The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1906-01-04
MY
iOrigin;d

ways expressed 1t, 'he left us" l did
aot remember him.
When l was a girl of sixteen I was
ore day watching a housemaid move
q desk. She was about to put 1t back
In its place when | noticed the corner
OF an envelope sticking out. from the
back of the desk. l took told OF it
and drew 1t out. 1t was addressed to
my mother, had never been opened, and
the post mark bore a date of twelve
years before. l concluded to open 1t
1t read:
If you ,re convinced, write me dennitel,
by return mail. After Saturday 1t will be
too late.
1t was signed with u single letter
either an NJ. or a w, l could not be
certain which.
| placed the note in n of the little
drawers in the upper part of the desk
My mother was absent at the time, and
l Intended to call her attention to 1t on
her return, but forgot al about 1t.
One evening | visited 4 friend who
lived a few doors from our house and.
on taking my leave, started to go
home alone. A carriage was standing
by the curb, and two men were loiter
ing on the sidewalk. AS l passed they
approached me, and almost before
knew what had happened they had
lifted me off my feet and put me In
che carriage. Then they both got in and
shut the door, and the coachman drove
away.
I begged them with tears to tell me
what it all meant and what they were
going to do with me. One of them as
sured me that no harm would come to
me and | had best calm myself. After
driving some distance they entered
large grounds and stopped under the
porte cochere of a dwelling. The door
Of the house opened, and a matronly
woman came out, put her arm about
me with a pleasant smile and led me- in
to the house and up into a bedroom,
where she said l would spend the night.
I questioned her, but she gave me no
information, though she assured me
that no harm would come to me. l
learned something, however, from over
hearing a telephone message, the In
strument baing fixed in the hall. One
of the men who had kidnapped me was
talking.
"She's here"
A pause.
NO. I'll guarantee that. Not a hui
man being except those concerned
knows where she is or cur track her"
A pause.
"She behaves very well, though, of
course. she's pretty badly cut up"
Tile man listened to something more,
then hung up the receiver and went
downstairs. A few minutes later ]
heard tho carriage drive away.
l will not attempt to describe my
feelings. Which were rather puzzled
than otherwise, for | was SO kindly
treatc1 thai it VAS impossible to con
time to be frightened. The motherly
Woman brought me a nightdress and
asked me If I'd like any supper. She
had no fear of my getting out through
the window, for | was on the third
story.
In the morning after breakfast | was
directed to go into the library. A gen
tleman was waiting for me who as ]
approached regarded me with a face
on which sadness had been stamped,
but which now lighted up with kind.
bess. love, admiration.
Marjorie, my child, what a splendid
girl you are"
drew back. astonished. "Who are
souY' | asked.
Your father"
My father is not living"
"IIas any one ever told you that he
Is dead?"
I could not remember that any one
had ever said SC.
Marjorie" he continued, drawing
me to him, 81 am really your father.
Your mother has had you long enough;
at least 1t is now my turn for awhile.
We shall sail this afternoon for Eu-
rope"
! was convinced that he was really
my father both by his bearing toward
me and a picture l had seer of him. /
temporized with him, neither asserting
nor dissenting. We were still talking to-
gether when several men forced their
way into the house, and soon after my
mother drove up In a carriage. She
found me with my father. Selling her
by the hand, l ~endeavored to draw her
to him, begging them to be reconciled.
Impossible" said my father. 81
gave your mother a last opportunity
more than ten years ago"
"You did not" said my mother, tears
starting to her eyes. "You left me
without a word"
II wrote to you that II you were con-
vinced your suspicious of my lnidelity
were unfounded to write me within
a given time. After that it would be
too late"
The words recalled the letter | had