The Argosy — page 182: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

170 Jack's Niece. taken. In even so short an acquaintance he had grown fond of the bright little girl who came so unexpectedly to claim him as 2a relation, and he feared the impending revelation would be anything but pleasant to her, and that it would cause much awkwardness. How- ever, if kind Mrs, Allarton would undertake to tell Daisy of her mistake, it would relieve him of a very distasteful task. Valse No. 19 arrived at last, and Captain Carr claimed his promised partner. ‘* Are you quite sure of my name now?” she asked with a smile. ‘Yes, Miss Douglas. I don’t think I shall make any more mis- takes. Do you know you are very like a Mrs. Douglas I once knew. What is your fathers name?” ‘‘ Charles—and my eldest brother is called after him. Number two is Jack, after my uncle—who is mother’s only brother. But though he is always called Jack, and my brother had the same name given him, fannily enough, I believe my uncle’s real name is Adolphus. But that is ¢oo dreadful—how would you like to have such a name?” and Daisy looked up at him smilingly. ‘‘Not a pretty name, certainly,” he answered; and added: “You have never seen your uncle before, I suppose ? ” ‘No; I only arrived from America yesterday, and really I’m quite ashamed to tell you how I came and took Uncle Jack by storm. It was rather awkward, you see, because he did not know where to take me.” And then she proceeded to give him an account of her adven- tures from the beginning ; adding: ‘I can’t say how kind dear Mrs. Allarton is. She has made me feel quite at home, and as if I had known her all my life. And Uncle Jack has been so good, and so generous! He gave me this lovely fan, my gloves, my bouquet, and oh, such a lovely necklet ! ” Captain Carr smiled rather grimly. He could not but feel that these presents of Jack’s would by-and-bye add terribly to poor Daisy’s discomfort. From what she had told him he could not retain the vestige of a doubt that she was his niece instead of Jack’s, and the question arose what was fe to do with her on the morrow when all was disclosed. ‘‘'There’s nothing for it but Aunt Adelaide,” he thought—this venerable lady being the only available female relation to whom he could take Daisy till her friends at Feltham were ready to receive her. ‘I fear the poor little girl won’t have a very merry time with her, but it would be very embarrassing for her here when she learns her mistake,” he reflected. Meanwhile Daisy, quite unconscious of the bomb-shell that was to explode upon her small head on the morrow, danced gaily, thoroughly enjoying what was really a very good ball. ‘ Jack’s niece” was very much admired, and he felt more and more uncomfortable as several} of his brother-officers congratulated him on his relationship to so charming a young lady. At the beginning of the evening they had COMIC OOOlKS. CO —_—