Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-12-26
CHAPTER Xxx.

he udu tlue On Ills JOuAHcS " &c
fleet upon the episodes Of the past few
days with comparative GOODNESS OF
Judgment and to see some things with
more clearness than on first view;
also the various developments Of the
summer appeared in somewhat differ
ent perspective now that he looked at
them from a little distance.
II went to that farm to find seclu-
sion, quiet, a monotony that would
leave me free to study, and what fell
into-plots and counterplots, with coun-
try courtships, DISCUSSES, stolen In
FAINT haunted chambers, murders, sui
cides, ghosts and discovered heiress!
Who'd "a thought 1t? I couldn't have
found half so muchexcitement at New
port Why. It's been strain!'
He had been told before leaving the
farm that his fellow boarders were to
go back to town before, his return.
When he had paid his board Mrs.
Morningstar, under the effect Of bis
extra fees for her conniving In his dis
guise, had thawed SO far as to volun-
teer the promise that she would &C
count to the yonug ladies for his de-
parture by saying that the farmland
had been discharged because Of the
inconvenient and uneconomical fire.
quency Of his headaches. He wonder
ed whether in his absence any acct
dental hints would be dropped as to
his pretended character. He could not
think without growing uneasiness
of the fast approaching reopening of
the college, when he would have to
meet Miss Ellery and Miss Parks as
DR.. Kinross Of the faculty.
It was when he was nearing the end
of his journey that some indistinct ap-
prehensions which had been vaguely
troubling him began to assume def
mite shape and the realization to dawn
on him that perhaps he had been rash
In coming away and leaving Eunlce
In ignorance, even for week, of her
possible good fortune. Goodness knows
absence. Abe was evidently very des-
perately in love with her, and the
Morningstars. In their dire chagrin ut
being obliged to pay over to her that
$1,000, might drive her to the point of
marrying Abe In self defense, as 1t
were. OF course it was only her utter
ignorance Of life that made her toler-
ate Abe, though even that did not
seem to excuse such bad taste. Fancy
Miss Wolcott receiving Abe Morning
star as her nephew-in- The pic
ture made him laugh aloud.
The wearing doubt as to whether
Miss Wolcott could be brought to &C.
knowledge Eunice as her niece and
recognize her claims was never absent
from his mind for an instant At times
he felt that he was going on FOOLS
errand. IT, at the time the Daniels
wrote to her, she had not even tried to
see the child to prove or disprove their
story, how could he hope that now.
after all these years, she would con-
cede what was so much against her
own interests?
''If only were diplomat instead of
"a blunt, plain man / might lead up to
my story so prettily and persuasively
that before she knew it she'd be burn
ing to illustrate artistically the beauty
of self sacrifice in her own person.
But know I'll make a middle Of it
Your money or your lifev That's
more my style. more's the pity"
He consoled himself with the refec-
tion that if Eunice did not come into
the money 1t would probably be far
better for her, and it was only by rea-
son Of his sense Of justice that he was
trying to place her in command of the
great wealth that belonged to her. He
himself was remarkably free from the
money madness of the age. He had
always had more than enough for his
needs, but not enough to spoil him, and
/ had therefore gone through life, thus
far, escaping the mania for accumulat-
ing wealth.
"Her money may quite spoil the at
Effectiveness she now has in her sim
plicity, her perfect naturalness, when
one is alone with her. Just the anti
podes of Georgiana! There couldn't be
more extreme contrast Of character
Georgiana is persOnified pose. Ii
she ever did spontaneous thing In
my presence ever made an unstudied
remark, think I'd fall in love with
her Oh the spot"
1t was at S o'clock on Sunday after
noon that he presented himself at the
home Of Miss Wolcott. He sent in his
card and waited on the piazza. which
was furnished like sitting room and
shaded by screens from the hot sum-
mer sun. Ills suspense as to the out
come of the impending interview made
him too uneasy to sit still. and ne
paced the long porch in his nervous
ness wondering for the hundredth time
how he could most convincingly relate
his story and trying to school himself
against too great bluntness in the deli
cate matter he had to handle. He
rather took it out of the porch furni-
ture before Miss Wolcott made her ap-
pearance, for in striding about he
pushed things ruthlessly out of his
way. nearly upsetting spindle legged
table holding a slender vase of roses
and making stool noisily collide with
another table covered with books and
magazines.
A sudden swish Of skirts in the door
way made him turn about at the end
of the porch and come back quickly to
meet the uncomfortably stout little
woman who walked forward to greet
him.
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