Show rk a MRS MR C HARILD STAGG ST A GG I 1 g S 9 Z a la J aj va jf UL go v 6 4 0 0 copyright 2890 and 1891 1691 by robert bonner s suad oj assassa CHAPTER emma who had embraced her in her turn was mas acknowledging to her self the fact that she had filled out abaz angly in the two years since they had met and that she was ras certainly a very fine looking woman she fol lowed her niece down a Or orrl TIdor dor which led to what fleanor styled the visitors room a pleasant apartment in la a cheerful fire was burning ifera they were received by the senior professor of the college an elder y la ly whose white hair was twisted at either temple into a trio of tat fat alg lets and who was till miss johnson there was something however so gracious and affable in her bearing she was so simple and free from at af fec tation that emma who at sight of her had put on a toplofty man ner nor let herself down inch by inch she lost herself in genuine sui sat admiration of her hostess tact and gentility As for harold he and miss johnson hit off capitally at once so much so that the moment he was out of hear g on the way to their rooms he be exclaimed she is a regular old trump elea nor have you any more like her she is certainly a very agreeable woman emma added with a medi dative air one can hardly expect to find and many more so attractive as she we shall be very comfortable here I 1 im m sure emma added as she glanc ed around the parlor into which elea nor had ushered them with the statement that it was ras tor for their use and that there was a bed chamber opening out of it dinner will be ready in halt half an hour and I 1 will come shortly before that so as to tal e you about a little beforehand vv M room is close by well cherub exclaimed harold as he attacked his valise after eleanor had closed the door I 1 expect that before we are ready to go home you will be beseeching me to komove smove out west bag and baggage don dont t be absurd dear I 1 wonder she added thoughtful thoughtfully a moment later why eleanor is uncertain about accepting the presidency enc did you notice how confused contused she looked when yo yoi I 1 referred to the matter the poor child Is naturally modest e is not used to having honoro honors thrust upon her it wasn gasn t mcie diffidence I 1 tell you habold she has something on her mind there is some secret reason for her hesitation I 1 shall believe until I 1 am convinced to the contrary that the cat in the meal is a man what mana A man I 1 said I 1 have not the ri remotest idea who he is I 1 argi am waiting tor for her to tell us that harold laughed there is no one like a woman to ferret out what is in another woman s brind well dear I 1 hope you may be right for then you will be able to say I 1 told you sot so on the contrary I 1 fervently hope that I 1 am mistaken why I 1 thought that you were fager eager for her to be married I 1 wished her to marry owen page five live years ago but I 1 do not wish mish to see her marry tom dick or harry and a western tom dick or harry at that though come to think of it if she will marry a westerner and stay west I 1 do not so much care harold laughed again so that his tat fat sides shook and said aa he ad austed the pearl pin that adorned his necktie lou ion women are fearfully and won der fully made eleanor returned a few moments later and carried them on a tour of cusp action before dinner there m was as an air of complete tranquility in the house at the moment for the reason that the students had all gone to their looms to make preparations for dinner so that they had an excellent opportunity to see what there was to be seen free from the distraction of I 1 uman agencies As they were eberg ing 1 from the last recitation room the clang of a bell announced that it was meal time and immediately after there was a rush of steps and hum lium of voices which caused emma to prick her ears with curiosity despite her preconceived intention to be shocked in another instant a surging troop of youths and maidens was sweeping by in prattling but orderly concourse except that they were mixed there was very little to dis them either in their dress or bearing from any body of students I 1 save that the sight of so many young women momen together was novel to both of the stages eleanor purposely detained hei he guests until the tte last of the had passed and then escorted them ii to the large dinin groom on either side of the central aisle of which were rows of tables the aisle vai vas the dividing line between the sexes on the right of it were the men inen and on the left the young women at the farther end of the room were mere two to oth r tables slightly raised above and at rist ris t angles with the rest to one of which eleanor con ducted her uncle and her aunt these were reserved tor for the chief of floors of instruction the were given seats next to miss johnson who rho presently rose to eay say a few words of grace before she spoke one could have heard a pin drop in the large hall the mo ment after she had finished there was a perfect babel of voices to the tune of which a file of oung young men and young women disappeared in the direction of the kitchen fr from in which they emerged a moment later with plates of soup the students take tak e turns in wait lag ing upon each other miss johnson explained to amma FN cry m week e ek there is a fresh corps of waiters and waitresses I 1 should like to ask it if good looks are a requisite for admission M miss Is johnson said harold I 1 should judge that they are from the number ot or fine tool 1001 ing young women I 1 see among the processors as well as the students he added as his glance mn along the tables where the instructors of whom at lea were ot of the gentler sex were abated seated in their case there was no separation of the men from the laomen ft omen we believe too that they are its a meritorious as the they Y are ug answered miss johnson and nd not one of them so far AS a I 1 ree wears bloomers my wit wife he said in a loud whisper intended tor for I 1 mma s ears expected that they mould all be homely and in bloomer what rubbish harold mrs murmured but she could not help looking a little confused miss johnson attempted to relief e the situation by saying that he must surely be exaggerating for the rca rea son that mrs stagg was at least aware of her nieces charms which brought a guilty blush to emmas cheel s but harold diverted atten t on from her by exclaiming it does sound hough though a little III e a menagerie and the women are certainly the most noisy aid miss johnson there Is a dis inaction you must try to obliterate miss baldwin my dear when tho the reins are in your hands the dinner was plain but good at its conclusion miss johnson invited the visitors to take their coffee in her apartment and ift erward eleanor con ducted them through the dor dormitory mitor les and over the gymnasium and fin ally to her own quarters which con aisted of a snug little parlor with an adjoining bedroom it ws ms w m s a veritable student students s den books and paper were in III the ascendant with a sufficient sprinkling however of feminine ef of facts to i reduce an impression of cokines R also the bay window wai supplied with a window seat covered with cheerful hintz A bust of the young napolon napolson looked down from the mantelpiece on either side of which were etc etchings tings by artists of repute eleanor lighted another tall lamp with a variegated shade and poked the fire into renewed energy here you see me she exclaimed gayly in the midst ot of my household gods and very cry well vell oft off you seem to be too ar harold as he set tied himself in one of the easy chairs and looked around him for a few moments eleanor ab their attention with an in spec tion loil of her belongings but pres betly when emma and she had tol fol boned low ed harold s example and seated themselves she bald said after a pausy pause I 1 ara am very glad that you were able to pay me a visit uncle harold be cause there Is a matter I 1 wish to speak to you about especially CH CHAPTER As eleanor finished emma ro rose se demurely and said that she thought she would go to her own room tor for awhile vp vp ajer p p re A so s tor no aunt emma I 1 should like you to stay sta and hear what I 1 have to say pay 6 three heads beads are sometimes better than two certainly dear dearia de arif it you prefer eleanor waited malted a moment as if it doubtful how to begin then she said you have both always been ea sty very kind to me so much like a father and n other that t I 1 feel willing milling to come to you tor for bounel in spite of the tact fact that it was not entirely with your sa sanction that I 1 beaded decided to become a teacher I 1 have come to a pasa pass now where I 1 real really lydo do not know how to act and hr e rethe abe worst of it ls Is abat v I 1 do not see very well how f any one n can earl alid me much except she added with a despondent little laugh still I 1 have not felt willing to accept the position which has been offered me until I 1 had consid ered the matter carefully do you think it would be advisable for me to accept uncle harolda harold a brow had become contract ed as the result of his attempt to in this rather ambiguous address and as a consequence there was a resultant sternness in his response to the direct question which completed it accept I 1 should say that you would be very foolish not to accept of course he added in the same tone I 1 don t know what reasons you may hae have tor for being doubtful in the matter but they ought to be pretty good ones to induce you to decline such a position I 1 don t I 1 now that I 1 have any rea sons said eleanor gently then as her eyes encountered emmas fixed searchingly upon her she lowered them and began to toy with the em brol dery of the sofa cushion A man cannot very well manifest impatience so openly when another woman is beating about the bush as when the offender Is his wife so that harold felt constrained to limit his displeasure to a restless twist in his chair and a still deeper frown he ile detested indirect methods and he was on the point of saying to his niece that she had better out with her mystery whatever it was when rhen she broke the silence with the query did you ever hear of a man named prof struthers uncle harold emma shot a glance of triumph at her husband and folded her arms Strut struthers hersl struthers the name seems familiar prof william athers iia Is an electrical engineer the inventor investor of the struthers stor aga age batters batt bat erT terP chy by certainly I 1 am one of ns fits stockholders holders he lie has made a t cry valuable cwi iwi invention entson yes I 1 have met him a fl number of times so have I 1 said eleanor demurely I 1 met him first when I 1 was staying with uncle phin five years ago and I 1 saw him frequently when uncle phin was so III he helped to nurse him she stopped and there was another awkward silence well dear said emma from an admixture of excess of curiosity v wa manly sympathy siu pathy and fear lest harold might be goaded into overt imnetu dosity by fertl er lelay M I 1 wa eleanor gave a allt little tle start as if she he had bern pricked by a pin then ghe she answered with ith an attempt at direct ness the 1 d 1 g andee short of it P I 1 that hat prof struthers has asked me tc to I 1 marry him and I 1 er wished you to know this before I 1 accepted a tha presidency of clavering I 1 see said harold as she paused though the puzzled expression of hia tiffs countenance be belled hie his words you think it wise for me to ac capt do you not uncle harold the continued eagerly you approve ot of it you consider it an honorable tion I 1 have already paid said so I 1 felt sure tuat that you would think so it has seemed so to me there can be no doubt about it she con e eded emphatically shaking her head thank you very much uncle harold I 1 am sure that I 1 do not know livow exactly for what he answered a I 1 moment later for confirming my own as to what it was the wisest tor for me to do but it was not until emma that the look of mystification on harold s face glow gi ew less eleanor means my dear said ehe she in a deliberate tone that she has his had to decide between prof struthers Str uthera on one hand and the presidency on the other and she has decided in favor of or the hattei eleanor sighed and nodded acquits cence I 1 ought to say though that he it willing to change his residence and live here it if I 1 will only marry but that would be asking too of him it would mould not be right I 1 should think that it would never do said emma coldly and therefore eleanor continued iam I 1 am so glad that you agree with me and think that I 1 am doing dol what la is wise uncle harold you you austn L mind my crying she added realizing that her voice bad had suddenly broke it down and that there were tears tn la hei ey ees es it Is merely nervousness isn it t it aunt emma certainly wear and it seems to me that you are acting very wisely and it seems to me that I 1 have very little idea what this Is all about said harold IMO no matter pursued emma promptly we know don t we eleanor she said taking her hand in hers and a nd stroking a trek I 1 ng it I 1 t softly soft I 1 Y and it 1 Is all decided isn t it dear yes I 1 it Is all decided was the girls annaer accompanied with a fresh burst of tears which made har old look decidedly uncomfortably one thing Is sure be 81 said almost fiercely I 1 give 1 up attempting to understand women to be continued |