Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-02-28

~ uCN VIC h1oW StS 1uClA ocouo oAAS
matter, or very nearly as much, as
Geraldine did herself. She had been
equipped for her morning ride, whip
and gloves in hand, ere she had
preached the sub ;ect, and there had
been no time for discussion nor for
mentioning the idea to Cecil who was
in waiting outside; more than this, an
opportunity for conveying the decision
to Bellenden unheard had to be
watched for;-and altogether it seemed
as if she were engaged in something
contraband.
Bellenden was in the row that morn
ing, and it seemed to young Raymond
that the confidence OF the previous
night had not deserted him. He was
riding, moreover, which he had not
once before done. SO that he could now
Join company with the cousins if he
chose and he did choose. He put his
horse alongside Of theirs as matter
of course, and their was nothing to be
said
Presently Geraldine murmured some
thing to him aside. She bent over her
saddle to do so, affecting to steady
fdget On the part of her horse; but it
could scarcely have been anything to
do with ''Sir Lancelot's" restlessness
which brought the instantaneous look
of pleasure into her companion S face as
he listened. What could it have been?
Bellenden looked, indeed, as he felt,
greatly pleased eve can take
fourth, you know" he observed,
would one of your cousins like to
Gomez"
''They have been already, all ex-
cept Cecil" here Geraldine stopped
suddenly. What was she saying? She
did not want Cecil asked, would have
been sadly put out had he been SO, and
here she was, rs it were, limiting for
evidently
'EShall [ ask him." said Bellenden,
after moment pause.
No answer. He glanced at her, saw
that he should have none, and was
more contented than ever.
In truth, it had been the merest slip
Of the tongue on Geraldine's part, the
bald statement of fact since she was
already beginning to wish that the ring
Of the door bell would not quite so fire.
0uentiy mean young Raymona's voice
in the hall, and step upon the stair, and
what it was not to be taken so COM
pletely for granted that he was to be
Of the party whenever anything was
arranged between her and Ethel and
Alicia. They could not now go to a
ture gallery they could scarcely walk,
shop, or drive, but what the brother
would be met somewhere, even if he
had not started with the rest at the
outset. To be sure, If he had been
now as before, the merely attentive
cousin and uSful companion, his COM
pany might still have been welcome:
but alack. girl S unerring instinct
had told her of late that the time for
this had past.
Those constant visits, those uneasy
looks, those close and frequent cross
examinations, those fitful days of moody
depression succeeded by bursts OF light
heartedness and "elief-a carried
their own tale.
TO ask him now to make fourth as
Bellenden's gusts And for herself.
TO have to sit by Bellenden's side, con-
Scious of those Jealous, watchful eyes
following every movement, those sharp
ears on the catch for every word? She
could not do it.
"Gently-gently, Sir Lancelot.
'YOur horse is tidgetlng for a canter,
Miss Campbell
And o9 they all went and not an
other word was said about the opera;
but the affair came off nevertheless.
The straw berry tea brought no i'm
cuueIlt III IudUG0IS, LII ~ 1S1L DIS LIS
glvers were concerned.
Geraldine and her grandmother ar
rived late, and stayed downstairs eat
ing ices and drinking coffee. until af-
ter the recital had begun, Mrs. Camp
bell considering that she might please
herself and take any liberties she chose
in her daughters house: and, accord
ingiy, when at length the two came
upstairs, the large room was full to
the brim, and not a chair to be had
upon seeing which granny protested
that she was glad it was so, for she
preferred remaining in the cooler at
mosphere of the landing o, de, to
any amount OF fine recitation in a pant
ing, breathless, overcroWded drawing
room.
Geraldine was of the same opinion;
she had been surfeited with amuse-
ments of late and the sounds from
within excited no curiosity or desire
tor more in her bosom.
Presently she drew her chaperon
t upon the balcony, cool and tempt
ing under it's shady awning. and
banked in with flowers: and Cecil who,
as fll-luck would have it, had got
wHdged in at the very FAR end OF the
largest room, close by the platform
upon which he had had to introduce
the rGS1tSf, anu IRON w uGuC0 SuOS0-
ouent escape had been impossible,
could just perceive the wreath ofrose-
buds for which he had been looking,
fit past in the far distanse, hopelessly
out of reach.
He must now perforce wait for the
half hours interval ere anything could
be done.
Never had speaker been so wearl-
some: never had performance seemed
of such amending length.
Fans were 1uttering, lace scarfs
were being loosened, POSITION We're
being changed, yawns Were being
stifed. and it became evident that
every one was hot, and tired, and
longing to move, and bored to death.
and the luckily author OF the mischief
knew that he had only himself to
thank for the general ennui. He had
selected few long pieces, instead OF
greater number of short ones, his
sdea being that once by Geraldine s