The Lamar register., 1903-06-24
CHAPTER XIII.

The professor stirred in his chair
and drew eagerly at his pipe. His
eyes were full of light. For some
moment he made no reply, while
Eleanor rose and seated herself quiet
ly on the sofa at the other side of
the table.
What put that idea into your
head?" he asked.
Il have always had 1t; that is. l
have always been fond of books and
reading and study. and after fathers
death l had made up my mind to try
to get some pupils, when Uncle Har-
old arrived and persuaded me to come
East. l gave up my plan because l
wished the boys to be well cared for,
but I've been sorry ever since; not
sorry that l came, because | can see
how much good 1t has done me in a
variety of ways, but sorry that I've
had to give up all my interests of that
sort"
Him! Have you spoken to your
uncle and aunt Stagg?"
Il have mentioned the plan to Aunt
Emma; she was Mortified"
Precisely" murmured the profcs-
sor, and his eyes cleaned again. Pre-
cisely." He puffed away at his
mahogany-colored meerschaum, SO
that the smoke rose from his mouth
in a sable cloud.
What do you think of it?" she
asked, presently.
Il am not prepared at the moment
to say that your aunt was not right"
he replied dryly.
What are the objections to my
plan, Uncle Phin?"
did not your aunt mention them?"
"Oh, Aunt Emma could see no sense
in 1t at all. She said that would be
running my prospects"
well. wouldn't you?"
Prospects oil what?"
The professor puffed meditatively.
His face was turned from Eleanor SO
that she could not see his smile.
II imagine that your aunt had ref
erence among other things to mar
riage," he remarked in the same dry
tone.
'Yes! She referred to that"
'In which she showed herself wo-
man of the discretion for which l have
SlNeH Hel Clcuit he ehduCto VI
your making a brilliant match would
certainly be seriously diminished if
not utterly destroyed were you to for
sake your present home for a posi-
tion such as you have in mind"
Il have Sid, uncle, that l had no
thought of marriage" Eleanor said,
in suppressed voice.
Not for FIVE years. l believe you
said At the end of that period, or.
with due Difference to your knowledge
of self, even before the erd of that
period, you might think differently.
What then?"
What then? Surely, uncle, it is
not reasonable that | should have
to pass some of the best years of my
life In idleness and amusement in
order to keep myself before the eyes
OF young men who are on the look
out for wives"
There is something in what you
say" answered the professor; but
apart from the question of marriage,
Eleanor, there is that of quitting a
comfortable home and all the com
forts and luxuries that belong to a
life of elegant leisure such as you
enjoy and would continue to enjoy in
your uncle Harold's house. Have
you taken all that into account"
There was a judicial calmness In
the professors tone, but one watch
ing his face could have seen that he
was awaiting the answer with inter
est. and that for a moment his lips
clasped the stem Oh his pipe without
suction.
That does not alarm me in the
least" she answered. you remember.
Uncle Phin, that was brought up in
the simplest way. l am accustomed
to economize and to go without
things. Besides what pleasure there
would be in feeling that l was sup
porting myself and that the food l
ate and the clothes on my back were
mine by right of my own endeavors.
instead of contributed by others. how
ever kind"
But you might earn money
enough to clothe yourself, for in
:stance-by embroidery or some other