The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-24

| u Hle lueApllCaDl6 auber, Dub III tue re
gretful manner any daughter might dis
play. She leads the life of recluse il
the up stairs suit of rooms she occupied
as young lady, is devoted to Savanna
and also remembers Miss Turner, my
companion, very well.
II think Miss Turner has been Of
great benefit to her in reviving school
girl memories. I seem to puzzle her
somewhat, although she tolerates me
annually. She is gentle and courteous to
everybody. Physically she is causing
me much anxiety. She locks like some
rare, beautiful flower, fading out of ex-
istence before my eyes. If it were not
for the monotony of her days, do not
believe she would be alive now. l am
sure any agitation would be harmful to
her. That is the reason do not want
you to interfere with my arrangements. "
Northcote had listened to her with
fixed attention. He wanted to judge of
the practicability of securing Whitney
an interview with the wife he had not
seen for 20 years. II he did not conduct
this matter with extreme diplomacy,
the man was quite capable of asserting
his legal rights with a coarse persisten.
cy. The thought of Whitney brought
him back to his momentous errand. He
dared not tarry about it another second.
He plunged into the matter with awk-
ward precipitance.
II have not the slightest intention of
removing your aunt or of interfering
with any of your arrangements. She
may stay here forever. I-I-Miss Bas
com'-he came tow1rd her, where she
still stood stirring TIE rose leaves, and
took forcible posses ion of her hand, as
if its restless actility annoyed him
Ibid you ever-Nere you ever-struck
by anything sN>ngo in your-in Colo
mel Bascom S attitude toward your
Jessica drew her hand out of his clasp
with some show of displeasure and seat
ed herself before answering.
Coward me? think I don't quite
understand.
odd it ever occur to you that your
relations toward each other as father
and daughter were perhaps a trihe
strained:"
SAT first, yes. admit it with shame
for my own girlish exaotions. I cane
home to him an entire stranger at
ilHe when his heart and brain wero full
CT the oanss to which he has given his
life. I resented having been allowed to
grow up away from him and my home.
l said great many spiteful things, nc
doubt, but he was always the tender,
generous man you knew so we'll. He
would laugh my ugly hints out OF exist.
cIce aud show me in every possible way
that if mistakes had been maize in my
rearing he had always done what he
thought would BIO for my best happi-
ness.
She dashed tear from her eye ant
went on:
at comforts mo now to think tina;
all that had passed away long before he
left me and that he had the satisfaction
of knowing that his daughter loved and
trusted him utterly"
you are making my task harder
with every word you speak," said
Northcote, with groan that seemed
wrung from the very depths Of his be-
ing.
your task? What task?''
She sat looking up at him with her
hands clasped upon her lap. She was
consigning him to the realms
Of lnelodrama, when he broke silence
What do gain by hesitating?
Where can look for words to clothe it
aecently--the task of telling you that
Merriman Bascom was not your father
1t all: that you are tho daughter of
Ellen Bascom and Dennis Whitney, the
;on of her fathers overseer? They were
married secretly in this very house by
hat old imbecile you call your gentle
pilgrim"
He stopped and looked at the girl to
zee what effect this revelation was hay
ng Oh her. She sat with her hands
'lasped on her lap as if she was listen
nS to some strange story that had no
bearing on anything. Her
Ups were more tightly compressed than
lsual, and her face was the color of the
White marble mantelpiece against which
'orthcote was supporting himself. She
vas simply waiting for him to go Oh.
II know, my dear child that this
lust come to you as frightful and
egrading shock. Whitney s turning up
fter disappearance that warranted
verybody in supposing him dead and
le coming to the front Of the old imbe-
lie who did the mischief have recon.
led me to Bascom's death. This would
ave brought about trouble"
"Why did he deceive me? Why did
3 not let me know was a plebeian?
Thy did he claim me as his own daugh-
r?''
because he was the grandest man
at ever lived. Rather than let the
adow Of suspicion rest upon the Sis
r he adored he allowed his own fair j.,
me to be aspersed.
"Aspersed?" She leaned toward him
18th blazing eyes. "Then l. after all,
we been the sufferer. Those who have
'ubted the story of that Mexican mar.
.ge-and confess I have been among
been receiving me Oh suf. Il
rance" u
"They have been receiving you on the
'ength Of his unsullied record, his
erless courage. He did have his fears, Il
d I did share them with him, that
J bald assertion of fatherhood would
carry him through, but it has, it :
l. There is not today memory re-
red as his is in this county or woman 10
it who could command the following \
u could Q
AS the reputed daughter Of the late 6
lionel Bascom, yes, plus few shrugs. 9
the legitimate daughter of his over n
r, no-no, and you know it, 9
Northcote stared over her head with Il
making any reply. He could think 3
none that would carry any comfort o.
III it. Jessica flung question at him II