The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-01-18
CHAPTER III.


Several years later Captain Mark
Wallace descended from a street car
and walked up the grounds of a very
select young ladies' boarding :choOl in
Westchester county, New York, kept
by two maiden ladies. Entering the
colonial portico, the captain rang the
bell and asked to see Miss Howard.
Five minutes afterward, having salts
fed the lady principal that he stood in
the avuncular relation to her charge,
and was q man Of blameless life, he
met Eleanor in the reception room.
It was some years since he had seen
her. The grimy little waif Of the San
tiago battlefield had shot up into a
slim, long-legged schoolgirl, with brown
hair tied back with ribbon. and a
face that already showed the promise
of beauty.
The girl hurried forward as II ex-
pecting an embrace, realized Marks
Intention, and checked herself quickly
and held out both hands.
"Dear Uncle Mark !" she exclaimed.
s'rve been looking forward to you ever
since I got your letter telling me that
you were coming East"
swell, it's nice to be appreciated
Alike that" said Mark, laughing.
II couldn't quite persuade myself
that it was true. and that I should
really see you at last. And you're not
In the least like your photograph"
"HOmefier, EleanOrf'
"No. but different. Older-very
much older. You must be awfully old
quite thirty. I should say"
"Nearly," admitted Mark, wondering
whether the long years in the West,
with the sweltering heat and arduous
service, had really aged him prema-
turely. Mark had had no influence to
secure him anything better than a
border post. He often wondered why
he had not gone into civil life. like SO
many Of his class, and amassed a COM
potency in the first booming years Of
the twentieth century.
Something in the blood, perhaps, had
held him to the army life. which he
loved so much in principle and hated
80 much in practice. He was not far
short Of thirty; he had nothing but
his meager pay; no ties but married
sister in Chicago and the girl In the
Boarding school, who filled so great
part Of his thoughts, SO disproportion-
ate a share.
For until that day he had only seen
her once since he picked her up In the
Jungle, and she had been too young to
retain the memory Of the meeting In
Major Towards home.
II expected a young man, but I'm
1ust as pleased to see you" said
Eleanor. 81 don't like very young
men,"
Mark received her amends with
amusement, and they sat down side by
side upon the sofa, and were soon deep
in conversation. Mark learned all
about her school and her friends. She
was very happy there and would re-
xret not going back at the end OF the
holidays. However, Major and Mrs.
Howard had only placed her there for
a few months while they went on
visit to the West.
II always felt that you are really
my guardian, even II you did give me
up to Major Howard" said Eleanor.
"But / have only lent you" said
Mark. II couldn't very we'll take care
of you when was sent to Texas. And
1t has always been understood that you
belong to mel mean, that am your
guardian, Eleanor"
II know" she said. "And you write
me such splendid letters, with such
good advice In them"
switch you don't follow"
"Indeed do" said the girl. eagerly.
"Only sometimes it is just little out
OF date, Uncle Mark"
ain what particular" inquired
Mark. beginning to feel little like a
orig in the presence Of this self-pos-
sessed young person. It is SO easy to
assume the task Of adviser from dis
lance, but difficult to retain the role
face to face.
"Well, when you wrote me last year
to remember not to be pert and for
ward, like modern children. Uncle
Mark. Pertness comes at seven or
eight. One isn't pert at twelve-at
least, not in the way you meant, They
call IL il-bred. then.