The Tupelo journal., 1903-05-29

little horse-car sen it's pe~rtinacious
tinkle once more to their distracted
ears.
Neil broke the silence gloomily.
I'VE may as well be collecting
leaves" she said, "or pebbles, since it
isn't a wood, exactly, and there aren't
any robins to do it for us. Where
are you going to sleep tonight, Bella?
L choose that rock"
Neil" said Pauline, anxiously,
don't be so ridiculous! l wonder if
we couldn't walk"
Walk" echoed Neil. Its ten
miles to Barlow Station. and | don't
know how many from there to Forty
second street. No, we must work our
passage, as they do in books. We can
hire out for days work. There are
plenty of nice houses on the island,
I'm sure where they'd like three tidy
and inexperienced day workers.
Neil" cried Pauline again. "how
can you be so absurd? What shall
we do? There, don't worry, Bella
dear. If we only knew some one!"
II have III uncle here" said
Bella, thoughtfulIy, the rose-leaf
color deepening in her cheeks.
What" cried Neil. Pauline, we
are saved! Bella has an uncle!
Where? Who? Tell us quick, child"
Il don't know said Bella, quaking.
Il don't know him at all. He belongs
to my mother-there's a cousin, too
,,I l.. liz, I,,> -. A., ;1,a1 -..
where, and he is kind and nice, | think,
only eccentric; but of course | ought
to have gone to see him before if |
was ever going to claim the relation
ship at all. TO come down on him
for money when I've never even seen
him and never shall SEE him again,
| couldn't do that, you Know"
"Couldn't!" said Neil. land he our
only CLEAN of hope. Bella Campbell,
your testing is ill-timed. Come, and
let's find him quick, before it gets any
later"
But really. Neil" protested Bella,
Il mean it.. | never should have the
courage to ask him in the world. TO
introduce myself to him as his niece.
and then tell him about this ridicu-
lous situation and beg for help.
Can't you see? He would"
BE proud of the HONOR" finished
Neil "Will you do it."
Il can't" said Bella.
Then | will"
Neil glowed with audacious energy.
You needn't look like that.
Pauline" she continued. IF Bella
refuses to acknowledge her kind but
eccentric uncle, l do not. [ will go
to him and throw myself upon his
neck and say What is his name?
Frisbie? Elnathan Frisbie? Good!
Uncle Elnathan Frisbie.' L shall say
lend me a car fare, as you love me
three car fares, Uncle Elnathan!'
And he will-see if he Doesn't"
Neil" cried Bella. But he isn't
your uncle at ALL"
Isn't? Bella. haven't | always said
l loved you like a sister? From this
moment | adopt you as such. Your
uncle shall be my uncle, and your"
Neil, you are too ridiculous!"
Bella laughed helplessly. Come,
then, if you insist upon it. Maybe |
can screw up my courage if we find
him. [ don't believe we ever SHALL"
she added.
But Neil had already marched away
triumphant, under the little bridge
and up the grassy lane, and the two
followed meekly. They inquired of
rNocEarc nv oJnnn Tho ,Nn1 of ,rn,
cilious maids and unsympathetic
mistresses at the doors of houses, of
fishermen hauling in their boats be-
side the little piers. They walked up
and down the narrow. crooked
streets of the quaint little city by
the sea, and grew ever hungrier and
more weary as they went.
But they found themselves at last
standing before a quaint, low-roofed
cottage on a hill. In the tiny garden
stood, with his back to them, an old
man in a straw hat, who should, by
the honor and intelligence of all who
had furnished them with information
for the last half-hour. have beer
Bella'S uncle. And then Bella's cour-
age gave out.
Il can't" she said, crimson and
.quivering. And Neil, giving her one
glance of unutterable meaning. open
ed the gate and walked up the path
alone.
MIR. Frisbie?" she said, gently and
inquiringly to the back of the straw
hat. The old man turned and the hat
came off. Mr.. Elnathan Frisbie, |
believe??" Neil said again, with her
most bewitching smile.
"Um-m, that's mel" said Mr.. Fris-
bic, with a somewhat unpromising
grunt.
Then | think. Mr.. Frisbie-did you
ever happen to hear of a grandniece
of Yours, your niece's child, Bella
Campbell?:"
wild appeal in her eyes; but that
young person instantly turned her
back. and Neil, finding herself hope
lessly committed in spite of herself,
held out her hand to the old man |
with h prettiest air of modest and
engaging f~rankness, ard he took it
with "a slow chuckle.
"You don't say so. Bella Camp
bell, Bella Bodine's little girl. Yes.
yes, I've heard of you. And the
others?" He looked at the two fig
ures lowering unhappily by the gate.
MY friends" said Neil. assuming
a charming air of familiarity and
proprietorship. May they come in?"