Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1895-01-31
l;S|f;&tt1 Sh1dit1e

! hardly so handsome, nor so elegant IN
shape. It pleased her to note that he
had dash of gray on either temple.
But his voice-his laugh? She al
most wished they, too, had changed;
she knew them so well, remembered
them SO well.
He was talking and laughing as easily
as of old, itseemed. Her grandmother,
still intent on acting up to CeciI's in
structions, was benign and gracious as
ever; and neither in his first reception
nor in aught that followed had he any
thing to complain Of.
| And yet Bellenden knew, within the
limits of that brief half-hour what he
| had and had not to expect. 1t was
obvious that he was not to take up his
former footing in the househ old; it was
equally plain that there were to be no
"reminiscences, nor reverting to things
past, and it was markedly clear that
= ISIS Campbell had done with Jerry"
or even with Geraldine" for ever, as
regarded him.
"Quite the swagger young lady,"
quoth he to himself, half-sadly, half
amused tremendously fine and fash
ionabel. | might have known it would
be SO. Those frank, simple children
never last. One breath of the world
nips them in the poisoning. Why
should l have expected her to be diff
| ferent from others?"
For he had expected it, bad been
struck with sudden and strange
sense Of the beauty and innocence of
that girlish face as he had gaZed upon
it, himself unseen, on the presentation
day, and had felt thereafter q restless
| longing for Another and nearer view.
] He had looked up Cecil Raymond with
that purpose-he had not dared to come
| alone.
Yet he had thought to carry it with
| q high hand all the same. 1t would
! certainly be best not to appear as if he
had done anything to be ashamed of,
and it would 60 far toward indicating
| his behavior If he could appear uncon-
! scious of there having been anything
about it to vindicate. With bold
! front accordingly he sat and talked.
All. but he was ashamed for all that,
and the truth seemed to glare at him
out Of two fiery eyes.
Not Geradine's eyes, for they were
never turned his way at all, though
they beamed large and liquid as ever
on Cecil, on her grandmother, on any
oh cct in the room rather than him.
self; not the old lndy's, for they were
him with II calmness which he himself
was far from feeling: not Cecils; Cecil
was perfectly happy, and perfectly UNI
conscious secure of having done the
right thing and charmed that all had
turned out so we'll.
No, the eyes were those OF his own
newly -awakened and indignant con-
science.
What fool he had made Of himself!
Why could he not, by Il little ordinary
atte ntlon, have done away with all this
awkwaTdness, and this tiresome em-
barrassment? A letter Or two, Geral-
dine $ present, an invitation from his
mother, II little civility shown to.the
| Raymonds any ono Of these would
have enabled him now not only to feel
quite comfortable, but would have
given him the pleasant right to be re-
garded in tho light of one who was
more than mere acquaintance. He
felt all at once q desire to be looked
upon in this light; and tho desire was
scarcely there ere he was convinced it
would mover be realized.
He almost sighed rs Cecil looked at
him, and rose to go. He had inter-
changed few Gay words with Ger
aldine. She had shown him the flow
ers on her balcony, and had allowed,
in answer to his inquiries, that she was
charmed with all she had seen and
done, and was looking forward with de-
light to what was next to follow. Both
had confined themselves to London
and to the present. The past had not
been touched upon-lnchmarew never
named.
Then young Raymond had drawn
near, and had confidently murmured
something in his cousins ear, at hlch
the other had at once moved aside,
naughty and vexed by this interrupt
ton, and, moreover, with keen and
bitter recollection of having once said
that Cecil would do we'll to obtain u
start with the hoiress.
That start had apparently been OBJ
tanned.
"Nou are gong to ride with her?"
said Sir Frederick, as the two walked
away. 'Does she ride as well as
ever?'
Every bit; and we have got hersuch
q horse!'
"Ah' have seen her out?" drawled
Bellenden us iusinuating that he might
have easily done SO without remark
ing it.
mo the horse only came up yester-
day. You will SEQ her out tomorrow"
All the world saw Geraldine out on
the morrow.
AS she rode slowly up and down the
sunlit Row where the shine from the
glittering heavens dancing upon leaf
and stem, the gloss on the satin-like
coats of the horses, the tutter of fan
or parasol, lace and feather among the
brilliant, many-tinted crowds, made
spectacle never to be afterward tor
gotten, the youthful heiress was her
self one Of its chiefest ornaments.
She had not been there before, for it
had been busy time of day with her,
and she had not cared to so until she
could take her place among the riders.
Moreover, the previous weeks had not
been beautiful by the sudden blaze of
sunshine and warmth which had now
drawn forth every Ingerer: so that,
although there had been always the
same thing in kind going on. it had
not attained to its full perfection, and.
hearing this, she had been content to
wait.
But now what scene of enchant-