The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1911-11-16
CHAPTER XIII.
THE GAUNTLET.

HEN Eleanor sanger wa
AS married she was a bright
w rather highly strung and de
cidedly spoiled girl of nine
teen. Marriage proved a bitter awals
ening. Six months. revealing TO he
both in their own intimate relation,
and in what she learned of his othel
life the weak sensuality of her hus
band, suliiced to transform her into q
cold, self contained woman Of an acid
ulous cynicism startling In one of her
years. 1t was the weakness OF the
man more than his immortality that
repealed her. She herself came of an
active, sturdy stock whose virility and
power of resistance had not been de-
stroyed by generations of self indul-
gence. Her experience discovered to
her the existence of inherited Ideals
heretofore dormant in her. In the APP
parent impossibillty OF seeing those
ideals realized in her own life she was
becoming bitter and reckless when the
incubus on her life was suddenly re-
moved, two years after her marriage,
by the pistol of Jealous viennese.
When her uncle reached her he
found stony eyed, icy woman who
laughed bitterly at his proffered sym
pathy, but acquiesced indifferently in
whatever he proposed.
Then he atoned in part for his I'M
wise guidance of her youth. The man.
agement of his great business interests
he placed in the competent hands of
Henry Sanger. Jr.. Eleanor's brother,
and devoted himself entirely to her.
For three years they Travelled as her
whims dictated. Mr.. Sanger, anxious
ly watching. saw the natural resilien- |
cy of youth gradually breaking down |
her hardness of spirit Selfish she re-
manned. as was the logical result of a |
lack Of definite purpose In life other
than to amuse herself and to forget
Then Mr. Sanger died leaving the
bulk Of his fortune TO Henry Sanger,
Jr., to Eleanor a comparative pittance.
This curtailment OF her inheritance
was at her request. A quiet year in
Germany. spent studying music, fol.
lowed, and then she returned to the
Steel City to play her part in the max
ing of Robert McAdoo.
Late In the afternoon. the day of
Bob's talk with Paul concerning her.
Mrs. Gilbert sat before a luxurious log
fire in her own particular den. In a
box by her side was an armful of roses.
which she was arranging in a huge
glass bowl. When the roses were be-.
slowed to her satisfaction she reread
the note that had accompanied them,
smiling at some sentiment expressed
by the writer.
'You poor. romantic boyr' she said ,
aloud. zone expects every minute that
your conversation and letters will
break into blank verse. | wish-I don't .
know what | WISH" she concluded re-
"But, whatever it is. it's ;
'airly certain that can't have It, Just
Is | thought | had achieved content I
meet two men absolutely out of my :
phere, and the one stirs up the old
Uncertain longings, which he can't sat
sly. and the other stirs up the old
wicked recklessness that had thought
cad forever" She sighed lmpatiently. :,
half hour later she stood by the =
window, her eyes mechanically follow =
ne the figure Of a man walking up the
treet When the pedestrian came to =.
he Sanger entrance he turned in and
1alked with swift, decided steps to- :
'ard the house. Then Eleanor recog- u
lied him.
"oh" she gasped in establishment =
nd with hint Of dismay in her voice. -
he hastily left the window. There :,
'as a knock at the door, and the but =
II entered. ~
'Mr. McAdoo to see you. madam" =,
"Show Mr.. McAdoo into the library, :,
homas," she replied after moments =,
esitatlon. "And l shah not be at :,
ONE the rest Of the afternoon" ~ j."
why had Bob come to see Mrs. Gil =;
ert? Bob himself was trying to an =,
yer the same question. Blindly he 81
1t that one Of his possessions was 81
lreatened and that he must fight with NJ
woman for supremacy over Paul hi
The portieres were parted, and she IN
God before him. Bob realized resent on
lily that here was a very beautiful
oman, far more beautiful than either
athleen Finn or Mrs. Dunmeade, the
ly women OF finer type he knew. 70
or the fraction Of a second while she on
fused on the threshold there was the IT,
me fencing Of glances with which
ey had met in the theater-the adver- TN
ries' salute-then her eyes softened int
an amused CLEAN. While Bob stood NJ,
III she went over to him. ne
'Iye been trying to decide wheth- err
this is a pleasant or unpleasant sur hil
ise," she smiled quizzically. (Which Sh
it" She held out her hand. sn
Bob looked at the outstretched hand =
d shook his head coldly. The hand no