The Elbert County tribune., 1903-05-14
CHAPTER v.

and night after night. They lived in
perpetual whirl of luncheons. teas,
inner parties. receptions and ger
mans, waltzing into the small hours.
There was SO 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. II, as she said to
herself on more than one occasion,
Eleanor were only full of animal spir-
its-one of the saucy or rollicklng
kind who amused men by saying what
ever came into their heads--the
cnances were that, with SO much back
Ing. she would get along. But would
anyone trouble himself to be more
than decently civil TO young woman
without prospects, who was pensive
and retiring. and, though possibly in
tellectual. so far as book-learning
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
resembled emotion the evident liking
which Owen Page was beginning to
display for Eleanor's company. She
had been gratified on 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 a
gentleman is apt to show at the com
ing-out party of a pretty girl never
occurred to her. though naturally she
vi ptaac M hoA N
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 assumption that he danced and
talked to ner 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 man like Owen
Page devote himself TO 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, simple-mannered girl solely for
the qualification of his own vanity;
for there was so much higher game.
frhara cnnld he mn 1nuht hat ha
attracted by her: otherwise, why did
he never let an entertainment pass
without seeking her outi 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 1t did. But even
granting that he were amusing himself
at her expense, his constant attend
ance on her must necessarily give her
prestige: and there was, OF course, the
bare possibility-a possibility which
stirred the blood in Emma's veins
whenever she thought OF it. though
she promptly dismissed II as out of
the question-that he might be falling
In love with her. Stranger things had
happened, and in affairs of the heart |
1t was frequently the unexpected |
which did happen. King Cophetua
married a 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
fA Ia+ l,f
feet in connection with the matter.
She knew enough not to frighten of |
the possible lover by indecently fire.
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-
gether. Though. to tell the truth,
there was little need, as II appeared.
of Intervention or diplomacy en- her
part; the young millionaire himself
continued to seek every opportunity
afforded for continuing the acquain-
tance. He calle 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 | am
really beginning to think that Owen
Page is seriously attentive to Elean-
or"
why don't you say something?"
she exclaimed, with impatience. as her
husband continued to smoke placidly.
.'Do you realize what that means2