Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-07-10
CHAPTER xv.-(con.inued.)

get away at the moment. and that Ar
have spoken once or twice about pay
Ing her a visit. she hopes that may
be able to manage II now
Emma perused the letter.
"She never asked our advice so long
as that-yenerabie fossil was alive. ]
have always considered that he was
largely responsible for the kink that
y. got Into Eieanor's brain. Poor old
. man! Those eyes OF his haunt M
still"
He is dead: let him rest In peace.
He adored Eleanor. and she adorei
him."
Il was very fond OF him myself.
Harold. He was dear old soul. but
you must ndmit that he WAS qnixotic.
and that he had large eyes. Well.
forgive him." she added. noticing that
her husband looked grave. Il am sure
that he meant well. What answer arc
you golng TO scnd?"
why don't VIC both go! You have
never been West. and IL Is time tina,
. you saw something OF our own coun.
d. try. Illinois Is not very far on. and
after VIC have visited Eleanor. VIC can
pass a few days at Chicago and Gin.
cinnaH and 81. Louis. I can get away
for three weeks as well an not"
Emma tapped her foot contcmpla.
lively.
- suppose could go. II is certainly
. quite an idea
And you would be able In that case
TO satisfy your curiosity all ,ha
sooner
hat
mine in regard to Eleanor is Of the
mildcst order. I am curious merely rs
Snc Is curious In regard to what any
!. crazy creature will do next. But. as
you say. Harold. Il is just as well that
l should see how dreadful the West
really Is. OF course. II the child nctn.
sally needs you. suppose you are
bound to 70 to her. In case you can
leave your business: though think Il
Is rather cool of her to ask your nd.
vice. considering that she acted di.
rcctiy contrary to all that you have
ever given her. But II you go. shall
certainly go with you"
Tho upshot was that n week later
- they set out for Ciavcrin. college. the
Illinois institution OF learning with
which Eleanor had been connected for
the past hvc years. DURING those years
Emma had seen but little Of her recall.
citrnnt niece. who. so to speak. had
taken the bit In her teeth on her re.
turn from her uncle Phincas Baidwin's
house with the offer of tutorship
from the seminary In question In her
pocket. An earnest scene had fol.
lowed. or. rather. two scenes: one In
which she had brought to bear upon
the culprit every argument in her ar.
senal. and a second and final one be.
tween the cuiprit and Harold. whose
fabricated sternncss Mrs. Stage had
> hoped to keep unmitIgatcd. by giving
him to understand that she would be
nm unseen listener. But she had heard
in vain. Harold had begun well
enough with n big.mouthed. "what Is
this cracked.brain scheme OF leaving
us that your aunt tells me of. Flea.
nor?" But from there on he had
gradually weakened. until In place Of
putting his foot down once for all. he
had suffered himself to be argued into
admitting that II her heart was set on
teaching, there was no especial obliga.
tion why she should continue to live
with them: and as to the marriage
= which was proposed for her, that he
was not prepared to advise her to
marry a man she did not love.
Since her departure the years had
glided away without leaving much
account of themselves. SO far as con.
cerncd Emma's relations with her.
When the disappointment OF seeing all
her efforts set at naught had lost Its
edge for Emma. she had accepted tho
situation, as one learns to accept the
inevitable, and had even felt grateful
that, inasmuch as Eleanor had insisted
, on eing peculiar. she had selected a
field for her eccentricitics where she
would never be heard of by the class
of eople who had expected from her
better things. They had been brought
into personal contact but twice, and
then only for q short time on each
occasion, when Eleanor had come East
in vacation time. The first summer
the Stages had been abroad. SO that
it had been a good two years before
they had met at all. and then II was
for a fortnight at Beverly. during
which Mrs. Stagg had been excessive.
Iy polite to her guest. except SO far
as informing her that she looked thin
anu Hteutu IattShihb UP 'ou'u W WI
sidered as antagonistic. Her eagle eye
had watched haughtily to detect the
signs of barrier-breaking which she
felt sure must sooner or later mani.
fest themselves as the result of asso.
citation with mixed college: but she
had been forced to admit after Eleanor
had departed that they had not been
forthcoming. In the summer follow.
ing, Eleanor was to have paid them
second visit, in the glory Tor, as Mrs.
Stagg might have put 1t, the shame)
of her advancement to the rank of
assistant professor; but the plan had
been upset by the serious illness OF
Uncle Phineas, at whose bedside Flea
nor had officiated as a tender nurse
until his death, which occurred Just
before 1t was time for her to return tn
her collegiate duties. Emma. who had
felt herself excused from the necessity
of attending the funeral by the dis.
tance of Beverly from New York. had
1.ul-