HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1908-12-24, Page 1010 intl.+IMI •Dteewber 21, 1906
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THE SIGNAL: (;c11►1;1;1elk )N'I'ARI11
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•- • J • J•••i erre-. '..i' s'..t- i;iil:`•' •:i{ii:{J�i':i
The Christinas
Sister
.1. . Dy HOWARD FIELDING...
Copyright, 1908. by C. N. Lurie
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'a
1^.t:1? are tea matters -wbicb --t•_-hate -found ,attotneer'=--said 4.
u..ty help to give me a nook 'There 11(t;te� away from that wretc t
II
. t your tuned fur a few min- ed regret, heaven knows- brow, a -wart
uten. If yon haven't beard of t life raft, very stn. it and not prop -
one, you t ery Ii',rly nits heard of the et', -:t part of tb.' r.`;ettC3f equtpmeut
or her, - . •.t the ship, theme.' it-wes steuelld
First, 1 ata the 'only uriglual aur- with her name. T'he're is a tradition
visor of the L)elphi.•, that was lost ut that one of tit' odi.`era of the Delphic
sea 1n May of 10:;+ax'oud, 1n partner, in%ented this style of raft or was In
(stttp, wit* teen'-eleenpbelt 1 r„ It 1y "out,, aa�c . -An�a,1,1 W.
the Golden (tush mime In Idkho. The 1t was aboard, and It fiotited and was
wreck ot the Itt'Iphte 'figures in this pick.d up by a tisbiug schooner out ut
story; the t;o'tJ - _ Nee ronndlaud. It bore the dead body
en thumb wit.'
of a man and a living child. The man
merely stands in Mel saved this child even after his
the background 'lr ; "wu death, for bls stlffeued arms held
as a soun•e of '," , �j! ! u. A little girl"- -
affluence_ .�_- - 1 to,.k ('armor be jhe sheuldtr.
1 w•'a s five t , ;A) "Yon are -going to tell Inc," said 1,
years old when J - ,' -that this& girl was' nay sister. Don't
the Delphic was t ' d '. it unless you're sure. I am eery
't 11' k. /� -- errs, h ulnare to the world. A sister
Lather and moth- - woultt mean to we- we'll. perhaps rttb-
✓ and infant �� •- -mare than you could easily believe."
R •ter I had s::11 iA ► , f lli. took some Alberts of paper from
ed trona L1rer + �1 'ids. poel'et. They were fold d and fas-
poul is this Jd `1 I;j i tense{ together at a .oruer.
tared vessel; L_ , Anis "Tbeee=s a Ilat: ' - *said he, "ot every
which
cull islon
she gut et-'euuerr--were-rausterrri1 to another
sight of the harbor. Site returned t, '-c; What resulted? Why, just
and was tall rti fur-severtl days. blas there was only- one gyri baby on
neat very much la maps', but must /I:1' xhiii"'
of !the passengers n.Itt• sent forward Thr• sitnplldty and ftree of this
by abotner snip. M, ' oats chose to • .tat.•ttyut'staggered me. There re-
wtoy by the tlelplik'• 1 'uuw' out why: ,,,, ted, of (•arse.-muny questions, but
Jt has always loop uI load that 1 was unable lar the wonteut to frame
*be struck au iceberg o • the hauls. ,.u,..
I can tell you only that t e disaster • let .me tell your." said he, "how 1
was at night. 1 remember t e awak- •,r, I got nn the track of this. It was
ening_ .the thrill of halt reals • el ter- through Mrs. (filbert. She is luterested•
ror, the wild noises and the tray ling. ' lit the Woman's Cxehanue, as you're
M1 father was carrying we. wrq d •
In a roar, wv mother following wt
little ilikia. Theft something • tsbed.
I recall no faellug of a: beim- L �t nay.
Consciousness went out Ilke a •candle.
The next thing 1_kuew it was dawn
and 1 was in it bunt with on•' tailor ' 7It tears rusltel to my eyes. In and
wbo had a wounded head and e se cow- :.•+tits uoy sister, and 1 so rich that
ered with blood. it hat bean sap- ' people p 'nest me out In public places
posed that this fillet was lowered end :,'. the din •u hush own'
. foremost In true mule style and all -alts, (oil' rt was very good to her,"
sward bet were :pitched out except the ronttnwetl t _ "but -1 guess -the
wounded sailor and myself. hest' thing she 'dal for her was to tel;
Event/lastly we were}picked up by a ..n that the toun lady was a survivor
rifling %easel. my companion unenn• ..f the Iteipbir an had teen ',rough:
scbus and dyiup\ 1 was taken to Bos- Ly foster pare:t at a place in
too and sent on thence to an uncle in .eatoundlaud. 1. th gid 1 ,..tw 11
NewYork, by whn4a I was ream{. He -tory, and 1 telegraphy( to our t'orre•
died when 1 was thirteen, leaving a -p•oelet in Nestouudate ort my own
small property in tea's . d attended Co- : , eunnt. When 1 gut In. answer --
Jnwebla college and ac I of mines w inch was a leash. /14 .ton sec -i
and eveatnaUy took my 1n rlmnee and wade some Investigatiuus here rough
went wont_ Tern voters I•tn 1'2 me the Ile o"•„Is art 16., Ji.. to tthi,• 11,.
\d
its In hnw:ut being uu the ltetphic. I told
fore '1 iooft cot»ou By y.,, that nearly all the original pxiw
via: „lot Lon,'
pillows, a barkgrouud for a girl's face.
and with a sort of undirected t b ion,
re Tike feeling than seeing,. I Iyer
eelycrl the doctor In the shadows Ie
fond *law 1'44, tvatcttiug.
The girl's eyes were blue. They
seetned.lery large lu her pule and thin
face. They spoke to the lu u silent tau
gtwge that 1 kuely. The) reaches: out
to up• emit with u natural, deep long-
ing.
1 extended my hand to her, and she
grasped It with a quick. Childish clutch.
: "Aly brother:" sald.Alta. and the tears
rushed from her eyes.
1 have stair been informed that I
acquitted wyselt admirably. Three
witnesses have testified lu my favor -
four, indeed, If 1 include tt* sister,
whose emotional state may be held to
1mpa(t the value of her testinony.
I "You were a dear," 'declared Mrs.
Gilbert. "1 could have :tugged you."
But this Is the way it appeared to
we: That I was confronted by a sit -
nation utterly impossible and beyobd
mortal tact and discretion; that of tw•o
courses open to ate 1 chose the nurse
and :night hate done much letter than
1 did even with that. You must take
ttte-e/•idenee- egni..et that -of -a7F lbe�
others, for I alone. was competent to
Judge of my conduct, as you will prem•
curls see..,
My sister told me that she had been
known as Dello tray. the tint nptne
probably hat!•'g been der!ted front
Ldphle. Gray nus tie 1 . of the
Pk 1h8L- 1at1
rescued her. In his hone site had
k�t ti, until her ninth year. when n lady,
smuttier visitor in Newfoundland.
. hn.1 :•teen hat iw.ty In the tutu et .
I Chathamu. N. Ii. %t'hy the Grays had
consented to buoy her go she dial .:not
know, but It was something ajlout
ntetney. The lady trout Clattliatti was
n Mrs. (.awrente, and she Meed In a
good bone. At her (tenth two years
ago my sister had came to Nati( York
and had been eI lido%Ptl :1! 1 stenogra-
pher 1n the Mire of n tan yer n mucin
the doctor. "It yodnevere magnified u
ntw'lt us that you could carry the
Flatiron building lu your pocket for
a matchbox. Itut what of it?"
_ -"It you wean that she doesp't look
Ilke you," said Counor, "1 tell you
you're dead ,wruug. 'There's a strong
taullly reset)Dlant•e."
"Anti you're the wan," said 1, "who
saw n horse for a few minutes two
years ago and spotted a photograph of
him tonight at a gluten. 1)o you sup-
poa • 1 could go to the nearest stable
andluy a horse --and a good one, too
-and Bass him u3 un you as a son of
Bertratu and humble?"
"But your sister Isq' t u bone," pro-
tested Conuor. "She's a human being.
There's n thundering slght of differ -
enc."
,^
"'There's (hie difference," said 1 -
"that it's- e>,tua-_it-14141 1I wan who
l'nows sonvthlag about u horse And
!IOW let -ale teH )4Nt- what this young
lady Is w huhu 1 Irate had the peculiar
pleasure' of meeting tonight. She is a
thoroughbred Saxon, Ilw last one left
nithe. l should suppose; certainly the
uost leautifulUexample Bwhat
am l'"6��
:1•at: jdi. said. ('onm'tc jtutromptiy,
"Just as English as she Is."
"Ilutlt tea father and qty mother
were horn ' in Wales." said 1. "Both
had a hal' you would call Norman en-
emata. 011 0111' Rlde and Cyutrle on the
other. 1 am colored like n Normau, but
no person won Inas te.;mh• (ten the moat
cursory shm4' of the RUtttect t:-euldtmll
to re. oytiizt' Vy ,'y nu is hlo.sl at a
glance. Ou the other hand, theie•le not
the faintest sdi:uh,w of a pessiblllty
that this yuuug :a t _bus one drop of
that bloat In bet tt•ims."
There was n moment's silence, then
Cauuor saki, elm •,t with n soh:
"You don't like iter."
It was the p wool of a warn_: hearted
Irish711an. diad -}tofollow oe had eats
uestly rejoieel In the idea That Ite was
working to make two people happy,
and tt.'w he . a-ill.:aplt,tuttd. 1 took
two leotaitlfttl and.•barnting-gni wow
oui.ht eutbreideries to the exchange
-• 1 e '' -1 - ilii"-yiek inept Hl.-ond-av
• was pretty band up: that's the fact
affair of the Golden Bash, I was
The larger part of the ycnr bpi 1
spent In New York and thereabou•.' 1
bad everything except a home. On e.
72d of December of that year I w
living in luxurious beehelor apart-
ments, more lonely thou I was In tie.
week that 1 spent on the .odea Bush
claim with only the beeped Mees or
tbe mountains for company.
On the evening of -the •day - that. 1
have named i returned from a rather
early and very lonesome dinner and
found a young man named 'Connor
waiting fee me. 1 (tail Reser -flet hive
before. [le was a sturdy, pleasant fel
low. Celtic and Itnb•h on the face of
hint. and he Introduced himself by pre
senting a letter
-tram a very es-
timable and
charming yeasts
matron, Mrs.
Leslie Gilbert,
-ar tra-s-e- nom e-
wbat_ misguided
charities had oc-
casionally ap-
pealed to my
Pocket
"Mr. Connor
will tell you a
surprising stn
V ry," wrote this
•pv lady. "l would
• • have liked to tell
t sett - bat-
•: r nabT1[i'fi E.iTffe nalaepoo
9UE. his right, ile Is
a journalist, nod this is his story. My
hen rt rongnttulatlona."
in my apartments the tables were
li tercel with photographs, as tbcy el-
l. ay /I are. My fad since 1 was a ioy
has been the study of the different
kinds of men and the fact's that they
wear. 1 do not study horses, but It
happcnest that 1 had some photograph.'
that had been sent up from n friend's
stock farm In lientucky, and It seem-
ed to me that Connor saw these before
br fnirly got Into the room. Ile did
not ttuttee lily of the lortrnits of peon
pie. but plumped straight down upon
the pirtnm of • horse whleh he recng-
iI ed instantly, though there was no
i. :tering on it.
"Humbert!" he cried and went on to
gibe me tbe horse's pedigree --Bertram
00 out' side and finmhle on the other,
and at! the rest of In -but maidenly
I.roke off this strain and came to the
tmelnon.' thnt had brought hint there.
I"irat• with Inimitable brevity and
pith. he sketched the week of the
1 trilbies
"Yon," sold 1{r in closing, "were the
Mtn snrvlror."
-Yea," said I.
1telphic beiongti'd and had the Tuck o
tumble struight on one ,old fellow wh
knew everything and had records and
alt that. Then 1 went to.airs. Gilbert
turd told her what 1 had learned. Yon
may Imagine her surprise In view of
her aequaintonee with you and the
net that she didn't know that you
w 're the original Itelpblc survivor." -
" never told her," ,atd 1, "bat 1 sup -
post. ebbe knew. it. has been printed
ellen Laugh."
"Mrs. 'ilbert says abe never -dada
We pale " replied Connor. "There
was only .'e kink in the story, and
that was t reawtn why the rescue
of your slate was kept so extraor
linnrlly quiet. ','by didn't your uncle
hear of It? I don know .yet, hut`that
ean't alter the fact. As to her being
a survivor of the De 'hie, my man ink
Newfoundland says the ds no shadow
of doubt whatever. You will see he
hi! story" -
Ile was interrupted by a ring at my
tet.p Nue. 1 L rd
Gilbert:
"Olt, Mr, Owen, Is that you? Has
be told you?"
"Yes," I answered.
"Isn't It wonderful? lan't It beauti-
ful? I've told heri You must come
up- you must come right up. Tate
an electric, you and Mr. Conner, I'll
watt for you right here. The doctor
is with ber now."
This overwhelmed me, accustomed
,_aa. 1. was to Mrs. Gilbert.* exuberant
T(i}Te oT conversation. 1 could only
gasp, "Where are your
"At the drug more on the eorner,"
she replied. "Mr. t bnuor will know.
Hurry:"
It appeared that ?dr. Connor really
' did know, and we obeyed Instructions
and hurried. We found Mrs- Gilbert,
:md she led us a little wa,v nlong a
rather poor street, but not squalid, and
into a bleak hall I,t'dreoni in a lodging
house.
That was the room my slater bad
tined before Mn. Gilbert bad trans-
ferred her to a better one. it was a
; "hall room,' amen -hat larger than a
prlaoo cell, sparely- but neatly furnlhh-
ed. unprovided with any mer• s for
hPaUng Pt 'e t n wretched apparatus
fitted to the gas fixture. My sister had
lived there, She had Ialu 111 in that
narrow bell without care, without at-
Iendanee, doubtless poorly fed. - I
thought of It, and 1 remembered that
es..ming'a extravagant dinner with nau-
ea.
I not not ashamed to say that my
lone shoot tinder me when 1 was
r:muunned to the larger rano. There
1. as n Iasi nit!' 1te head against the
wall opposite the thonr. 1 saw only a
Fur ; of it. just n whitences of piled
HARDENE$RG,AND CONNOR BOTH STARTED RACK FROM ME,
STARING.
of
yew m
of dire
ery.
Mrs. Gilbe
with my sister
her :ryes at the
to induce my sister
little thing."
"She won't let any
for her," sbe declared!'
"Except. her brother,"
late patron. Ile Rtes wltbtn a
the, and then began the days
terty; the days of embroid-
described her meeting
d spoke with tears in
orta sbe bad made
o accept "the least
do anything
I, and tbe
thin 11.1nd that *till lay in mi thrilled
with, happiness as it answe
Tient I told her that her real n e
was II altla Owen and that If there n
anything Itothe world that she wentel
her big brother Bob would go rtght
out nnd et It. To which she re lied
oy saying "Hobert" eeveral times very
sottly and sweetly.
The Itour wan up, and we were all
excluded, leaving Ililda with Dr. har-
denbero end a nurse who hod Just an
Heed. Mre Gilbert rode liorne in her
cnr, while Connor and I walked aim-
lessly for a matter of half an hour,
when 1 led him to Dr. Hardenbergni
!pew.. The doctor was at work with
Isis microscope.
"This la the beet result I've had," be
Ile had been study ing a part of •
drop of Moroi token front tuy sister's
finger tip, wherein he saw the germ,
the Infinitesimal enemy (bat warred
ngaiust her health, and mcognized the
creature by its inspect.
"Doctor," said 1, "you have permit-
ted me te hold a Somewhat exciting
interview with your patient. hope
she bas tnken no linens."
"Harm!" eried,. "I should think
not. Rite 11 get well 1n half lite time.
ed, "If She lehoUfirpoW he told that I
am not her brotherr'•
ed back from me, staring.
"Good heavens!" riled the duttur.
"What do yen meaft? I wonidn't hart
that happen for n nitet of money!"
"Itut yen know that I'm not ber
"I?" he gametal. "No. Ton must be.
There wae Ito other female child et -
rept your sister t!TI that eldp. TtoW
con we doubt?"
"Yon ha% e seen un both," snit! I -
"yen who con recognize the features
of that miernecople creature. whieh
you boon to magnify n Hammond tinaes,
suppose. in order to see it nt Ali."
"I've got 1,500 on it tontglit," salt
his hand, which tie n:4 1101 os ern :mug
to give me.
friend and to you. 'doctor, *horn I
have not the Meteor:. of knewing
Well. as to a man of honor aud dincres
Lion. I um very _fleenly_and strong!)
attracted toward this young lady. It
eould strange anti bard service
tbat 1 would not render her, a bitter
eacrince that I should hesitate to make
for her.n•Ivantage. los I %vital site were
my sister? God knows. The question
already begins to tweet; upou my heart .1
In the very first intatant• I knew thati
abe wns not, but when I looked into
her eyes and saw the loneliness anal the
'eve her. So I salt there and lied."
"Great:" t;a141 the doctor. "You're
leman Nobody could bare done
1 duu't knew what would
week," cried Connor.
e she's your sister, no
e an liskinio. Why,
Id the doctor.
now he doene't know It as he t t
Just give me the money for the n -
.fu1, and I'll manage atl that. Hilda
will enjoy It as coming from you, but
not as gifts. 1)o you understand?"
"I thought 1 was her brother," saki
1. "Aren't you proceeding ou the theo-
ry
hearye that l'w her husband?"
"It wouldn't make any difference if
you were her tattier," she declared.
"We don't want clothes trout our fa-
thers. 11'e wuut the woocyefor them.
But we'll take diamonds. Oh, you must
buy Iltlda lots of pretty things: Isn't
It lovely that you can do It? And isn't
she a dear?"
"1 surely never dreamed of having a
sister like her," said I, and was sur-
prised to End that I had told tbe truth.
So Ain. Gilbert and 1 went shopping
next day et the earliest possible hour.
1 had not supposed that it was possl-
bie for a man to tell so many Iles In
one day. 1 spent the forenoon with
Mrs. Gilbert. and we talked of noth-
ing but "rny nLster"-every word of
aline n Ile, of course. 1 spent the aft-
ernoon or most of It with Hilda, whom
I called by that new name, though 1
knew It was not hers, and, to make
-Watters worse, she had fallen lntu a
dubious state of mind, and I must re-
hearse to her all Connor's proofs with
an nlr of serene and blissful convic-
tion, for If a mere shadow of doubt
could so affect her spirits what would
the plain truth do?
On Christmas day IIllda woke to find
the plain room trona which we dared_
not yet remove her bright with many
Hewers which the nurse had softly set
In their places. This was the best day
that lilkia had had since the begin/2114
of her Illness. Tb• Ude of returnlnt,
health had begua to run strong. and so
we were able to make It something like
a real Christmas without risk of harm
But the climax was reserved for the
evening, after Hilda had had Ler sup
Iter. Then the lights were extitl
guhbed, the door was opened and lti
there walked a Cbrtatmas tree, appar-
ently upon its own pelta, but really pro-
pelled by the serviceable Connor. It
blazed with candles and glittered with
tirleet, and Its boughs were well laden -
better, indeed, than I was aware4-tor
the wise Mrs. Gilbert had bought some
gifts for me from 1111sta that the dear
girl aright not lack the pleasure of giv-
ing.
• 1 have never' men Upon the face of
any grown person ouch an expression
t entrancement In pure Joy as glowed 3
n IInffib in the light of the ehl_ ng
surely not. Whatever Mrs. Gilbert
might have learned, It couldn't have
Mteretl the laws of nature or undone
the !tvltle handiwork. And yet I would
have glve'fl ucb for a lot: words wttb
Mrs. Gilbert. it ens l:illda, however,
'eho appeared.
This wits the first time to nay knowl-
edge that she had ventured so far as
the drawing room, yet she walked
without a sign of weakness and with
µ noble carriage. And, oh, she was
beautiful beyond dreams.
She wore a sort of tea gown, I sup-
pose It might bo called, of green fabric,
and she carried n small block book. I
think my mouth must bnrtt fallen open
like a dead man's when 1 saw the fig-
ures 1887 in gilt upon the book's cover.
\ty uncle's diary!
"Hilda," said 1, without pause or pts
face,-"Yltnow what that book 1s. Tett
nue what you have found In It I'lense
tell Inc straight away."
Iler blue' eyes opened it bit wider.
She looked at rte. then down at the
Zook and then at Inc again.
"Why, I haven't found anything," she
said. "I Just got It this minute. A
maid gave It to me. 1 haven't even
tyteotvl 1L"
Mrs. Gilbert's maid, under orders,
had been waiting for my arrival, of
course. What did
It wean?
""That is a vol-
ume of my uo-
cle's diary." sold
I.
"Ileyoud quos.
than we shall
Bud here the
answer to our
riddle. the solu-
tion of all our
doubts."
1 took it from
Iter hand.
"T he early
Jtiute dates
shoo be tbe
uues," grid 1 and
�,a,
woultt hnv•
wAi.e.r.0 w Canna- c tied t Doak.
LA, Taxx. but Q11 a'■
,suds closed suddenly upon 1t.
•1,311, not yet," she u ihl faintly.
'Sumelww 1--1 dread it. • -
Ttle pallets of uty bands were wet,
tnd 1 was swallowing air, but 1 man -
!Well to munman' up the appearance of
a II11Ucas. -
"11hat do Jou expect to unci here?"
a!k('el.
"Ob you will think very meanly of
ern'. i•'Mleek "Lilt, hldeed, 1 have
:,ren overpetsuaded and sttcnced since
,he very first hour. Then for just that
artiest hoar 1 bettered, but never aft.
••read. And 1 have drifted on and
'n, -test- knowing what to tin. i could -
Pc no escape from the evidence, and
oU erre mo sure:"
"Did Mrs. Glllx•rt tell you that?"
"Why, yes, but .I'd have knowu that
• uu believed without a word from her.
ion were each n good brother!" Aud
.he smiled through her tears. "But 1
.urs• In my own beart"-
"Llsten;' saki 1. "Answer we. Did
ou wish to believe? Tbls maybe our
• ery last minute. 1 think this book
an never .coovluce either of um, sure -
.y not uw, unless It tell! me who yon
really are. But, remember, it may
:'art u forever. 1 bane known from
the first Instant, and 1 know now, and
1 al..a.n ehwll ►now, tint we are no
tree. Al.the sight -of It I lost my sense
of shame and desaept►on, and a child-
like faith took bold upon me that this
would all come right and that I should
find a way to make her Jiiippy nil her
Ilfe.
'By the next clay, however, i had re-
covered some part of my common
sense, and the oft chi's of the sit-
uation were clear,to Inc again, but the
pnth of escape from them was not
clear nt all. I spent that day chiefly
in meditation and the next as well
Then a voice seethed to tell me that
I needed the counsel of a woman, and
whom coukl I appeal to twit Mrs. Gil-
bert? ity fhb time Hilda hnd been
transferred to the GIIbprt residence, a
favor not tun great to be accepted by
n young lady whose brother owns half
of a very productive gold mine. I be-
T-rUrnle-IUfiirl-vale Interview with Mrt.
a get
it bett
Moe hap
"Give 11
"iltill pr
matter If yoti
man. It's poolti
"And meanwhile
"Go right ahead.",
"Accept her affection
tenses," paid 1. "Chent
whit the very solid foundation
money. And you have been k
to eall roe n gentleman:"
"If you do the nther,thIng," maid t
professionnl wool !lint the reeult won't ,
p.m to you very timid: like the work
ef a gentleman. If you value her safe- j
ly y••tell piny 'troller."
"That's talking," sold Connor. "And. '
horm cab there 1.e?"
receive! non] at %lin. Gilbert had I
requested toe to call her up by tele.
phone, avtintever the hour Might be.
It ss:ts 111011 M11111101. hilt 1 obeyed in-
st Net lone.
Gilbert and disclosed to her the truth.
"Oh. Impossible, imposeibler she
crIteL "Wby, you semed to know each
otber at the very brut glance"'
"As I Waal five yeam old when I last
saw my slater and she was barely
one," said reeognition would not
amount to v M.y much, even if It had
"Ah. but there's tustfnet"
"Mrs. Gilbert," said gently. "there
lady's brother than if were the beard-
ed aoudad In the Central park zoo."
Claimed. "Indeed, thie le a very deli-
cate matter. We cannot tell her now.
She would not remain in this house. I
know her. She latef the strictest Mete
about incurring obr =alone. She woold
rather die In the street."
At this I went .nto'a panic and yow-
1 ed that I wou' d keep hip the deeeptiou
. our on earth thoUgh it
solifortitledregyink mg 71 beneath the reach
A few dal. later Connor came. to
I my rooms with a very long fet.
"There ren ily in a snag in our story,"
! said he. "'Irby in blaze, 010 those
NeWfoundia nti Grays keep this thing
i so qulet? 'Pay didn't your uncle find
his little I dere? It is Inconceleable
j that the GI aye did not get n list of the
told them plainly who their foundling
was. She ceuldn't be enybody else.
antelnineetnr Thor That
your line' le (whose name, with yours,
was in 'very amount of the wreck)
would pr f,re them handmotnely for bring-
ing the little glrl to lilm. Didn't your
tincle le toe any papers. diaries or rec-
ede nny kind which might throw
Inn unele's private popers;" said
" re taken In charge by Jficlite
1 l• I'll write to hie son Inn to
.1118 VI' The
1 Mil go a
telt !grate:
lent volume o
e, attaining full
I tor to Mrs. (Albert,
^Pou this. Umbels ;tend
key bowl
castles
tf my
ns
"I happened to think," said the Indy,
'that ,vou'd want some help tomor-
"It's very kind of you," 1 replied.
"About what?"
"Why. your presents: the things
vou'll buy for Hilda. Of course she
needs everything. 'net elmpty every-
thing, brut don't you bay neessattieft tor
trletmns. ho ooman wants them.
We want trinkets; luxuries. Whim ,
things. it took me five years to beet
that into My busbenes bead. and ere& i
•nore to eacb other than cousins
through Adam. nnd so I ask you, do
sou wish to belleyer
"I think not." sbe whispered, with
white Ilpe. "The book!"
It opened under my band at the
pages headed June 4 and June 5, and
under the first of these dates 1 read
the following In my uncle's hand:
"Captain nem Gray and his wtfe
enme today. bringing the child. It has
blue eye* and bright golden Mir. It
eonld hardly be more unlike poor little
hildn, who had my dear sister's col-
oring, brown eyes and dark task. De-
scription ttad
' me for this, yet
would take no
risk of error nnil
therefore bad the
,bild brought to
\I Delphic 1
th k Is the
sed son of
Find (Meer Al-
ston, whose body
was found with
it upon the raft.
According to the
lie% there were
on the Delphi,:
'Charles Alston
(infant) mei
nurse' I think
use looked over."
received next day thin
r uncle's diary. 1187.
anatIon of thle at -
Nee. 26 I didn't ten
.1. M.
Naturally e: II Mrs. Gilbert,
latit the lady vet 's from me. I would
/thee gone awe y, but a coved vole*
in the
hall.
"Go Into the...drawing room,"
So I mmit meet' Hilda without kno
chill etrnek noon me. Dee. MI Chat
n'ne tlnyou nod di ye ago, anti all MR
time atm. Gilbert had been miring me
to treat nilda nn ! sinter. Wee It pos-
sible that I could be mintaken? No;
ExAncgillacerliand, Rand.
not for flaarlee. 1 shrill institute in-
quiries." Them, evidently written later:
'Lieutenant...18(011 SWIM to have
had not a relative in the world. The
child is undoubtedly his, but it will not
lo claimed by any one. I have decided
to send $20 n month to the Grays for
its support. This will give its -life an
nailed value to them, anal they will
rear it more carefully."
Here were rill mysteries explained.
, The child wan kept carefully and Nome -
n lint secretly because It was BOOM
of revenue. At my uncle's death the
income ceased, and n stranger wan per-
mitted to take the child away.
"I have n name for you at last," *aid
1. "Not my mister's Cbarlotte"-
"I would like Hilda hinter." said she
softly. "Yon tailed me that first "
"airs. Gilbert hns had thin book since
the dny after Chtletmne." Raid 1. "or
the next nt the Inteet. Why did Rho
hold it?"
"Perfinpe she wnnted lis to watt lit -
erhnpv," said 1, "she paw lust the
very nth, Gant we loved each other "
"We net alwnys be very kind and
sweet to r." Hildn.
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