The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1904-09-16
cHAPTERvl.

UtuSU lAlo ASuts uAu dAtSh - snSAS 49,
another gay spell; then came the
spring, and people began to make
their summer plans. The Stages were
to 30 to their house at Beverly, as
usual, and Eleanor openly expressed
her pleasure at the prospect OF return
Ing to the seaside. There had been
40 further developments In the court
ship-or more properly, no culmina'
ton Of 1t, for Mr.. Pages devotion was
not q whit less marked. Indeed. its
persistency was constant source q
encouragement to Mrs, Stage. whose
vigilant scrutiny had failed TO detect
any signs Of Irritation on his part.
He continued to send to Eleanor,
from time to time, beautiful flowers,
ne rode with her IN the park, ne
walked with her on Sunday AFTER
Moons, and what was even more sig
niflcant. he had ceased to pay SINH
lar attention to other girls. Still, ne
had not proposed. But, as Emma
sagely reflected. II ever an impatient
thought seized her, presumably ne
was Of the deliberate kind, and In 90
serious matter as matrimony. pre-
ferred to move circumspectly. Nor
need their departure from town prove
m interruption, inasmuch as he had
declared his intention Of frequenting
the Beverly shore with his yacht.
ostensibly for racing purposes. but
there could be little doubt az to what
magnet really attracted him thither.
"A more haunting uncertainty IA
Emma's mind 1t this time was as to
her niece's feelings, regarding which,
strangely enough. Ia her own estima-
hcn. she was considerably In the
dark; So much 30 that she was begin
ming to deem It her duty to have .
definite talk with Eleanor On the sub
ject. And yet she realized the danger
Of an ill-considered interference. It
might well be that the child was
shyly In love, IN which case an mop
perfume or meddlesoms word might
freeze her into secretive GOODNESS
toward her lover and induce deplor-
able consequences. She had believed
It wiser thus far to invite confidence
BY indirect illusions rather than to
demand 1t, but Ter forbearance had
borne no fruit In the way Of discovery.
Gould It possibly be that Eleanor was
unaware that Owen Page was seri-
Dusly devoted to her? That was the
deduction Emma sometimes drew
from her placid, unconcerned way Of
accepting his attentions. Eleanor
seemed to enjoy being with him, and
always admired his roses, and was
ready to accept his courtesies, but her
enjoyment and readiness were Of such
u rational, unembarrassed kind that
Emma could not help feeling uneasy.
Could any one in love appear 50 I'M
conscious, SO free from coyness and
coquetry? Not unless she were ex-
ceptionally deep. surely, which seem
Cd very unlikely In this instance.
Moreover, Emma could not help re-
necting that the inuendoes she had
made use Of from time to time with
deiicacy, and vet suggestively as 1t
appeared to her, ought to have set the
child thinking, to say the least. Moth
Ing had been left unsaid which could
present Mr.. Page In favorable light
or accentuate the good fortune Of any
girl to whose society he was partial.
Ought she to go further than this and
point out the fact that he was evil
IDENTIFY fascinated by her, and that II
she were not suitably encouraging she
might lose the best opportunity Of.
making brilliant match that she
would ever have In all probability?
The necessary words had several
times trembled on her lips. and vet
she had refrained from uttering them.
One day, some weeks after they had
moved to Beverly, while Emma was
still III the throes Of this dilemma.
Harold Stage telegraphed that he was
bringing Professor Phineas Baldwin
home to pass Sunday. This was an
elder and only brother Of Eleanor's
father. geologist, who had just been
called to an important educational
position connected with his speciality.
ii New York. He was bachelor. and
had lived . nomadic kind Of life In the
interest Of science. residing In vari.
ous portions Of the West, and. though
10 was intimate with his brother.
with whom he corresponded vigorous
", Eleanor, who was very fond Of
him, had seen him but little. At the
time Of Silas Baldwin's death he was
abroad with an exploring expedition
under the auspices Of the govern.
ment, but on receipt Of the news he
had promptly offered to give the child.
rem q home before being appraised that
they had been adopted by the Stages.
Emma, as It happened, had invited
I select party Of fashionable people to
dinner that evening, and It did not
altogether please her to have to make
room at her table for q professor who
might be very learned, but was almost
certain to be queer; accordingly her
frame Of mind was BY no means i'm.
proved when Eleanor, In response to
Z casual question as to what sort Of
person her uncle was, said:
"Oh,- he's the funhiest-looking little
man you ever saw. very short and
round, with face that reminds one
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