The Globe-republican., 1902-12-18
CHAPTER v.


Eleanor everywhere, day after day |
and night after night. They lived in
a perpetual whirl of luncheonS, teas,
inner parties, receptions and ger
mans, wa1tzing into the small hours.
There was much more credit due
to Mrs Stagg for her self-sacrifice and
devotion from the fact that, though
she put on such a reSOlute front, she
felt secretly from the first by no
means confident that her efforts could
prove successful. IF, she said to
herself on more than one occasion,
Eleanor were only full of animal spir-
its-one of the saucy or roll1cking
kind who amused men by saying what
ever into their heads|the
chances were that, with SO much back
ing, she would get along But would
anyone trouble himself to be more
than decentIy civil to young woman
without prospects, who was penS1ve
and retiring, and, though possibly in
went without the faculty OF enter
tanning people in general society?
Emma was apt to sigh whenever she
thought of the outlook Therefore
she saw with feelings which closely
resembIed emotion the evident liking
which Owen Page was beginning to
display for Eleanor's company She
had been gratified the night of the
ball by his showing the child some at
tention, but the idea that it was more
than the ordinary politeness which
gentleman is apt to show at the com
ing-out party of a pretty girl never
occurred to her, though naturally she
was pleased at it, and had made
point of letting Eleanor understand
that he was the desirable kind of man
to know. When, at each of the next
few parties, be again spoke to her,
Emma supposed that he had felt pity
at seeing her deserted, comparatively
speaking, in spite of the ball; for,
though she had not been absolutely
without partners, there had been no
repetition for her of the triumphS of
the first evening.
The asSum ption that he danced and
talked to her out of charity seemed.
however, improbable, in the face of his
continue to do so; and Emma,
| though she did not dare to frame any
extrtvagant hypothesis, could not re-
frain from asking herself what it
meant. Why should a man like Owen
Page devote himself Eleanor unless
he were more or less fascinated by
| her? To be sure, he might simply be
| flirting; but, no. he would scarcely be
| cruel enough to try deliberately to en-
| gage the affections of a simple-mind-
ed simp1e-mannered girl solely for
| the qualification of his own vanity;
| for there was much higher game
There could be no doubt that he was
/ attracted by her; otherwise, why did
| he never let an entertainment pass
| without seeking her cut! Not that his
attentions were particularly ardent or
exclusive, but they were unremitting-
Eleanor was one of the girls he al
| ways danced with and talked to- 1t
might mean absolutely nothing; nine
chances out of ten it did. But even
| granting that he were amusing himself
/ at her expense, his constant attend
/ ance her must necessarily give her
| prestige; and there was, of course, the
1 i<a1,
| stirred the blood in Emma's veins
whenever she thought of it, though
! she promptly dismissed it 5 out of
| the question-that he might be falling
| in love with her Stranger things had
| happened, and in affairs of the heart
| it was frequently the unexpected
| which did happen King Coph etua
married beggarmaid, and why not
| owen Page. Eleanor? Not soul
could say that she would Mt make him
| a thoroughly suitable wife
While thus pondering and avoiding
premature elation, Emma took care
| not to let the grass grow under her
| feet in connection with the matter.
She knew enough not to frighten off
the possible lover by indecently fre-
| quent invitations to the house, or by
seeming to take particular notice of
| his attentions. but she kept her eyes
| constantly open and lost advantage of
| no opportunity of throwing them to-
| Sether- Though, to tell the truth,
| there was little need as it appeared.
| of intervention or diplomacy On her
| part; the young millionaire himself
| continued to seek every opportunity
| afforded for continuing the acquain-
| tance- He Gale don Eleanor, he took
| her out on his coach, he gave her a
| theater party, and one day he sent her
| a basket of magnificent roses without
| there seeming to be any excuse for it,
| This last overt act fairly took Emma s
| breath away, and that evening, when
| she found an opportunity to speak to
| Harold alone, she remarked
do you know, my dear, that 1 am
| really beginning to think that Owen
Page is seriously attentive to Elean-
| or
Why don't you say som mething?''
she exclaimed, with inpatience, as her
husband continued to smoke placidly.
| DO you realize what that means2
/ don't half dare acknowledge it my
| self. but I verify believe he is seri-
OuSly Smitten- He scarcely takes his