The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-10-13

he had been so long and 80 cruelty sepa-
rated.
81 suppose that she will know me-"
he reflected, as he stood with his back
to the window; "but 1t is true that i
have grown a tolerably big beard since l
went away, and that l have become
considerably tanned. However, the
beard ought to make no great difference.
/ suppose that she would know me If
she saw me in my shirt-sleeves, or with
both legs cut off at the knees. On the
other hand, she thinks am still at Cal
cutta, for she must have had my last
letter this morning. hope my sudden
appearance here won't upset her, l
must be careful"
Here his thoughts were switched
aside by Che unmistakable sounds OF
rustling skirts in the passage without
and as the door opened he involuntarily
turned and gazed into the garden, at
the same time coughing nervously.
"May 1 offer you chairP l am
afraid that you win find the open win
dow too much for you," said a soft
voice behind him.
''Oh no; not at all ~ he returned,
facing his wife for an instant, and then
hastily resuming his survey of the gar
den.
Mrs. Bilbury did not in the least re-
cognize her husband. "Do let me or
der fire to be lighted" she added.
"Oh no not for world !" calculated
Tom, as he turned slowly round, con-
scious at last that even his nervousness
was no excuse for his rudeness. "But
the fact is, Mrs -
"My name is Mrs. Bilbury ~
"Oh thank you-yes The fact is,
Mrs. Bilbury, that 1 am not yet en-
tirely reconciled to this abominable
English climate. I-ah-that is to say
a man who has existed in groves of
mango-ah-and has lived on curry
and -ah-with the thermome-
ter standing doggedly at hundred and
two in the shade, is-ah but l dare
say you understand ~
"Oh perfectly, Mr.. - l think l
have not the pleasure of knowing your
name"
"Who am Pn thought Mr.. Thomas
Bilbury. "Myname, he said, after a
slight pause, "is Tilbury."
"What a curious similarity ?" said
his wife. Eyes; / can readily believe
that people coming home from India
find this climate very trying at first
even in Summer. My husband writes
than the heat in Calcutta has been ex
cessive. Possibly, Mr.. Tilbury, yor
may have called to give me some news
of him ? hope 80. thought thai
his last letter was not written in very
good spirits"
"That is satisfactory" thought Mr.
Bilbury "The lapse of two years ha
not altered her love for me-"
eyes" he said aloud 81 can Civ
you some news of him, for, montl
ago, 1 was at Calcutta"
"Indeed? How delightful Do 81
down, Mr.. Tilbury. 1t is delightful +
meet any one who has seen my HUSBAND
so recently, for gather from what yol
\ say that you have seen him. How wa
' he 2"
s Mr.. Bilbury was by this time muc
' exercised in his mind as to what to sa
n next. On the one hand, he was afrai,
1 to declare himself for fear of frighten
. ing bis wife; on the other, he rathe
q enjoyed the situation. He therefor
A determined for the present to retain hi
incognito.
''He was," he said with deliberat
hesitation, las well as could be e1
|, pected."
"As well as could be expected ?" II
q peated MIS-. Bilbury with alarm. "D
n you mean that he has been ill ?"
:, swell, not exactly i'll" prevaricate
Is Tom, who had not yet quite made u
d his mind as to what he should say.
a "But do not understand you. TIE
me, please. What has happened
g, him p''
ID Mr.. Bilbury wondered hat the er
ut would be. He heartily wished that b
to wife would recognize him and settle Il
to difficulty by throwing her arms rouI
te his neck.
ps Nothing very serious" he said.
Id dare say he has told you that he has /
ps come very fond of tiger-shooting ?"
at "Ah, tigers Tell me, Mr.. TilbuI
te tell mel''
," swell, he went out tiger-shooting o
day as usual-ah-he was accompani
only by his servant. They entered
~ Jungle Suddenly, and without wal
" ing, huge femal tiger sprang up
-, your husband and bore him to the ear
-, p The native fled for assistance help
,no rived and the victim was found fa
~ from loss of blood, with his right a
20, torn out at the socket, his left eye d
'oo W troyed, and the calf of his left leg
e. e. deeply scored by the cruel claws of
ferocious monster"
ter "Dear me, how alarming l' &C
nlv mented Mrs. Bilbury but the exclaI
re ton seemed SO out of proportion to
Ies- gravity of the story that Mr.. Bib
and felt seriously disappointed. "T
ON fully accounts" continued Lydia, -
An his bad spirits. His right arm''-
but eyes, torn out at the socket, Mrs.