The Sauk Centre herald., 1908-03-12

IN Miss WOlcOtt was at her sum
4 u mer home and would be there
until late in the autumn.
He had time on his journey to re
feet upon the episodes of the past few
days with comparative coolness o.
judgment and to see some things will
more clearness than Oh a first view
also the various Developments of The
summer appeared in somewhat differ
ent perspective now that he looked Il
them from little distance.
II went to that farm to find seclu
sion, quiet, a mOnOtOny that wGilil
leave me free to study and what l fcl
into-plots and counterplots, with coun
try cOurtships, disguises, Il stolen in
FAINT, haunted chambers. murders, sui
cides, ghosts and a discovered heiress
Who'd "a thought it? l couldn't have
found half SO much excitement 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 his
extra fees for her cOnniving in his dis.
guise, had thawed so far as to volun-
teer the promise that she would ac-
count to the yonug ladies for his de-
parture by saying that the farmland
had been discharged because of the
incOnvenient and unecOnomical fre-
quency of his headaches. He wonder
ed whether in his absence any acci-
dental hints would be dropped as to
his pretended character. He could not
think without growing uneasincSs
of the fast approaching reopening of
the college. when he would have TO
meet Miss Ellery and Miss Parks as
DIR. 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 Eunice
In ignorance, even for q week, of her
possible good fortune. Goodness knows
what she might do in this week of his
absence. Abe was evidently very des-
Morningstars. in their dire chagrin at
being obliged to pay over to her that
$4,000, might drive her to the point of
marrying Abe in self defense, as it
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-law! The pic
ture made him laugh aloud.
The wearing doubt as to whether
Miss Wolcott could be brought to ac-
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 a fools
errand. If, 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 Il 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 muddle of it.
Your money or your life!' That's
more my style, mOre's the pity!'
He consoled himself with the re6ec-
tion that if Eunice did not come into
the money it 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 aceumuat-
ing wealth.
Her money may quite spoil the at
tractiveness she now has in her sim
plicity, her perfect ndturalness, when
one is alone with her. Just the anti
podes of Georgiana! There couldn't be
q more extreme contrast of character.
Georgiana is personified pose. If
she ever did spontaneous thing in
my presence, ever made an unstudied
remark, I think I'd fall in love with
her on the spot"
1t was at 5 o'clock on Sunday after.
poon that he presented himself at the
home Of Miss Wolcott. He sent in his
card andSwaited on the piazza, which
was furnished like a sitting room and
shaded by screens from the hot sum-
mer sun. His suspense as to the out
come of the impending interview made
him too uneasy to sit still, and he
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