Evening star., 1926-03-21
GER ALDINE
BY BOOTH HARRINGTON


| be-" told her: but she didn't notice
that 7 meant anything jocular.
| Yes" she said. i've noticed you
are rather timid with him. but he real
ly isn't so naughty as you think he
is, and I'm sure he'd be as glad to be
cordial
WELL" said, II hadn't thought OF
him as naughty, exactly. 1t was
more"
She interrupted me- II know!. l
know You don't think of him as re.
pellently naughty or lofty in his man.
, ner; but of course ] can see you all
feel he's man of SO much greater
experiences much more a man OF
the world and all that--you naturally
think he might be rather stand-ofilsh
If you made advances to him. Well.
! he is a man of the world, and Of
course we've never before had any
body in the town quite in his class,
so to speak; but he's not really stand
offish at all. He's perfectly simple, as
important people always are; he
doesn't wish to assert his superiority
in the slightest, and I'm sure he'd be
gracious and cordial IL the rest Of you
would just take him as one Of your
selves. I'm sure he'd like that much
better than to have YOU stand in awe
of him.
'Do we? ! mean, would he?" said,
for Geraldine's sincerity in this hal
lucination of hers confused me. Did
he want YOU to ask us not to stand
in awe of him. Geraldine?"
She didn't give me a direct answer.
Nobody but a woman could see these
things" she said. "If don't speak Of
them, who would? None of the other
girls would now, Of course, because
they wouldn't regard that as their
privilege"
They woudn't?" I said: and I was
getting more confused than ever.
The other girls wouldn't regret 1t as
their privilege to point out how cordial
Mr.. Cameron wants to be?"
Not now, they wouldn't. Not
since She paused. drew q
long breath. and then sat looking up
ward like St. Cecilia at the organ.
Not since he dropped the rest to
single me out above them"
X X x X
STARED at her. too nonplused to
do anything else: and ! could see
how rapt she was in kind OF meek
pride. oh" she said. How strange
it is that 1t should have been I! I'll
never, never get used to that! They
OF flowers, every one begging. to be
taken and worn-but he came to the
little wall-fower in the corner-to mo!
It's incredible, incredible"'
1 didn't say anything; but she
seemed to realize again that was
there. and she came out Of her rap
ture and turned to me. I'm afraid
they all hate me-" she said gently:
but she smiled as If she didn't mind
this supposed hatred very much.
THE other girls?" asked her. II
don't think they do, Geraldine
She laughed and shook her head.
"Of course they do. They couldn't
help 1t. 1 don't blame them for it in
the least. because II it had been one
OF them who was singled out. instead
of me, Id have hated her. Absolutely,
couldn't have helped it, She
laughed again and then her EXPIRES.
| sion reverted to that st. Cecilia look
she'd worn q. moment before.
You mean you're engaged to him,
Geraldine?"
Engaged? she said in a low
'Consecrated,' I think I'd say, in
stead"
This left me pretty blank for a
minute or two. Finally, however,
coughed, and told her I hoped she'd
be happy. Then I asked her il she
wanted me to do something else be-
sides understand that Mr.. Cameron
wasn't really naughty. She'd i'm
piled she had something more in
mind.
Yes" she told me. Hes anxious
to show what he can do in his pro-
fession. He's held down by the older
men in Judge Cameron's Office, and
not given a chance, except in matters
of very small importance not worth
his attention. OF course he should be
at the head Of firm Of his own, and
that's what 1 wanted to speak to
to you about. I've already got papa
to put all Of our own legal affairs
in his hands, and that's q little bit Of
a start for him. Now, Of course, I
know that your family and the BueIls
own the rolling mills-he says the
mills have a great many lawsuits-
but he says the Buelis practically con:
troll the street car lines, and the legal
business Of the car lines alone would
be enough for most law Arms. II
you-"
wait a minute" I said. did Mr..
Cameron tell you To-
NO" she said. I'VE were just
| talking about it: that was ALL" And
she went on to ask me if wouldn't
| exert by influence with my family and
relatives to get the legal business Of
the car lines and the rolling mills put
| into the hands Of MIR. Bellworthy
Cameron. Not only that, she virtu-
ally begged me to turn myself into
a walking advertisement OF the