Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 45: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE DEVELOPMENTS OF SEVERAL YEARS. 41 years behind her, when I should be ever so far beyond her,” he said one day to Mrs. Huntress, when he had be- eome almost discouraged over one of his lessons, and had gone to her for help and sympathy. “But Gladys has always been at school and you have not, Geoff,” returned his aunt, kindly. “Go and ask her to show you about these problems ; she can help you much better than I, for they are fresher in her mind.” But the proud boy had all at once grown keenly sensi- tive, and would not seek the young girl’said. He pre- ferred to fight the battle out by himself, rather than be eoached by a girl younger than he was. Of course this was the better way; he gained in mental strength and self-reliance by it, and he accomplished more in three years than the ordinary school-boy would in six. Aside from his pride and sensitiveness in this respect, he was ever ready and eager to be with Gladys. Wherever she went, after school hours, he was her ~ eonstant and devoted attendant, and no service was too hard or disagreeable to be performed for her. And she enjoyed having him with her. He was out- - growing the delicate, almost effeminate look which he - had had when he first came to them; an air of manliness and strength had taken its place, while there was a nat- ural gallantry and manliness about him that made him - a@ very agreeable escort. Another year passed, and he made even more rapid strides in his studies than before; still it was a great trial to him that he had only completed the studies of the’ - second year of the high school course, and Gladys was | ready to graduate. - He was present at her examination, and also at the ex- ercises of the class when it graduated, and it was evi- dent, from his~flushed cheek and glittering eye, that some bitter struggle was going on within him. He watched the beautiful girl’s every movement, he eagerly drank in every word that she uttered, and was as proud of her as he could be, yet all the time miserably eonscious of his own deficiency. That evening he shut himself within his own room | and fought a terrible battle out with his pride and wretch- edness. “T am nineteen years old, and she WP eiteen, ”* he said, bitterly. ‘I am two years behind her, and I should be two years in advance—there are four years of my life Gomicbookss 3