Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1894-12-13

grown pleasanter day by day in con-
trast to his present surroundings.
To shoot with Cecil Raymond, who.
IT he were but a boy and priggish boy,
was still a gentleman and nice sort
of fellow whereas the fellows as
sembled at Kincraig were, as rule, OF
another sort to dine with the dear
old lady. who had made herself quite
charming to him, and with whom he
had plenty of topics in common, for she
Was by no means as completely out OF
| the world he moved in, for all the re-
| cluse life she was leading now, as were
the Ouths at Kincraig; and to frollc
with the pretty, apt. responsive little
heiress, the jolly little m1schievous
| sprite who was Enthusiastically his chief
friend OF all, would, Captain Bellen-
den felt. suit him much better than
this forced intercourse with a second
rate set of rather rowdy bachelors.
Accordingly he made his host as he
well knew how to do-invite young
Raymond, and had added to the invi-
tatlon his own postscript.
All went we'll.
Cecil certainly shone by contrast at
the shooting lodge. He might not ap-
pear to advantage when contrasted with
Bellenden, and with Bellenden only;
but he was several cuts above Archie
Kincraig's friends, and this he could
not help perceiving.
Bellenden owned that the company
was not to his mind-Cecil turned up
his nose at it still more. Bellenden
whispered that the sport was bad
Cecil called it abominable. Bel.enden
suggested that they should be Off on
the day but one tollowing-Cecil dis
patched messenger to stop the early
boat, in order that they might start
the first thing after breakfast. When
the two arrived at Inchmarew they had
advanced in intimacy by seS en-league
strides.
On this occasion Jerry was not nearly
SO demonstratlve as she had been be-
fore. She had had time to think. and
to be shy of her own thoughts. She,
too, had been growing fast within the
last two Or three days, growing even
since Cecils departure, growing in a
strange new knowledge which had to
be kept all to herself. She was going
| now to be careful, and not to run the
risk of Cecils teasing and granny's
smiles any more.
She was already dressed ard wait
ing, however, when the dog-cart drove
! up to the door, and had pretty bunch
Of flowers at her throat; and as she
come somewhat soberiy forward to do
her part of welcome, Cecil thought he
had never beheld his young cousin to
greater advantage.
Perhaps BellenGen was not quite Of
the same opinion. Perhaps he would
have preferred a step and carriage less
sedate, a countenance less composed.
Certain it is that he experienced a
momentary check, a feeling OF surprise
and doubt, and that his own manner
shadowed this forth on the instant.
But presently he saw through it only
too we'll. 1t was but passing woman
| illness, an evaneScent emotion OF the
bashful kind, and it soon, too soon, gave
way. Ere half an hour had elapsed,
the two were chattering ann bandylng
jest and repartee as freely together as
they hal ever done, and he was no more
on his guard.
At dinner-time, or rather at dress
ing-time, he found flowers in his
| room.
So did Cecil; for Jerry, with this
new-h born touch OF modesty about her,
would make no distinctions: but her
cousin old not know that his were of
the baser, Bellendens Of the choicer
sort. He came down with a rosebud
in his button-hole. Bellenden had
selected spray of purple heliotrope,
and was whispering to the fair giver
| some thing which bore evident refer
ence to the same, when they were not
less scarlet than the scarlet blossome
on her breast as she hung her head to
listen, and Cecil might have been-but
Cecil saw nothing.
When the yoang man had formed
his ideas on any given subject. it re-
quired an agency little short of super
natural to uproot them, and his calm
conviction of Geraldine's extreme
youth and devotion to himself carried
him through all evidence OF contrary
nature.
Jerry was nice little girl. By-and-
by he Should perhaps marry her. That
was the sum total OF his thoughts.
AS for there being anything between
the magnificent Bellenden and the
little, Wild uniformed Highland lassie,
the very idea would have been absurd
and preposterous in his eye-at this
| time, at least.
He therefore had no hesitation about
walking straight up the room, and, as
we have said, neither saw nor heard
anything.
Have you said Thank you for your
pretty boluet?" inquired Bellenden.
with an air of having done SO himself.
"And can you interpret the hidden
language of flowers, Raymond? Be-
cause unless you can, you are not
worthy to receive them, and SO have
been saying to your cousin
So that was what he had been say
ing.
Look at him, and at Geraldine, and
at the piece of fragrant heliotrope,
whose amorous significance young
Cecil all at once called to mind, it did
Just occur to the latter, unsuspicious as
he had been half a minute before.
that perhaps, all things considered, it
might have been we'll to have left the
words unsaid.
! TO BE CONTINUED.