约翰叔叔打算带着三个侄女去欧洲旅行！他深知帕齐父女俩不愿意分开，也知道道尔一切以女儿幸福为重，因此机智的约翰叔叔很轻松地说服了他们，那么剩下的两个侄女和她们的家长又作何反应呢？
"The thought came to me a long time ago，"Uncle John resumed；"but it was only yesterday that I got all the details ？xed and settled in my mind.I've been a rough old duffera，Patsy，and in all my hard working life never thought of such a thing as travelling or enjoying myself until I fell in with you，and you taught me how pleasant it is to scatter sunshine in thehearts of others.For to make others happy means a lot of joy for yourself—a secret you were trying to keep from me，you crafty young woman，until I discovered it by accident.Now，here I am with three nieces on my hands—""You may say two，sir，"interrupted the Major."Patsy can take care of herself.""Hold your tongue，"said Uncle John."I say I've got threenieces—as ？ne a trio of intelligent，sweet and attractive young women as you'll run across in a month of Sundays.I dare you to deny it，sir.And they are all at an age when a European trip will do them a world of good.So off we go，a week from Tuesday，in the first—class steamer 'Princess Irene，'bound from New York for the Bay of Naples！"Patsy's eyes showed her delight.They fairly danced."Have you told Beth and Louise？"she asked.
His face fell.
"Not yet，"he said."I'd forgotten to mention it to them.""For my part，"continued the girl，"I can get ready in a week，easily.But Beth is way out in Ohio，and we don'tknow whether she can go or not.""I'll telegraph her，and ？nd out，"said Uncle John."Do it today，"suggested the Major.
"I will."
"And tomorrow you must see Louise，"added Patsy."I'm not sure she'll want to go，dear.She's such a social butter？y，you know，that her engagements may keep her at home.""Do you mean to say she's engaged？"asked Mr.Merrick，aghasta.
"Only for the parties and receptions，Uncle.But itwouldn't surprise me if she was married soon.She's older than Beth or me，and has a host of admirers.""Perhaps she's old enough to be sensible，"suggested the Major.
"Well，I'll see her and her mother tomorrow morning，"decided Uncle John，"and if she can't find time for a trip to Europe at my expense，you and Beth shall go anyhow—and we'll bring Louise a wedding present."With this declaration he took his hat and walking stick and started for the telegraph station，leaving Patsy and her father to canvassb the unexpected situation.
John Merrick was sixty years old，but as halec andrugged as a boy of twenty.He had made his vast fortune on the Pacific Coast and during his years of busy activity had beenpractically forgotten by the Eastern members of his family，who never had credited him with suf？cient ability to earn more than a precariousa livelihood.But the man was shrewd enough in a business way，although simple almost to childishness in many other matters.When he returned，quite unheraldedb，to end his days "at home"and employ his ample wealth to the best advantage，he for a time kept his success a secret，and so learned much of the dispositions and personal characteristics of his three nieces.
They were at that time visiting his unmarried sister，Jane，at her estate at Elmhurst，whither they had been invited for the first time；and in the race for Aunt Jane's fortune he watched the three girls carefully and found much to admire in each one of them.Patsy Doyle，however，proved exceptionally frank and genuine，and when Aunt Jane at last died and it was found she had no estate to bequeathc，Patsy proved the one bright star in the ？rmament of disappointment.Supposing Uncle John to be poor，she insisted upon carrying him to New York with her and sharing with him the humble tenement room in which she lived with her father—a retired veteran who helped pay the family expenses by keeping books for a mercantiled ？rm，while Patsy worked in a hair—dresser's shop.
It was now that Uncle John proved a modern fairy godfather to Aunt Jane's nieces—who were likewise his own nieces.The three girls had little in common except their poverty，Elizabeth De Graf being the daughter of a music teacher，in Cloverton，Ohio，while Louise Merrick lived with her widowed mother in a social atmosphere of the second class in New York，where the two women frankly intrigued to ensnarea for Louisea husband who had sufficient means to ensure both mother and daughter a comfortable home.In spite of this worldly and unlovely ambition，which their circumstances might partiallyexcuse，Louise，who was but seventeen，had many goodand womanly qualities，could they have been developed in an atmosphere unin？uenced by the schemes of her vain and sel？sh mother.
Uncle John，casting aside the mask of poverty，came tothe relief of all three girls.He settled the incomes of substantial sums of money upon both Beth and Louise，making them practically independent.For Patsy he bought a handsome modern flat building located at 3708Willing Square，and installed her and the Major in its cosiest apartment，the rents of the remaining ？ats giving the Doyles an adequate income for all time to come.Here Uncle John，believing himself cordially welcome，as indeed he was，made his own home，and it required no shrewd guessing to arrive at the conclusion that little Patsy was destined to inherit some dayall his millions.
The great banking and brokerage firm of Isham，Marvin &Co.had long managed successfully John Merrick's vast fortune，and at his solicitationa it gave Major Doyle a responsible position in its main office，with a salary that rendered him independent of his daughter's suddenly acquired wealth and made him proud and self—respecting.
