The Lamar register., 1903-07-22
MRS. HAROLD STAGG.
Copyright. W Bonner Sons.
CHAPTER XIX.
Copyright. 1890 and 1881 W Robert Bonner. Son.


Twenty-four hours late:' Emma and
her husband were in the train on the
way to Chicago Harold. though still
by no means enlightened to his own
satisfaction as to the exact meaning
of the dialogue which had taken place
in his niece's parlor. was. neverthe-
less. very well pleased at her deter
mination to accept the presidency.
Nevertheless, he had not been able to
explain to himself how he or Emma
had been of assistance to Eleanor IN
making up her mind or why 1t had
been necessary for them to visit her
There was, obviously, some mystery
which Emma appeared to understand.
the solution of which was for some
reason withheld from him. Moreover,
his wife. contrary to expectation. had
seemed eager to avoid further discus
sion of the matter when they were
alone together; SO much SO that she
had neglected to call his attention
to the fact that she had prophesied
that there was man at the bottom
of it. The only further reference
made to 1t by Eleanor had been
promise made by her on the way TO
the station. whittier she accompanied
them. to write full particulars OF the
Inauguration ceremonies, the date for
which would be fixed as soon as her
letter of acceptance of the Office had
been sent to the trustees.
Five minutes after the train was
under way, however, Emma. wac had
been sitting lost in contemplation,
sighed, and with sympathizing shake
of the head, said:
Poor child! am sorry for her.
As she spoke she cast an interroga-
tive glance at Harold. who answered.
somewhat doggedly. What is the mat
ter now. Cherub?"
Nothing is the matter; but when
girl is in love with man it is always
hard to give him up. For once in her
life Eleanor, however, seems to have
acted with discretion"
DO you mean that she was in love
with that man she mentioned, Prof..
Struthers?"
why, certainly, dear"
why, didn't she say so. them?
she did, as plainly as 1t was pos
sible for her to do. considering that
she was not going to marry him.
II suppose that she decided not to
accept him because she did not love
him." Harold said. ITO tell the truth.
though, l was pretty well in the dark
all through"
81 saw that you were, dear, and l
was rather thankful. for word of the
wrong sort from your lips might have
spoiled everything"
How do you mean?"
"If you had given her any encour-
agement am afraid she would have
married him."
II thought you were anxious to have
her married"
so l was-to the right man. But
this would never do"
why not? This Prof. Struthers is
a very decent fellow, and very able
one from all accounts. His invention
is already very successful. and he Is
sure to be rich, and l understand that
he has taken out patents for the intro
duction Of electricity as motive
power in moving railroad trains. He
is a rising man. | should say, and II
Eleanor is in love with him. l think
she had better have married him. even
If she were obliged to give up her
presidency in order to do So"
..It is little late now" said Emma,
majestically. you should have said
so at the time"
But tell you had no idea she was
in love with him.
THAT was not my fault
"Pshaw! It's an outrage, Cherub.
You oughtn't to have let her do it,
Emma coughed uneasily.
~ don't mean that she was desper-
ately In love with him. Of course II
she had been she would have accepted
him very likely, without asking us any
thing about it. What l mean is that
she liked him just well enough, so
that, others things being equal, she
would have married him. But they
weren't equal. and she knew it. He
wanted her to give up her position.
"Of course he did. Any man would :;
and if he had given up his own in
order to marry her he would have
been a fool. Well, as | said at the
time, women are beyond me. Appar-
emily, / am in the position of having
advised her to accept the presidency
Emma pursed her fps disdainfully
las | said before. If she. were to
marry him, and they were to live out
here, it might rot have been such
very bad idea If Eleanor had been
seriously bent on it; out II she had
come to live in New York, he would
have been white elephant on our
hands. He knows nobody; in fact,
they neither of them know anybody
now. What would they have done?'
"Died from sheer lack OF companion
ship in a city of over million inhabi-
tants. Cherub, you are superb!
Laugh if you like, Harold. l am
right. She is very much better on
as she is. People have got used to
thinking of her as blue stocking and
it will be rather a feather in her cap
to be known as president of college,
even il she is described in the news
papers as Lady President But
to marry a man who is wrapped up IN
batteries, and whom no one ever heard