The Delta independent., 1895-11-06

from Newcastle in the street one day,
and he told her Miss Patten had not
been home for a long time. So she
decided not to write anyone, but to
remain hidden. One day few weeks
ago she came home from the village
much upset, and acted oddly; she had
either seen some one or read some
thing in n newspaper, for the village
storelxeeper saw her poring over one,
looking much upset. Two days later,
leaving a note containing board for
her dog, she disappeared. This Mrs.
Blinn, who seems to be a good sort of
person, worried a great deal, looking
for her everywhere, and in her search
wrote to the postmaster ut Newcastle,
for she had heard Mrs. Minny speak of
having been there. Through that let
ter Miss Patten found Skye, and then
started for Denver"
''She may have seen De Restaud, or
that servant of his" mused the doc
tor "Wcll, now you are herc-though
I'd much rather n stranger had come
l want you to draw up paper setting
forth the facts in this case in proper
legal phraseology."
II fail to comprehend just what you
mean"
"You see," explained the doctor,
"the French people are particular
about documents; and between the
property of De Rcstaud's father and
this child of Mrs. Minny's there is only
feeble child"
Mrs. Minny's child?" repeated
Oliver.
"Why, Of course. Perhaps had not
mentioned it. A nice boy-healthy,
think, and bound to outlive his cousin
across the sea. The little chap born
in that poor place, that switchman's
hovel, may be the heir of millions. So
there must be no flaw in his title or
the record of his BIRTH
"a child, and she here friendless,
almost alone" divers face saddcned.
Poor little thingr he muttered,
what hard world it has been for
her.'
"Shc is sensible about 1t, too" went
on DIR. John. ''She wanted me to
write. for lawyer and have everything
straight"
Ibid she suggest sending for me?"
asked Oliver, oddly.
The doctor hcsitated. "No: she has
forgotten you, old boy. Women are
not particularly grateful. Then it has
been long time since she saw or
heard of you. Your vanity may be
hurt ,ibut is it not better that she has
forgotten?'
"Undoubtedly," Oliver said, coldly.
He went toward the house hurriedly.
"a freight train passes here i'll u half
hour; ! will go on that; so get your
l., H.. l.,
sign their statements. Miss Patten
should also get that Mrs. Blinn to give
nm account of Mrs. de Restaud's stay
at her house"
Mrs. Macon cleared the kitchen
table and brought pens and inle. Oliver
wrote swiftly, comparing his notes
with the doctors remembrance and
Mrs. Mncon's assertions. Finally she
and her husband signed their state
ments, the doctor his, and then Oliver
looked at the clock. How hard that
writing had been to him no one ever
knew. From the closed door came
the murmur of voiccs-onc that thrilled
every nerve and set his heart
fast beating. A feeble cry now and
then sounded strangely-the little life
that had come in this far-off place and
that might mean so much in the fu-
ture. Outside, the white-hcadcd chill
dren played in the sunshine. Skye,
liberated from his hideous basket,
which he always regarded with terror
and plaintive whines, rollicked with
then. glad of his freedom. How in
fnitely painful to record those facts
before him, and to think OF her Us he
had seen her first, that child woman in
her clinging yellow gown petalled like
n flower with it's wide rufile, her glow
ing hair, her beautiful pathetic eyes!
She had gone so far from those days
in bitter experience and suffering.
Was she changed. grown saddencd and
old, carc-worn with thought?-a calcu-
lating woman, forced to be for the
child's sake? Odd. in his mental pic
ture of her he could find no place for
the child. He could remember her
with the little Skye terrier and that
childish manner, but Us u woman, n
mother, never.
III, fricndless, homeless. no waif of
the streets wns ever more desolatc
than she when she stepped off the train
mt this barren spot, forced to accept
the charity OF strangers. Her dead
father would have risen from his grave
could he have known. His every
thought, his sister said, had been for
little Minny. Well 1t is the dead do
not know.
''liow fortunate you were on that
trnin!" Oliver said, suddenly.
DIR. John started. "Me? Yes, IL
was, and that should have found our
little runaway. I own up looked for
her all the time was away"
The door opened and Miss Pntten
Gang softly in.
"Shc is asleep, poor dear" she said,
gently. II guess my eyes is red.
was upset, and she don't seem to think
she done any harm in not letting me
know where she was, she was 80 dcs-