The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-08-02

/ LluSs
$50 you are John Worth's SOM"
81 am" answered.
A pause ensued.
''Of cours you know that your father
and were not on very good terms, dc
you notp" he asked.
$50 have been informed" | an.
sweIed.
''Do you bear me any ill-willp" he
questioned, rising little up in bed.
''Not in the least"
81 am glad you do not" he contin.
ued, settling himself again, '!for 1 am
about to die and wish the ill-wlll of nc
person"
"Indeedl' exclaimed. "WhateveI
has transpired between my father and
you is dead letter to me.n
'Let-me-see," again spoke my
uncle, ''your father is dead?"
"Yes, and has been nearly year."
did he leave you any property" he
Intercepted; and then, as if excusing
himself for his ignorance, be said: ''You
see, although brother. was total
stranger.
HE left me something which l value
very highly" l answered.
"What is that2" he demanded.
IAN honest name"
"And suppose that was allPn
Yes" replied.
IAN the BETTER" he muttered to
himself; and then continuing:
II like you better than l expected.
Draw your chair nearer my bed"
obeyed, and noticed for the first
time since my entrance a very fine
French plate mirror that hung on the
wall near his head.
give me your hand" he asked,
reaching out long, withered hand for
me to clasp.
did so, and the GOODNESS of that
hand sent a tremor to my very heart.
"Doyou know why 1 have sent for
your" he now asked, looking at me
with those dark eyes that seemed to
pierce my inmost thoughts.
- do not, " l answered.
II will tell you then. To make you
my heir! 1 am about to disclose to you
a part of my life that few persons know.
But first you must swear never to dis
close it to any one. Swear on your
honor as a gentleman-a Worth-that
it shall never pass your lips"
Like Hamlet, took the oath
"Have you ever heard the name of
FranceskieP But do not think you
have. You have seen his picturep''
"Where2 Down stairs?"
AYE; the painting of that beautiful
young man with the black eyes and
hair"
II remember it."
HE was of Polish descent, as his
name indicates. He and l we're the
tirmest of friends; but it has been TWEEN
ty-five years ago since he was-since he
died." correcting himself. ''Did you
notice the beautiful girl next to his
picture?"
"Yes, 1 did," answered, growing
feverishly interested.
"Well, that was his wife. Before
she married him her name was Dale
Flora Dale. knew her before Fran
ceskie, and-loved herl''
How despairingly the old man spoke
the last part of the sentenced
"She married him. [ was for a time
insane. l travelled heaven knows where
-anywhere-tO forget my terrible dis
appointment. had loved Franceskie
as friend and now hated him. How
l longed for his destruction l gloated
over the time we might meet. A year
passed by and chance threw us togeth-
er, and-but come closer to me-
bent my ear down to his lips and he
Missed between his clenched teeth
81 murdered himl'
started back as if had been shot.
Happening to glance up to the mirror
for one second l saw the face of Flora
Dale. 1t was but an instant there and
then disappeared. The painting was a
perfect one.
"And the wife?" l gasped under the
greatest excitement.
II am her murderer, too" Kissed the
old man, ''for my bloody deed made
her a maniac for years, when she diedl,
"Are you sure she died2" l deman-
ded.
'SureI" gasped the old man. Didn't
see her laid out in the white shroudl
Didn't ] see her lowered IN the cold,
damp ground Aye, yesl''
How pitlfully he moaned these SEN
tencesl Growing more calm he said:
when my arm struck that fatal
blow ! did more than murder a hus-
band-I murdered father. The babe
was little girl. No one imagined me
the murderer. had been absent so
long that when the deed was done the
world supposed it was the work of
some unknown assassin. No one saw
me, except-Marguerite. My secret is
safe in her keeping"
81 have provided for the child until
| now she is a woman. The same face
that caused me my life's agony and
crime is under this roof. She loves me
as father, and little suspects me gull
| ty of crime. l am dying by degrees,
and she will be left alone in this cursed
world. make you my heir-the Will
is made-On condition that you marry
her. All the wealth l possess is hers
by right. She need never know my
crime. Do as request"
made no answer. could not uttel
a word.
Seeing that hesitated, he said:
Go to your room and at O'Clock,
tomorrow morning give me your an,