Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-03-14
CHAPTER Xvl.-Continued.

CHAPTER XVl.-Continued.
Well did she recollect the sudden
6Iaze OF childish fury which had risen
within her breast when Cecil, gaily
taunting, had whispered about knights
who loved AMI rode away, ere his own
resentment had been awakened by the
had been right, and she had been
YOU q be the truer prophet now
Of one thing, however. Geraldine
was clear; she very earnestly desired
that Ce>il Raymond should not be
aware Of how far Bellenden had al
ready gone, how often the two had
met, and to what extent they had ad-
yanced in intimacy. She never men,
toned to her cousin Sir Frederick s
name She looked as unconscious as
she could if he were casually referred
TO by others. And If she knew he
were to be any place at any hour on
the watch for her and ready to Join
her. she would sooner have given up
the meeting altoo ether than have had
on her other side the playmate of her
yOuth.
With a heavy heart she now pre-
pared for a two days visit at Aunt
Marias. She knew how it would be
when she got there. She could already
hear her two aunts' whisperings, and
mark, the condolences interchanged
and the plan of the campaign drawn
up. For Mrs. St. George having no
children of her own, and being well
Affected towards her nieces and neph-
eTs in general, and Cecil Raymond in
particular, would he only toe much
over Dyed at being called in to assist
hin at this a l-imrortant juncture.
(Cccil would be palred OF with his
cousin st tic dinner-talle, in the boat,
at the l~nchoon party, throug hout the
entire proceedings. She could pro
phetlcally behold him CARRYING her
shawl and fetching her parasol, wait
ing for her if she were behind hand,
and waiting for no one else if she were
in front. She knew for what purpose
he had DO ght white cotton cover
for his umbrella, and almost felt it's
shade before she had ever seen it I'M
furled.
All proved correct-only too correct.
TWAS Cecil here and Cecil there. Just
as had been anticipated. Cecil was
directed to look after the Mount street
y
and he took their tickets and found
their compartment subsequently. He
it was who sat on the box-seat of his
aunt's carriage, looking down back
wards to point out this view and that
as they whirled along the dusty lanes,
and his hand was outstretched to help
them to alight ere any assistance could
be offered.
Then the net was drawn still closer.
Cecil was told off to show the cousin.
who was stranger, the beauties of
the shady garden, with it's cool retreats
and rustling water banks. Cecil hau
to gather for her the evening button
hole from his aunt's flower beds. And
Cecil was advised to take her out in
the little boat that only held two later
on in the evening.
That she declined, but escape from
the rest had been impossible.
The next morning was repetition
of the same She found her cousin in
the seat beside her at the breakfast
table, and he followed her out into
the yeranda directly the meal over.
Before the very beginning of the fray
she was sick to death Of It, OF him, ana
Of everyone.
The lovely landscape around her had
no beauty ii her eyes. The blue, gilt
tering river, winding it's wa between
It's willowy banks, with its usual re-
pose broken by the thousands OF rain
bow-tinted holiday makers, all plying
ear and sail for the same polnt-she
scarce cared to look upon it. The
warm hay-t elds, merry with haymak-
ers. with their back ground of solemn
foliage, all one milky, gray-green hue
in the July sunshine-she beheld the
fair scene as though it were a bagbear.
Silent and sullen she sat, scarce lift
ing her gaze from the water at her
side, her large sunshade screening her
from the OBJ, ervation of the rest, her
thoughts elsewhere.
Cecil was rowing, and looking his
best in his nice new tiannels. He was
not altogether happy, poor elbow; he
had gnawin@ sense of being UNI
gracious V met and repealed at every
turn that day: and as until new he had
never experienced any actual rebutls,
and bad never been able to ascertain
Positively that his cousin had even
Wlltullv avoided him since excuse and
explanation had always been so glib
upon her tongue-the bed of roses he
had proposed for himself in Aunt
Maria vine covered cottage, was like
oproye but thorny couch.
Somehow he had reckOned on Geral-
dlne's being all his own if he could
once detach her from Bellenden. Ii
mad seemed to him that to Beilenden s
oaneiul influence only, was due his
cousin variable moods and slippery
ways of late. She had been forever
eIuding him sometimes on one ac-
cont, sometimes on another he could
not catch her tripping, but it had Eeen
50, as fact, to whatever cause due. ,
= He thought, nay he felt sure, that
66ellenden was at the bottom or It,
hellenden and he were now almost
openly antagonistic: had been for the
past fortnight; and Geraldine, while
snecting to perceive nothing, was, ne
Gould not but think, covertly on Bel
eaden side
But if once he could undermine Bel
4 ;;enden,s influence, and counterfeit the
impression which he had apparently
made afresh, he thought he co!ld
mT No. reinstate himself with the cousin.
mat Sir Frederick was not seriously
II earest, that he had no aim beyond