She offered her hand to all of them, and when she
came to Philip she gave him one long steady look in
the eyes, then shook hands with him also.
WHEREIN ELNORA REACHES A DECISION, AND FRECKLES AND THE ANGEL APPEAR
“Well, she came, didn’t she?” remarked
Mrs. Comstock to Elnora as they watched the automobile
speed down the road. As it turned the Limberlost
corner, Philip arose and waved to them.
“She hasn’t got him yet, anyway,”
said Mrs. Comstock, taking heart. “What’s
that on your finger, and what did she say to you?”
Elnora explained about the ring as she drew it off.
“I have several letters to write, then I am
going to change my dress and walk down toward Aunt
Margaret’s for a little exercise. I may
meet some of them, and I don’t want them to
see this ring. You keep it until Philip comes,”
said Elnora. “As for what Miss Carr said
to me, many things, two of importance: one, that
I lacked every social requirement necessary for the
happiness of Philip Ammon, and that if I married him
I would see inside a month that he was ashamed of
me——”
“Aw, shockins!” scorned Mrs. Comstock.
“Go on!”
“The other was that she has been engaged to
him for years, that he belongs to her, and she refuses
to give him up. She said that if he were in her
presence one hour, she would have him under a mysterious
thing she calls ‘her spell’ again; if
he were where she could see him for one week, everything
would be made up. It is her opinion that he is
suffering from wounded pride, and that the slightest
concession on her part will bring him to his knees
before her.”
Mrs. Comstock giggled. “I do hope the boy
isn’t weak-kneed,” she said. “I
just happened to be passing the west window this afternoon——”
Elnora laughed. “Nothing save actual knowledge
ever would have made me believe there was a girl in
all this world so infatuated with herself. She
speaks casually of her power over men, and boasts of
’bringing a man to his knees’ as complacently
as I would pick up a net and say: ’I am
going to take a butterfly.’ She honestly
believes that if Philip were with her a short time
she could rekindle his love for her and awaken in
him every particle of the old devotion. Mother,
the girl is honest! She is absolutely sincere!
She so believes in herself and the strength of Phil’s
love for her, that all her life she will believe in
and brood over that thought, unless she is taught
differently. So long as she thinks that, she
will nurse wrong ideas and pine over her blighted life.
She must be taught that Phil is absolutely free, and
yet he will not go to her.”
“But how on earth are you proposing to teach
her that?”
“The way will open.”
