The Globe-republican., 1902-12-18

ewes Off her and you saw the supe- D
basket he sent this mornIng- ay GEAR
do YOU realize what it means.
Il realize that I admire your superb
GOODNESS in picking out about the rich
est young man in New York as q hus-
band for your danse1,' he said, remCy-s
ing his cigar with an amused smile
.-Only the best is good enough for
you. ha, hal
You are crazy. Harold. Do you
imagine that ever in my SOBER
senses would have conceived for a mo-.
ment that there was the slightest
chance in that direction? OF course
if 1 had, 1 would have made the most
OF it, as any woman would dom
pretend to be superior in virtue to the
rest of my sex, but do give me credit
for, a little common sense Why
should Owen Page, who has the pick
of half q dozen cities to choose from,
if he is matrimonia1ly inclined, devote
himself to a girl like Eleanor very
likely it means absolutely nothing,
have tried to shut my eyes to it and
persuade myself that such is the case,
but facts are facts, my dear And the
most difficult part of all for me to
make out she added, in confiden-
tial whisper, rs what he finds in her.
Il don't see why Eleanor isn't all
right Harold replied. stoutly, after
moment
We'll. so she is, of course; I'm not
saying anything against the child,
especially in view of the fact that he
seems to be in love with her; but you
must understand what 1 mean If it
weren't that she's your niece, do you
suppose you'd ever give her second
| thought, if you were introduced to her,
| beyond agreeing that was a rath
| er pretty, wel1-dressed little girl, with
sufficiently good manners and not
| much snap. The manners and the
| dressing are mine, though they count
| just the same, and I'd have done my
| best for Eleanor if she'd been a great
| deal worse than she was, but there's
| no use in trying to make her out any
| thing superior to the common run, for
| she isn't. Compare her with dozen
| girls one could mention and she would
| be nowhere. You know it well as
| /; and because we are fond of her,
| there is no use in refusing to recog-
| nize the truth. If Owen Page offers
| himself to her, it will be marvellous
| instance of good fortune
! Don't count your chickens. re-
marked her husband. somewhat dog
| gedly.
THAT is precisely what l am avoid
ing doing; but surely youll agree that
she'd be very lucky
.tOh, Page is a good fellow enough.
and he has stacks of money, if that's
| what you want
| Emma looked painfully into dis
tance; then, with writhe of her
neck, said with dignity:
''One would think, from your tone,
I were a mercenary rriage-monEer.
| 1 want nothing. I have brought out
Eleanor just as I would my own daugh-
ter, and under far greater difficulties.
IT, within the next five years. she
were to marry any respectable young
man of acquaintance, we ought to
feel very grateful, and yet, when, in
| her very first season, a man whom
everybody considers charming. and
who would be able to give her all that
money can buy. deliberately pays her
marked attention, and saves her, if
nothing else, from having horrid
time wherever she goes, you, Harold
Stagg, get up on a high horse and
make disagreeabIe insinuations.''
Now, cherub, you know l Cn1y
fooling. You were bearing Eleanor in
| the market, so / thought I'd have a
drive at the other fellow, to get q rise
out of you Come, now, I'll agree it's
an ideal match; and if it ever comes
to pass, I'll see that you get all the
| credit for it,
Which is precisely what / shall not
deserve, goosey-poosey," said Emma
whose good humor was restored, lean
ing over her hege's chair and dallyins
with his short curls.
(TO be cOntinue.)
!