Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-12-23

evening, after Hilda had had her sup. per. Then the lights were extln. gulshed, the door was opened and in there walked Christmas tree, appar- ently upon It's own legs, but really pro pelled by the serviceable Connor. It biazed with candles and gittered with tinsel, and its boughs were well laden better, indeed, than was aware-ror the wise Mrs. Gilbert had bought some gifts for me from Hilda that the dear girl might not lack the pleasure of giy. Ing.
 l have never seen upon the face of any grown person such an expression of enhancement in pure joy as glowed on Hilda's in the light of the shining tree. At the sight of 1t lost my sense of shame and deception, and q child. like faith took hold upon me that thls would all come right and that l should find q way to make her happy all her life.
 By the next day, however, l had re- covered some part of my common sense, and the difficulties of the sit. uatiOn were clear 10 me again, but the path of escape from them was not clear at all spent that day chiefly in meditation and the next as well. Then voice seemed to tell me that l needed the counsel of woman, and whom could l appeal to but Mrs. Gil bert? By this time Hilda had been transferred to the Gilbert residence. q favor not too great 10 be accepted by young lady whose brother owns half of very productive gold mine. l se- cured q private interview with Mrs Gilbert and disclosed to her the truth.
 "Oh Impossible, mposs!be!" she cried. "Why, you scmed to know each other at the very first glance"
 AS l was five years old when last saw my sister and she was barely one" said I, "a recognition would not amount to very much, even if 1t had occurred"
 "Ah, but there's instinct"
 Mrs. Gilbert" said s,ntly, "there Is no more chance that am this young lady'S brother than If were the benrd- ed aoudad fin the Central park zoo"
 But what shall we do!" she eX- claimed. Indeed, this is a very deli cate matter. We cannot tell her now. She would not remain in this house. 1 know her. She has the strictest Ideas about mourning obligations. She would rather die fin the street"
 At this I went Into q panic and VOW. cd that would keep up the deception to my last hour on earth though it should sink my soul beneath the reach of mercy.
 A few days later Connor came to my rooms with very long face
 There really is a snag in our story" said he. Why in blazes did those Newfoundland Grays keep this thing so quiet? Why didn't your uncle find his little niece? It is lnconceivable 1 that the Grays did not get list of the Delphic's passengers. That would have told them plainly who their founding was. She couldn't be anybody else anu odA Nii thtJ iIASk ua NC NhO !" II LlIdt your uncle (whose name. with yours, was in every account of the wreck would pay them handsomely for bring ing the little girl to him. Didn't your uncle leave any papers, diaries or rec ords of any kind which might throw some light on this matteri' 'All my uncles private papers," said ! I. were taken in charge by Judge Mahlon of the supreme court. He's dead, but I'll write to hls son Jim to have the house looked over"
 I did so and received next day this telegram:
 Sent volume your uncle's diary. 1887, containing full explanation of this af- fair to Mrs. Gilbert Dec 2s, l didn't tell you this. Understand? J. NJ. Naturally called upon Mrs. Gilbert but the lady was from home. I would have gone away, but beloved voice foated down to me as stood ia the hall
 GO into the drawing room" t said ''I will come to you"
  ing what Mrs. Gilbert knew. A cold chill struck upon me. Dec. 26. That was days and days ago, and all this time Mrs. Gilbert had been urging me to treat Uilda as a sister. Was it pos sible that 1 could be mistaken? No; surely not. Whatever Mrs. Gilbert 1 might have learned, 1t couldn't have altered the jaws of nature or undoue the divine handlwork. And yet would have given much for few words with Mrs. Gilbert It was Hilda, however who appeared.
 This was tho first time 10 my knowl- edge that she had ventured so far as the drawing room, yet she walked without sign of weakness and with noble carriage, And oh, she was beautiful beyond dreams.
 She wore sort of tea gown. I sup pose it might be called, of green fabric, and she carried a small black book. 1 think my mouth must have fallen open like dead mans when saw the fig urcs 1887 in gilt upon the books cover. My uncles diary!
 'Hilda," said I, without pause or pre- face, "l know what that book is. Tell me what you have found In it. Please tell mo straight away"
 Her blue eyes opened a bit wider. She looked at me, then down at the lAr