The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1884-03-08

eyes were too well used to woodcraft
and all pertaining to it, to overlook
her. He stopped short at the en-
trance to tie glade.
"MiIiam Greenl" he exclaimed.
"Yes," said the girl, laughing a lit
tie Historically. "Zaccheus he"
''And l am Zaccheus, and now l
can't get down."
"0hl' said Mr.. Ford "The ladder
fell, did it?'
"Y-yes," SAID Miriam, turning very
red. "The ladder fell down"
TN put it up for you," said Ford.
"Dol" SAID Miriam, laughing to
herself, as she thought Of Aunt Jane.
He swung the ladder promptly up
against the trunk of the tree.
snow, it's all right" said he. "I'n
just go over to see that the dogs
haven frightened Mrs. Morey's young
turkeys, and wait for you outside the
woods "
In five minutes Miriam Green wa>
by his side, rosy and breathless, still
clinging to her apronful of mistletoe.
"Oh, l am SO much obliged to you'll"
said she, earnestly.
SIT was rather an awkward predica-
ment wasn't itr" smiled he.
"What will Aunt Jane sayp' said
Miriam, involuntarily.
"She'll be very much alarmed,
won't she2"
NO." confessed Miriam. "She-
that is-Oh, Mr.. Ford, 1 can't deceive
you about itr'
And she told him all.
"0f course. it was very wrong to
disobey her," she added, "but--"
my poor little Miriaml My sweet
frightened darlingi" cried John Ford,
passing his strong arm abound her
waist. "She was perfect dragoness
to torment you sol"
"But belong to her." said the girl,
innocently. 81 have no other home
but her house."
"Then belong to me, henceforward, p
he said, tenderly looking down into
her blue, limpid eyes. "Surely, you
cannot have failed to discover how
deeply love you'll Hereafter you are
minel'
Miriam Green, young as she was
had often dreamed OF the pathway il
which love should come to her, but il
had never seemed like thlsl
"But," she stammered, "what viii
your uncle sayp"
"What should he say?" calmly re.
toreed her lover. "Ford Court is
mine. My uncle is my only beloved
and honored guest. Besides, he love!
me so genuinely that my happiness
cannot but be his. And-But what
is thisp'
They had by this time reached the
solid stone wall which divided the
grounds of Ford Court from the woods
and there perched up on its height-a
feminine Stylites-was Aunt Jane
with basket in her hand, half full o
the baberries which she had gathered
from the huge bushes that made {
scarlet-dotted screen inside, whil'
stretched prone on the grass at tn,
foot of the wall lay old Major Ford
monster bloodhound, Gelert. H,
looked around and wagged his tai
slowly at the sight of John, but die
not stir otherwise.
"Aunt Jane," said Miriam, "wha
are you doing on top of the wall
there2"
IL only wanted a few barberries t
put in my cucumber pickles." STAN
mered Aunt Jane, ready to burst int
tears. "And-and 1 didn't suppos
there was any harm in gathhring then
here. I've picked pecks and pecks o
barberries off them very bushes an
. nobody said a word. And was jus
reaching up for the finest, when u
5 comes cross old savage and asks m
: what l mean by stealing fruit, an
leaves me here with this horrid
D snarling brute to watch me--just as
/ [ was a tramp-while he goes for
: copstablel 1 never was so treated i
Q my lifel And, the more 1 try to jun
' off, the more the dog shows his teet
: at me, and growls. He'd tear me i
a pieces if stirred foot in any direC
tion, do believeP'
a MY Uncle Ford" whispered job
r to Miriam. "He IS positive mOnoma
d lac on the subject of fruit thievest I'll
il park bristles with man-traps, and thel
k is dog chained under every apple-trt
on the promises. But it's too bad thu
he should have taken your aunt for oI
!, of tha uilIaua n1Irlninprsf (rplprtp rom