The Elbert County tribune., 1903-07-23
CHAPTER Xxx.

Il am not sure. Cherub." he said.
that | shall not write Eleanor a let.
ter, telling her that | did not under
stand the real facts"
What facts will you tell her you
did not understand?
That she loves that man, of
course"
She will scarcely thank you for
that, my dear. Girls do not care to
have it said to them that they are In
love with men whom they have re-
fused"
But you said she admitted it"
What | said was that any one
could have told she was in love with
him. She never said so. in words. of
course"
Harold squirmed in his chair dis
gustedly. and spreading out with a
jerk the newspaper which he had Just
bought, he said:
III people expect others to give
them good advice they should speak
out plainly, instead of beating about
the bush. believe in calling a spade
a spade"
Thereupon he relapsed into dignined
silence behind the expanse of news
paper. which Emma did not see fit to
interrupt until the train stopped for
refreshments, an hour or so later.
The Stages. after visiting Chicago
went to several other cities. so that
it was over a fortnight from the date
of their departure from Clavering be-
fore they reached home AS Emma
ran her eye over the packet Of letters
awaiting them on the hall table. she
exclaimed:
Here's one from Eleanor! sup
pose the Inauguration must have
taken place"
Harold, who was removing his over
coat, heard her gasp moment after
and looking up. perceived that her
eyes were greedily devouring the CON
tents of an open letter with an expires
sion of horror
What is it?" he asked.
"All can say is she is a perfect
fool!"
who is?"
Your precious niece. Eleanor Bald.
win"
What has she done now?" he said.
as he approached his wife and looked
over her shoulder. '"I say. who autho-
rized you to open my letter."
Don't be foolish. Harold Take
your old letter. | might have known
couldn't trust her. Why didn't stay
until the ceremony was over?"
THE ceremony? Why. is Eleanor
married?' he asked, as he received the
letter from her hand.
"The inauguration ceremony.
goose"
Harold went into the library. and
seating himself near the window to
catch the waning afternoon light, read
as follows;
Dear Uncle Harold: will
think me a regular Reuben. dare say.
Unstable as water thou shalt not
excel Well, / have no wish to excel
after this in anything but the homely
duties that belong to a purely domes-
tic life. have told him that would
marry him. Uncle Harold. Prof.
Struthers | mean. l thought when you
were here, that | was settled in my
mind that 1t was best to give him up;
but after you and Aunt Emma were
gone felt so miserable that.T went up
to my room and had a good cry, and
then | knew that had been trying to
deceive myself. There is no use in
Disgusting it, dear Uncle Harold. /
love William Struthers and he loves
me; and | have written to tell him
that | will marry him as soon as he
wishes. One of us must give up. and
I aaunpt LOT him 10"
At this point in the letter Harold
paused and gave vent to an explosive:
"Hoorayl OF course she cant let
him!" Whereupon he glanced trium-
phantly at Emma. who, seated. and
rocking herself nervously in a little
gilt rocking chair. was watching him
read. The letter continued:
81 could not bear to have him give
up the position which he holds in
order to crafty my ambition. so the
only way is for me to give up every
thing for his sake. / did not believe
that could ever do it for any man,
but love is wonderful persuader.
dear Uncle Harold.
81 do hope that you and dear Aunt
Emma will not feel very badly. am
sure that you will love my husband
when you know him, and ! am CON
fident that, when you think the matter
over you will agree that. great as
was the honor l am renouncing here.
true love ought not to be gainsaid for
any honor in the world"
Again Harold paused and ejacu-
lated:
"Hooray! That girl is a trump"
Have you inished?" Emma asked,
icily.
mot quite. Cherub. Listen to the
last page"
II have written to the trustees to