The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-05-22

news to Isabel and ask their consent"
whispered Uncle Anthony.
At which his brothers blushed rosy
red, for they knew that meant a
speedy solution of the problem. 1t
would soon be known to them wheth-
ed they had indeed been entertaining
their grandniece or an impostor, as
Mrs. Muffet had charged.
''She is dear child, anyway" de-
clared Uncle David gruffly, and the
others nodded assent.
Uncle Anthony scratched off tele-
gram, of which the others approved:
Helena is quite well and wants
your consent to her engagement to
Jack Lyman. our particular friend"
I'VE should receive a reply by din
ner time" said David as he prepared
to take the telegram to the station
Helena did not make her appear
ance until half an hour before dinner.
She pleaded a headache, and she
looked quite pale and dropping when
she came down stairs and joined the
waiting trio on the veranda.
Mrs. Strang's telegram arrived al
most precisely at the same moment.
Uncle Anthony opened it with shak-
ing fingers and read:
Are you crazy? Helena is with
me and ill with whooping cough, an
absurd ailment for a girl of seven
teen. Will write. ISABEL"
Without a word the distressed old
man passed the message to David,
who read it in grim silence and then
handed it to Benjamin.
Helena stood before them, her eyes
looking like drowned blue violets in
her pale face.
she began with a catch in her voice.
Il have told Mr.. Lyman-Jack-and
he has forgiven me. I hope you will,
too, for love you all so dearly!'
What is it, my dear?" asked Uncle
Anthony compaSSionately.
Helena slipped to her knees and hid
her face in his lap.
Il am not Helena Strang,' she con-
fessed tearfully. Il am quite another
Helena-Helena Clifton 1 have been
Mrs. Strang's private secretary for sew
eral years. am twenty-four. 1 never
had home. 1 was brought up in an
orphan asylum and when I was old
enough to go out into the world
found a place in a store and worked
until 1 could save money enough to
take a business course; when / was
competent Mrs. Strang employed me.
When she decided to go to Mon
treal she gave me six months vaca-
tfon-and had nowhere to go. There
had been much talk of Helen coming
down to her uncle's and it was all
arranged, but at the last moment she
decided to go to Canada with her par
ems Before she went, she proposed
this scheme to me and insisted that 1
should impersonate her as your
grandniece.
II WdS great tcIHpldtlO1 10 lIle "
come down here-and so 1 came. You
know the rest-and if you want to
send for the police, you may. But you
have been wonderfully kind to me and
1 don't believe Helena Strang could
love you more than 1 do! So there!"
She rose and faced them with
fearful eyes and trembling lips.
Dear mel coughed Uncle An
thony, looking properly distressed
acknowledgements growled I'm
Gle David "A man may have more
than one grandniece, Ell, boys? Well,
Helena Clifton, I'll adopt you as my
niece here and now! 1 like you" He
held out his arms and Helena prompt
ly accepted their protection.
Its my turn now reminded I'm
Gle Benjamin, rather jealousy.
After Helena had cried a little on
each kindly shoulder, and still blush
ing divinely, and with pathetic
quaver in her voice, she resumed: Il
have promised to marry Jack Lyman,
uncles. 1 told him all about it and
he said it didn't matter in the least,
so we are engaged of
course, you give your consent"
The three old matchmakers looked
very uncertain, indeed, but while