The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-01-10

Slfl, whenever she lllBnt DC, hoPU
her hands locked tightly together in
her lap and her whole aspect denoted
a strong effort at repression, which
SO excited MabePs sympathy that
she was oblivious of the rapid fight
Of time, and was amazed when the
train rushed into the city station.
All her misgivings returned as she
rose from her seat and began to look
eagerly about her. The next NOM
ent, us she was borne out to the
platform with the jostling crowd,
she suddenly became aware that a
folded paper had been slipped into
her hand. When she opened it she
found these words:
Meet your uncle as soon as pos
sible at the entrance gate--Park.
You will know him by his long
white hair and beard and green
spectacles. Ask any policeman to
direct you what car to take to reach
the park.
This was certainly most extraor-
dinary. but Mable was naturally
girl OF pluck and her courage rose
with the emergency. She had
always heard her uncle was eccen-
tric, and this, she told herself, was
only his peculiar way of doing
things. So she walked very bravely
up the platform and asked instruc-
tions of the first policeman she met,
who put her into a car which he
told her would take her to the park
gate. She made q strong effort to
keep up her courage during the
rather long ride, and when it was
over and she got out of her car was
able to await the next step with
confidence. Almost the first object
her eyes rested on was the bent fig
ure of an old man with long white
hair and beard and green spectacles.
He came toward her Immediately,
walking as if with difficulty and
leaning heavily on his cane.
"Just in time, my dear niece" he
said. "Give me your arm, please, the
carriage is waiting"
Mabel complied, immensely sur
prised at finding her uncle such an
iniirm old man, but much pleased
with his cordial greeting. She now
saw that carriage was in waiting,
into which she was handed, the old
man following. The driver closed
the door and they We're whirled
away.
The next moment to her dismay,
her companion suddenly pulled
down the blinds and exclaimed with
a strange alteration of manner and
tone: "Thank Heaven, I've got my
darling at last" at the same time
wrenching off his hat, and with it,
the white hair and beard. Then the
green spectacles were dashed aside,
and the face of very good-looking
young man was revealed.
If Mabel was aghast, certainly her
strange companion seemed no less
so, now that his untrammeled eyes
penetrated her green veil. There
was a moments speechless conster-
nation, and then the young man
spoke quickly:
"Don't scream. would not hurt
you for the world" he said. There
is some huge mistake. If you cry
out, l am lost"
Mabers courage stood her in good
stead now. She was apt, at all times,
to trust rather rashly to her instinct,
and it was commanding instinct,
that told her that she had no reason
to fear this strange young man, with
the candid gaze and honest voice,
who was trying to pour into her ears
a confused explanation. IIFT
"Whom did you expect me to
be ?" asked Mabel, by way of reach
ing something definite.
"My wife," he answered, 81 was at
the station when the train came in
and | saw her, and told the boy to
give the paper to the lady in black,
with the blue veil. l was afraid to
go to her myself, and she knew moth
ing of my disguise, and she is deli
cate and nervous, and l feared she
might be alarmed and betray me to
the crowd. But the boy made a
mistake about the note, and we are
lost"
Perhaps things are not so bad as
you think" said Mabel. "Tell me
everything and will help you if l
can"
The young man glanced at her
hesitatingly one moment and then,
seeming to gather confidence, said
suddenly:
81 am George Hayden"
every likely! But l am no wiser
than l was BEFORE" said Mabel.
"What, you do not know? 1t has