, 1918-07-25

their ankles. 1 knew that If the same
birds came back to these trees this
year and mated with the same mates,
then I would have some small fact to
contribute to this great study. And
now two of the birds with my brace
lets have m back and 1 think they
are the mates of last year. Once they
get settled for nesting I can get closer
to them and find out. You know,
James Devridge, the greatest Of all
bird students and n of the greatest
scientists of the day, has made a spe-
cial study of this. I read everything
he writes, and I heard him lecture
once. He said that he didn't have
anywhere near enough data on the
subject of monogamy and that anyone
who would seriously go about 1t to
collect 1t might feel tina she was MAX
ing a real contribution to science. So
I made up my mind to do it. That is
much better than frittering ones time
away dancing or loafing at a summer
resort. I've got quite n lot of data,
and some day I'm going to take 1t to
Mr.. Devridge and tell him it is my
contribution to science"
"Then-you understand what the old
fellow is getting at in those books of
his?"
"Oh, yes, indeed. He's just finished
IA new book on bird monogamy. 1 am
so impatient to read it. 1t must be
wonderful"
"Here is a bargain" said Philip,
draining the coffee pot for n last cup
of coffee to offer to his companion.
"In let you read that wonderful book
If you'll tell me what 1t is about" And
that led very easily to telling the girl
the predicament he was in.
1t was in midsummer that James
Deveridge came up to the mountain
camp to visit his nephew.
"At least you have stayed here" he
said. 81 don't know what you have
been doing, but I thought you would
have given up long before this" Philip
lost no time in showing his uncle what
he had been doing. There We're hun
dreds of photographs that no eyes save
those of Philip and Alice Gerry had
ever fallen upon before. The mega
llNtN u bttl btN VlblOu hlli INC liN
lures had been printed in the shack.
OF this detail of the process Philip was
a past master. What maZed the
uncle was hat the pictures were so
entirely what he wanted.
"They are the most wonderful pic
lures / have ever SEEM said the old
man, tears coming into his usually
hard old eyes. at is as If I had sud-
denly found you, my nephew. 1t has
always been my grief that no one Of
my own has been interested in the
work I do. But you must he interest
ed or you could not have done these
pictures. They are as good in their
way as anything I yer did"
A little later Alice Gerry, dressed in
her usual tree-climbing attire, slipped
into the shack and came straight over
to the old mans side.
1--WE always longed to meet you,"
she said with n timidity that Indicated
her admiration better than any elab.
crate compliments she might have ex'
pressed would have done, "Tve beer
getting together a few notes to give
you on my own observations. / have
always wondered if you would accept
them"
There was just a little disappoint'
ment in the old mans face as he took
the girls hands into his. 'Then the
pictures were not my nephew's work
and you, like the others who under
stand my work. will go away from me
and leave me alone. I had hoped my
nephew took the pictures"
"He did take them" the girl assured
him. II took every one and took
most of them alone. 1 just showed him
at first ana then he became as en-
thusiastic rs +"
"And, anyway" interrupted the
nephew, who perhaps had eve ap-
preciated his eccentric old uncle as
much before as he should have, "Alice
is going to be your niece. We were
just waiting to ask your blessing"
And in truly %patriarchal fashion the
white-haired old man stood and raised
his hands in benediction.
Hen Cannot Rival the Fish.