimed
Then he went in a stealthy way to the
door and locked it.
Dear Mr.. Needham," he read, please ac-
cept my best thanks for the two letters Of
introduction. very much appreciate your
kindness. This morning | have a letter
from my lawyer in Derby shire, stating that
he will be in town to-day at six He has
invited himself to dine with ma and talk
over business. This is unfortunate
Here Needham looked up from the letter,
and remarked to himself, Il don't know
perhaps it is-perhaps not. At all events
am equal to either fortune
Ten turning to the letter again he read.
'bu5 my visitor leaves for Richmond at
nine or ten, and if in begging your in
QulS6uCG W GACuSe Ill6 1TOlu WlUQQraWlIl0.
nv acceptance of your kind invitation to
dianAr 1 may he allowed to come round to
you ami smoke a cigar after my friend has
left for Richmond, shall be very glad to
do SO, and to receive your further letters
and advice in respect Of my journey to
New YORK. Do not trouble to answer this.
L shall take my chances of fnling you, AMI
as L shall have nothing else to do it will not
Inconvenience me at all if it should be in
convenient for you to remain at home.
''Yours very truly,
JOSEPH NoRBURY.n
Ghis!'' Needham exclaimed ut cannot be
providence, for providence has written it
down hard and strong, and engraven it on
the mountain stone, Thou shalt do no muir
der Satan then! Or Fatea Or Dastinye
Two lives hang in the balance. Fate, or
Destiny, or provide nce, or the devil know
it. They claim the right to cleo. which is to
be the victim. He is picked out from
millions, and under marvellous circum-
stances, and brought to London in the nick
OF time The circumstances which will
attend his removal, his substitution for
another, are made to fit into the occasion.
Every detail of the affair is mol led for
me. 1t is as if, like the patriarch of old, L
had found ram caught in the thic5et,
ready to take the place of this other sacri-
flee; or the dagger that pointed the way to
Duncan's chamber; or like the omen that
encouraged Tarquin. But what is to be the
end? Win not the unseen ministers claim
me and dam me at last? There's the rub.
But sufficient for the day is the evil thereof
1 will go on-Fate continuing propitious-
if I swing for it.
His face was ivid now, his lips fixed and
cruel, and he paced his chamber as he had
done before, tigerishly, pausing now and
then to mutter and talk. Presently he took
the razor from his coat pocket and put i6
into the pocket of his dressing gown.
81 will dress LATER he said; Nolan will
be tired of waiting
Then he thrust Norbury's letter into his
pocket with the razor, washed his hands,
brushed his thin hair, and tightening the
waist band of his dressing gown, glidef
catlike into the dining room, where he
found his confidential solicitor walking
about impatiently, one hand in his pocket,
the other swinging his eyeglasses about.
! have kept you too long, pray excuse
me- said Mr.. Nee1ham; Il did not go to
bed until very late"
II should judge so, for all the years
have known you l have never seen you in a
III CoSlLlS gown D6lOlC, Sdlu INOldu.
'sAnd you shall never see me again in one
if my appearance so offends you. Isuppose
you are thinking at this moment what could
have induced my constituents to call me
q fopsn
'SNo, my friend, l was not thinking of
anything so'frivol GUS. 1 have received by
this mornings post very strange Letter
impugning the reality of the Broadwood
trust and mortgage deeds 1 have accepted
service of writs for fifty thousand pounds,
and the city this morning talks of nothing
but your financial ruin. They say thatyo
cannot last twenty-four hours. What is to
be done? Can ! do any thing! l am only
here to ask these two questions"
'EThank you, Nolan; your sympathy
touches me-" said Needham 81 feel as if 1
had lost my hold on things and on life; that
is a factn
You look it, said Nolan.
II am i'll; but shall pull through"
"You never lacked courage. Look at tho
difficulty straight in the face; your honor
is intact; you have only been unfortunate"
Il hope you may always think so. Per-
haps that strange letter you speak of may
undeceive you, who knowss But, my dear
Nolan, wait. Monday morning may do
wonders for U.s. 1 think it will You will
take breakfasts!
''No, thank you, ! cannot stay
Yes you can, you must, dear friend I
have business OF the last importance to
speak about"
Mr. Nolan did stay to breakfast, and re-
manned until late in the afternoon. He did
not return to the city, but was driven home
in Needham's carriage. On its return Need
ham said to the driver:
John, I want you to catch the next train
to Leighton Buzzard Idon' mean to drive
to the station. Put your horses up and go
yourself. | have a message for you to
D.ck and some medicine for tbs horses.
And james"
Yes sir" said the footlnan
Il wish you to go with John"
Yes, sir
81 shall not want you here. l am going
out tomorrow
YES, sir
''You will stay all night at Leighton
Buzzar1 and meet me- both of you, with the
dog cart at the Leighton station at the first
train on Monday"
YES, sir"
Mr. Needham looked at his watch.
''You have two hours to put up your
horses AMI go to the station. When you
are ready have bottle for ou.'
Eyes, sir" said the two servants to-
gether.
They took a bottle down to Leighton,
with note from the master; but it was nos
the bottle which had been delivered at Port
land place with so much ceremony the day
before. John, however, was instructed not
to open the parcel until Monlay morning,
when Mr.. Neeiham would instruct him IL
the use of it
ITO be Continual
WISE WoRDs. Waste nothing neither
money, time nor talent.