Ranching for Sylvia | Page 6

when Edgar came home after some trouble with the authorities. In his opinion, Stephen is too fond of making mountains out of molehills; but I must own that Edgar's molehills have a way of increasing in size, and the last one caused us a good deal of uneasiness. Anyway, we have decided that a year's hard work in Canada might help to steady him, even if he doesn't follow up farming. The main point is that he would be safe with you."
"I'll have a talk with him," George promised; and after a word of thanks Ethel turned away.
A little later she joined Mrs. Lansing, who was sitting alone in the shadow of a beech.
"I'm afraid I've added to George's responsibilities--he has agreed to take Edgar out," she said. "He has some reason for wishing to be delivered from his friends, though I don't suppose he does so."
"I've felt the same thing. Of course, I'm not referring to Edgar--his last scrape was only a trifling matter."
"So he contends," laughed Ethel. "Stephen doesn't agree with him."
"Well," said Mrs. Lansing, "I've often thought it's a pity George didn't marry somebody nice and sensible."
"Would you apply that description to Sylvia?"
"Sylvia stands apart," Mrs. Lansing declared. "She can do what nobody else would venture on, and yet you feel you must excuse her."
"Have you any particular exploit of hers in your mind?"
"I was thinking of when she accepted Dick Marston. I believe even Dick was astonished."
"Sylvia knows how to make herself irresistible," said Ethel, strolling away a few moments later, somewhat troubled in mind.
She had cherished a half-tender regard for George, which, had it been reciprocated, might have changed to a deeper feeling. The man was steadfast, chivalrous, honest, and she saw in him latent capabilities which few others suspected. Still, his devotion to Sylvia had never been concealed, and Ethel had acquiesced in the situation, though she retained a strong interest in him. She believed that in going to Canada he was doing an injudicious thing; but as his confidence was hard to shake, he could not be warned--her conversation with him had made that plainer. She would not regret it if Sylvia forgot him while he was absent; but there were other ways in which he might suffer, and she wished he had not chosen to place the management of his affairs in Herbert's hands.
In the meanwhile, her brother had arrived, and he and George were sitting together on the opposite side of the lawn. Edgar was a handsome, dark-haired lad, with a mischievous expression, and he sometimes owned that his capacity for seeing the humorous side of things was a gift that threatened to be his ruin. Nevertheless, there was a vein of sound common sense in him, and he had a strong admiration for George Lansing.
"Why do you want to go with me?" the latter asked, pretending to be a bit stern, but liking the youngster all the while.
"That," Edgar laughed, "is a rather euphemistic way of putting it. My washes have not been consulted. I must give my relatives the credit for the idea. Still, one must admit they had some provocation."
"It strikes me they have had a good deal of patience," George said dryly. "I suppose it's exhausted."
"No," replied Edgar, with a confidential air; "it's mine that has given out. I'd better explain that being stuffed with what somebody calls formulae gets monotonous, and it's a diet they're rather fond of at Oxford. Down here in the country they're almost as bad; and pretending to admire things I don't believe in positively hurts. That's why I sometimes protest, with, as a rule, disastrous results."
"Disastrous to the objectionable ideas or customs?"
"No," laughed the lad; "to me. Have you ever noticed how vindictive narrow-minded people get when you destroy their pet delusions?"
"I can't remember ever having done so."'
"Then you'll come to it. If you're honest it's unavoidable; only some people claim that they make the attack from duty, while I find a positive pleasure in the thing."
"There's one consolation--you won't have much time for such proceedings if you come with me. You'll have to work in Canada."
"I anticipated something of the sort," the lad rejoined. Then he grew serious. "Have you decided who's to look after your affairs while you are away? If you haven't, you might do worse than leave them to Stephen. He's steady and safe as a rock, and, after all, the three per cent. you're sure of is better than a handsome dividend you may never get."
"I can't give Herbert the go-by. He's the obvious person to do whatever may be needful."
"I suppose so," Edgar assented, with some reluctance. "No doubt he'd feel hurt if you asked anybody else; but I wish you could have got Stephen."
He changed the subject; and when some of the others came