Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1918-05-07
CHAPTER VIII

WAS going, and, recalled TO himself by
the unexpected encounter looked up
10 find himself in the center oil the
shopping district, which he had
reached on his way homeward
She was coming out Of a store ana
going. evidently. toward the cab when
WAS waiting against the street curb
They almost ran into each other.
Mark lifted his hat mechanically
and thought she was about 10 pass
hut suddenly she took him 10y the
arm, and looked at him earnestly eX-
tr.nc concern upon her face.
Whats the matter. Uncle Mark
.h.. asked you're ill-you'rc looking
irightfully ILL.,"
"Wcn, it's u pretty hot day." said
Mark.
Yes. but you can stand heat. Unch
Mark. You don't look tit TO b" around
How long have you been ILL., and nave
YOU ircn working all the time, ana
why didn't you send for me? You
know how badly you've treated me-
Uncle Mark. AS long as thought you
couldn't be bothered with me | didn
care. but now that you're ill-you
shan't bc i'll. Uncle Mark
"I'm not i'll. Eleanor" said Mark'
trying 10 smile.
"rhcn why haven't you been to see
MS? Have you forgotten our talk tha'
night? What's the reason? Tell me!
grndStonc. Eleanor"
'"rhat isn't true. and please don't
play with me as ii | were Il child, Cap
tain Wallace. Come, get into TINS can
at once. | am going to take you nome
and have Mrs. Howard look after you
till you are better. O-you are laush-
ing!"
II was rather a grim jest TO Mark
but il occurred TO him that 1t would
help to ALLEVIATE Eleanor She drew
AWAY rom him and looked ut him
with those keen, scrutinizing eyes that
had in some measure discounted him
at the Misses Harpers' school.
Uncle Mark. you shant make me
angry" said the girl. at the end oi
her scrutiny. "You are unjust to me.
and YOU are more unjust to yourself.
I'm going to make Colonel Howard
give you a holiday from that wrctchcd
Office during the hot weather. and
you're coming to stay with us-oh. l
seeEs no use talking 70 you now. But
mean what | say"
She stamped her foot Indignantly
and it was very hard to laugh just
then.
Uncle Mark" she pleaded relcnt-
ing. do tell me why you are actihs
so horribly when | am only thinking
of YOU. It's just the way you acted
that other night until We got TO un-
dcrstand each other. And tell me why
YOU haven't come to us. II isn't just
neglect. because If you were really
tired of us you would have come out
of politencss. Won't you he as you
were that night. Uncle Mark? Like
the Captain Wallace | have rcmem-
hcrcd and thought about"
well. Eleanor. the truth is" said
Mark. "thc work At the office has just
about taken 1t all out OF me. And then
in my position. OF course thcrc are
visits that must pay"
"Of course" said Eleanor IRON
ically. Go on. Uncle Mark. | shall
see through you presently"
But | have been meaning TO Visit
YOU soon. Only. YOU know. am not
I'm any sense your guardian now, and
so. Eleanor, II you want me to he
frank, II Is Il little unreasonable oi
YOU To put forward my duties in thai
respect when have no compcnsa-
tions."
She started. You mean that you
didn't want TO Gomez" she asked.
81 did want to- But have so many
duties"
"Thank you. That's quite enough.
CAPTAIN Wallace. My conduct in in
truting on such busy man has been
quite inexcusable. Good day, Captain
Wallace"
She made n mocking little bow and
went toward her cab. She stopped and
looked back. The brief anger was
ended. But Mark was already free
from that intolcrable interview and
stumbling homcward.
He let himself in. wrote out his re-
signation and mailed it. Then. feeling
free from the past. he began to so
through his things. packing his trunk
and suitcase. He had nearly finished
before nc wondered why he was doing
this. and what his plans were to be.
For the first time he began to re
fleet that his means of livelihood had
been cut away from him. He had
only few hundred dollars in the
world. scant savings acquired during
his desert services. And he was Il
civilian!
II affected him extraordinarily. or
n sudden the man. used to the COM
mand Of men. felt as helpless as a
child.
He picked up copy OF the Star and
looked through the Help Wanted"
advertisements. II was odd how many
Jobs there were that man coulu hii'
vet he could fill none OF them.
And he found himself wondering
grimly whether the eternal Young
Man Wanted" who was to work up"
could be a man very, very late in his
thirties.
No. the army. which had been his
master for twenty years, still held
him fast. He could not conceive any
post that was not an army one. He
thought over the possibilities OF a ca
reer. OF course there were the South
American republics-but man OF
thirty-five and more has lost the in
stinct for aimless adventuring. There
was the northwest police-but he
would probably be required to for
swear his nationality. There were va
.,to> sarx-oao u.aof of the Mis-