Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-06-05

write to him if did not consider that
a correspondence with such miser-
able, cowardly sconndrcl was too ut
terly degrading to be thought Of
4 shall faithfully convey your mes
sage, sir, and allow me to insure you
that l was quite ignorant of the con-
tents Of the letter, and that it shall be
the last time / ever bear one from
him; and now, as you will not let me
help you as his solicitor, allow me to
proffer my services us a friend.
with all my heart, Mr.. Blake, come
in here few minutes, before the train
comes in, and we shall glad OF your
help
Was l not RIGHT, uncle dear?' said
Clara, as soon as we were alone. 'Oh!
you can't tell how happy am: l
can live now. O this glorious mis-
takel its The most fortunate thing
that has happened to me in all my
life, Now, you are glad, uncle aren't
you" and she came up to me, with all
homes torches 1t in both her ewes,
and kissed me, and would have me
speak,
Yes, darling, I am glad-more glad
than | can find words to tell. Your
fate linked to such q man as this
scoundreI would have been living
death. l am heartily glad, Clara.
CHARTER 1.-THE OFFICER.
This way, sir. The young person
is in my house she gave her word
not to attempt to leave; the old gen.
tleman is with her.
This we heard through the door as
the station-masler came along the pas
sage. Our fiand, Mr. Blake, had al
rived some time before.
The station-master entered, and be-
hind him Il tall, broad-shouldered man
with bushy beard and moustaches con-
cealing all the lower part of his face.
NNill you have a light, sir? said the
station-master to the officer.
THANK you, no.
Clara startled at the sound of the
oice and laid her hand on mine,
Now, my good man. began Mr..
Clarke, perhaps you will explain this
matter; you telegraphed down from
London to stop this lady and here she
is. Now, if you please, explain
This gentleman l said to the Off
Ger, is my niece's legal adviser, as
sumo it Is a mistake, still we will be
glad of your explanation, You are a
detective, l presume
no, sir, l am not, my name is
Herbert Herbelt my dear Her.
bert it is YOU.
Clara had gone to him, and he was
@lasping her in his strong arms, while
her face was h ddcn in his great
beard.
My own! my darling! my own
true darling she loves me still
But why describe their meeting?
Mr.. Blake said to me at once:
My dear sir, am not wanted here,
and doubt if you are and we left
them.
In half an hour we thought it pos
sible we might be less in the way, and
we went in. They sat on the sofa at
a most suspiciously great distance
from each other, and looked as happy
and foolish as possible.
'And now, my dear Herbert, please
to explain to us what has taken you at
least half an hour to make clear to my
niece
well, my dear uncle-l may call
you 'uncle?'
'Oh, yes: a month sooner is not
much consequence
Don't uncle said Clara.
You know Low | went away with
just money enough for my tools and
outfit and passage. went to Cali
fornia, to the diggings, and was lucky,
got a good claim, worked it, made a
little money, took shares in machine,
worked the claim, improved the ma
chinery, became manager, director,
and got rich, started six months ago
to come home for Clara, took the few
er at Panama, was down for two
months there, not able to move hand
or foot, and arrived only last night in
Liverpool. There / met an old friend,
and heard all the news, poor Web
sler's death, the promise, the rest, and