The Adair County news., 1918-11-06


Rrow vo,f are my real Uncle Mark
after ALL" she said.
"Why?" he asked, in establishment.
"That's just like you, Uncle Mark.
It's you-it's the real you I've always
remembered"
"You seem to remember my charac-
ter very well, Eleanor" said Mark,
trying not to relent, and having an I'm
comfortable feeling that she was an
adept at hoodwinking.
swell, you know, you paid me fair
ly long visit at the Misses Harpers'
school, Uncle Mark"
"You were nothing but schoolgirl
then"
schoolgirls can judge character as
well as grown-ups."
"And so you think you know me, and
and you're not altogether disappoint-
ed?" asked Mark, smiling at last.
"Fm not disappointed in you at all,
If you aren't in me. Dear Uncle Mark,
people don't really change never,
never! only they learn to adapt them
selves to their environments. You are
just the same as ever-just the quiet,
sensitive, chivalrous Uncle Mark I've
always dreamed Of"
"Well," said Mark, 81 see that there
are hopes that shall regain the little
ward whom I've always thought about.
And, Of course, ought to have re-
Elected that your environment has been
very different from the one could
have given YOU
81 wish I'd been with you, Uncle
Mark" she answered impulsively.
"Why didn't you keep me when you had
your chance, if you wanted me? Oh,
dear Uncle Mark, that was so like
you, toO-giving up to others. And
you never sent me that photograph! !"
1--WE never had one taken since, FL
eanor.'
But I've got you yourself now"
said the girl. $50 you mustn't give me
up any more, no matter who seems to
have better claim on me. VIII you
promise me that?'
had found his own. 81 promise" he
answered.
Because, you know, I've been very
happy with Colonel and Mrs. Howard.
But this isn't the best and biggest part
of me that you see here. If 1 could
have had my way I'd rather have been
living a more useful life somewhere
somewhere where l hadn't quite so
many things that I want. Colonel
Howard gives me everything he thinks
I want. But-you see, Uncle Mark,
something is missing. You remember
what we talked over-abOut my being
the regimental mascOtP'
Mark nodded, watching her face
closely.
"Well, all that's over and gone.
There isn't any regiment now, any
way. All the old people have gone out
of it. And we were three years in San
Francisco, you know. And-Oh, Uncle
Mark, 1 wish we could have those days
again, when used to dream about my
father and-and-"
L kuOW, my Sdiu
"Pve always secretly hoped that I
should know, some day. But I've al
most stopped hoping, except for one
thing that I've never told anybody.
You remember what 1 said to you
about a man watching me?"
"He doesn't watch you now, FL
eanOr!"
She nodded. "He has come back"
she answered. "He's older and grayer,
but he's the same man. I've seen him
here, in Washington. And I've never
dared to speak of it, even to Colonel
Howard, but know it's not a delusion,
Uncle Mark"
"And you think he has some connec-
ton with your father, Eleanor?" asked
Mark.
81 don't know what to think. What
do you think, Uncle Mark?" asked the
girl.
81 think, my DEAR" said Mark DELHI,
erately, shat it isn't the same man.
1t stands to reason it can't be. Why
should he have watched you all these
years and never spoken to you! No,
Eleanor, l think you've had this idea
so long that you have misinterpreted
i mean"
Il know what you mean, Uncle
Mark. Well, it doesn't matter. And
now l must go back to Mrs. Howard
or they will be wondering what has
become of me. But we've picked up
our memories, haven't we? And I'll
see lot of you, Uncle Mark, before
you go to the WARP"
CHAPTER vi,