The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-28


you up, captain, had not the remotes
idea Of leaving my little sisters SO lonl
alone, but when I got as far as Ten
nessee ! wrote to my uncle Isham Stree
you've heard me speak of our expec
tations-and in reply got an invitation
which almost amounted to command
to como on to Virginia.
"Uncle Isham's invitations have al
ways carried great weight with me, and
30 l went. I found the old gentleman in
very bad state Of health. He wanted
me to stay on, and, as my sisters have
told you, he died while was there.
"When his will came to be read, il
was found to contain strange clause.
If no light is thrown upon the mystery
Of his daughters disappearance by next
January, at which time she would have
been al, the girls and come into all he
left"
Ellis daughterl I thought you told
me the uncle you had expectations from
was ohildless.
II always thought so myself until
I read the will and examined the con.
tents Of the box it was in. There was a
bulky package in the box done up in
oilskin, and pinned to it was letter of
explanation. 1t is queer story.
ut seems that nearly 81 years ago my
uncle was on his way to Mexico with
his wife and baby. The train was wreck.
cd. bis wife was killed, and he narrow.
ly escaped with his life. He says he lay
all bandaged and broken up, with a
feroo fever consuming him, for over a
week in hospital. When he came to
himself, the list of killed was shown
him. It included his wife and child.
Tho other passengers had been scattered
to the four winds Of heaven, all name
less to him, as railroad fellow travellers
are. The letter states that the bundle in
the box was among his effects when he
recovered, and he had been working the
slender clew they gave him all these
years. It seems the hospital attendants
had saved them as souvenirs for him.
They were his wife's jewelry and pair
of gold arlnlets taken from the dead
baby's sleeves, also some gold buttons
from it's dress. My uncle states that
those articles threw doubt upon the
death of his own child, but he had never
been able to discover the identity Of the
child who wore those buttons'
Well, if he was not able to do so all
these years and was spurred on by grief
at an earlier day, you are not likely to
do so in these latter days; SO you are
reasonably sure Of your inheritance"
said Belknap.
Reasonably, yes" said Street, feel
ing in his pocket for parcel. "But my
uncle, who, crippled for life in that &C.
cident. had to make his research by let
ter exclusively, was sorely handicapped.
I am going to take up the search"
Reginald interrupted him with an i'm
patient laugh. A vision Of Lemuel
Street comfortably established and in
position to ward poverty off his dear lit
tie Marianne was not displeasing.
"Oh, see here, Street hope would
be as far from appropriating money that
did not belong to me as any one, but
look at this matter from a common
sense view. How are you going to begin
your search2''
"By finding out if possibly can if
any one of the name Of Bascom happen
ed to be travelling toward Mexico at that
time"
"Bascomr'
The name electrified Reginald. 1t
must always possess the power to move
him strongly. He stared at Lemuel.
Eyes, Bascom. On the inside of the
little gold armlets name is engraved
Ellen Bascom;' on the buttons, e. B.,
evidently the property of the same per-
son..
He handed the parcel to Reginald,
who turned the tiny gold armlets over
and over, frowning at them in per-
plexity that grew more dense with each
second.
"Bascom," he said finally, turning
gaze of intense sadness on Lemuel, sis
an old Applegato name, one that men
must always love to honor. You have
heard of-of-Miss Bascom's strange
story?"
Eyes; Amy wrote me-" Lemuel put
out his hand and laid it tenderly on his
friends shoulder. my heart ached for
her-and for-you."
"Thank you-thank you, dear boy"
He handed the parcel back and lifted
his shoulders as if to throw off heavy
weight. MRS. Whitney's name was Ell
len Bascom-but-it must be mere co.
Incidence Of names. There is no one
left for you even to talk over your mys-
tifoation with. Bascom gone, brave
friend, and the only other wearer Of the
name on the ocean!'
"That is what made me come to you
Tor help"
"Come to me for help? My dear boy,
lon't be unreasonable. What can do?"
II have thought of one other.''
"Yes?"
"Northcote. Hasn't he always been
ho family physician of the Bascoms?
You can tell me how to find him."
eyes, certainly; but there's no posi-
'ility of his following this Anticipated
lew up to solution"
II can try him at any rate" said
4emuel with decision, for this thing
means q great deal to mo, captain. 1t
neans-love success-Marianne. You {
know--I suppose ,
He flushed under Reginald's level ,
axe. .Belknap smiled kindly. ,
II knew--I know, and, while my
lear little sister is not one to demand
ull purse with her lover, frankly I t
hould rather give her to you plus Mr..
sham Streets fortune than minus it."
II should say SO. l should say So"
aid Lemuel, laughing gayly, and then !
q got up to go away. !
II don't want to see her yet. don't
want to see her until after have talked S
bis matter over with Northcote, and if $
o can sec nothing but q coincidence Of ;
ames I'll be safe in probating that Il
ill, won't I?''
"Quite safe, said Belknap, wringing &
be young machinist cordially by the '
and. 6
CHAPTER XXI. f
Anybody could have guessed that a II