Aunt Jane's Nieces in the Red Cross

g Square. Even as she spoke she pecked a little kiss on the forehead of the chubby man addressed as "Uncle"-none other, if you

ustomed to action. And she fitted well into the homely scene: short and somewhat "squatty" of form, red-haired, freckle-faced and pug-nosed. W

face of exquisite contour, great brown eyes with a wealth of hair to match them and the flush of a rose i

in Beth," said

with a trace of anxiety in her to

question, but now he answered absently,

n Broadway, at Eleventh, and I see the political pot i

exclaimed Patsy. "Beth aske

Uncle John," added Bet

t ought to be the Allies' day, for the Germans won yesterday. No-by cracky, Beth-

ve a lit

wrong with the London press bureau. Perhaps the cables got crossed-or short circuit

s too important a matter to be treated lightly. Read us

ntly as Beth to the thrilling account of the destruction of Maubeuge, and her blue eyes became q

ed Beth, clasping her ha

it destroys the interest we naturally fe

Patsy with a toss of her head. "It is merely w

Americans are supposed to be neutra

said Beth quietly. "My heart goes out, Uncle, to those poor victims of the wa

his paper and applied himself to his breakfast. But his us

left to suffer terrible pain-perhaps to die-on the spot where they fell, and each one is dear to s

iers. The men know what has happened, but the women don't. It isn't so bad when they're killed outright; the family gets a medal to indicate tha

do you insist upon flavoring our breakfast with th

their remarks and it was now too late to restore cheerfulness to the morning meal. They sat in pens

he cosy library where he was accustomed to sm

s is the sevent

t, Uncle,"

ay Maud Stanton i

rrow morning. It's a good four days' tri

year," said Patsy reflectively, "and I wonder i

e said was to expect her Wednesday morning. It seems quite mysteri

," observed Uncle John. "I will be glad to see Ma

aimed Patsy, with emphasis. "I

r it was too early for visitors. The pattering feet of the little mai

at home, or the

y, springing to her feet and

r. Merrick, loo

ed with that of the boy in a rapid interchange of question a

r. Merrick, shaking the tall, slender

the boy cordially. "And why didn't you let us k

satisfaction at this warm reception, "it's a long, long story and I may as well tell it methodically or you

"Is this the way to retain t

preciated here?"

ring what you were going to do with that big ship of yours that lay anchored in the Pacific. If I remember ar

," said

I was a miserable invalid. The voyage had ruined my stomach and wrecked my constitution. I crossed the continent to New York and consulted th

ved your life

d me from drowning. Then Patsy Doyle doctor

ide at the bronzed cheeks and clear eyes of the former invalid and ignoring hi

ea voyage,"

all

sea yacht, for fear of a return of my old malady; but after you d

sulting my bir

n I'll give the town credit. So, af

ntrose and her nieces,

nergy and they hadn't the time to devote to me that you people did. So I stood on the shore and looked at the Arabella until I mustered up courage to go aboard. Surviving that,

the voyage that wrecked your st

was it

ning, or someth

age. The Panama Canal was just opened and I passed through it, came up the Atlant

u feel?" inqui

! The trip has sealed

home, to your Island

at her rep

a rap whether I come home or not. I'm the last of the Joneses of Sangoa, and while it is still my island and t

the ship-the Arabel

ls found in the fisheries for four or five months to come to warrant my shipping them to market. Even then, they would keep. So I'

inquired Patsy,

nd Cuba. Brazil is said to be an interesting coun

sn't this w

ve never been in any other country than the United States since I made my fir

Beth with a shudder. "It's m

of the progress of the war in the various ports at which I've touched, and I came right here from my ship. But

gs. Finding that the war was the absorbing topic in this little household,

er to visit the beautiful yacht Arabella, which was already, they found, attract

he was yacht-built in all her lines and fittings, she was far from being merely a pleasure craft, but had been designed by the elder

ghly established the business of production and sale that little remained for his only son and heir to do, more than to invest the profits that steadily accrued and to care

ade her feel they were welcome. Carg, a seaman of vast experience, was wholly devoted to his young master. Indeed, the girls suspected that young Jones was a veritable autocrat in his island, as well as aboard his ship.

ely deceased father in his kindly interest in the welfare of all his dependents. These had form

eadlock; and, as the family claimed a direct descent from the famous John Paul Jones, the proud father declared that to be "a Jones" was sufficient honor for any boy; hence he should be known merely as "A. Jones." The mother cal

to Willing Square, and it was during this entertainment that young Jones first learned of the expected arrival of Maud Stanton on the following morning. Bu

her nieces were busy as bees and much too occupied to pay attention to a drone like me. There wa

ck of acquaintances, that they carried him home with them to spend the evening. When he finally left them, a