Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1917-12-01
rHE CHlCA EAGLE,
COED COURTSHIP.
BY SYLVIA TURNER.

!
! The principal reason why the fam
| Sagamorc college was because ii was
coed. Aunt Jane held that in strict
| W female seminary girls mind was
/ apt to be so filed with her studies and
! Feminine pursuits that she was untitled
Tor her life role of wifchOod. The
, doctor took I'M entirely different view
of the situation, as he told IIilda the
night before she left.
Dear girl you've lead lonely, mo-
notonous sort of life Mt this old place,
| with just Jean and myself. You need
companionship of boys and girls your
! own age. Long ago your mother,
| bless her, was a student Mt Sycamore.
had, and her seat in the dining hall.
Have u good time and don't have too
many love affairs. BY the way, you
may find a stepmother here when you
come back. one whom know you will
| love-"
"You mean Mrs. Evcrdon, dadf" she
asked, little break in her tone.
u mean Paula Everdon," he re-
spondCd, quietly.
When she had been mt Sycamore
Just two weeks. far too busy to dwell
upon her own personal troubles. she
was one day on n tall mountain spur
overlooking the Hudson for miles. A
storm had been brewing and she had
been trying to make the college
grounds before II broke. But In her
hurry, she stumbled on the rocks, lost
her footing and fell. She tried to- rise.
but could not, and suddenly there came
drcnching downpour of rain. with Il
crash of thunder
She wore Il short military cape, and
threw this around her like u poncho,
trying to shelter herself from the
downpOur. All nj once she felt her
self lifted bodily In strong arms and
carried on u run tn the shelter of an
old. deserted shack used by workmen
who had been blasting.
II was dark inside the hut, so dark
that she could hardly discern the face
of her rcscuer. The terrific noise out
side barred any attempt ut conversa-
ton, but he had removed her cape and
was busy trying to light fire on the
old stone hearth. When the blaze
ilared M she caught glimpse of his
face. II was u strong young one. lie
turned and smiled ut her, feeling her
scrutiny.
Were apt to be here for some time.
You'd better make yourself comforta-.
Bile. I hope you're not far from your
homer"
"Just Sycamore" replied Hilda, hold.
Ing ont her hands to the fire. 'l'm
afraid l can't help myself very much.
My shoulder and ankle both seemed
to catch IL when fell. Perhaps when
you go, you might leave word ut the
college, so they'd send for me. I'd be
awfully obliged"
81 think I can manage to get you
over, myself" he said; "at least as
far ms the gates; then can run down
after you In the deans car"
II did not seem that they were to.
gethcr long before the storm cleared.
yet three hours had passed when Hllda
finally reached her own room.
isn't he II perfect darling" said
Anne Rnthburn, her roommate, when
llilda was snug on the big couch,
drinking tea. II haven't seen him ut
any Of the classes. He must be u
senior"
II surely gave her prestige among
the other freshmen, this being cared
for In cavalier fashion by n senior.
His name was Ralph, she found out
from some of the other boys, Ralph
Kingslake. After she grew to know
him better, he told her something of
his own life. Hilda had been fear
fully curious over the visits of a
very handsome woman In black who
came and left the college grounds In
large touring car every Sunday.
"Oh, that's the mater" Ralph told
her. "She's fearfully good to me.
Shes just my stepmOther, but we've
been regular pals ever since my fa-
Their died. She put me through col.
lege, ana we rather keep an eye on
each other. You see, by the terms of
my fathers will, II she marrles before
I'm twenty-five, she loses all but her
dover right In the estate. But then
again, II ! marry before I've estnb.
lished myself under twenty-five, III
lose II whole lot and she wins"
liilda looked ut him appreciatively.
IL should think II would be spIen-
did to go deliberately against such n
WILL" she said.
The months passed, and June doomed
ahead. Hilda viewed its coming anx.
iously. Her fathers wedding was set
for the latter part of June.
Somehow she felt that she could NOT
go home and find stranger In her
mothers place, Ralph told her his
plans one night when they were walk
Ing up the embroidered campus.
From habit they went into the little
room used as college post office. There
was II letter in each of their boxes
Ilildn finished hers first.
"Oh, Ralph, dads married Mrs. Ev-
crd0n !" she cried. "Tm so glad we de.
cided that we had II right to our own
happiness
Ralph's brown eyes twin'ri
"rhc matters name Is Nj rrrdon.
She dropped the Kingslnke when she
s..s. L..-.. g..