The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1894-09-05

that Phil is unkind to me ) he is as
kind and good and patient as man
| could be. He considers me before
himself; there is nothing he wouldn't
do for me, but-but he doesn't love
me. That is the root of the whole
matter.
Her voice broke with pathetic
little quiver that went straight to
Bob's heart. He looked down at the
childish, folorn figure, half lost in the
big leather chair, and felt a wild i'm
pulse to take it in his arms. But he
restrained the impulse somehow.
"Well," he said, as quietly as he
could "It's a riddle, isn't it? |
wish l could help you read it. Old
Phil must be lunatic-notbing less
than lunatic.
"No," Gwen answered, sadly, che
is not lunatic-far from it; but
there is something [ don't under
stand" She looked up at Bob again,
and laid her pretty little hand gently
on his arm. Such pretty little
hand ! It looked like snowflake on
his rough coat sleeve. "Will you do
something for me 2" she asked ; IL
know J. can trust you, and you are
Phil's oldest friend; but you must
say, if you mind very much.
Rob turned his head away, for he
dared not meet her eyes just then.
But he took hold of her hand and
squeezed it hard.
"Anything," he said.
"Then," Gwen went on, "try and
find out from Phil what it is that has
come between US, and if I can do any.
thing to put it right. I have tried and
failed, but you may succeed. Willyou
try
have said it if she had asked him to
20 to the other end of the world for
her.
That same evening he broached the
subject to Phil. 1t was rather big
fence to tackle but he shut his eyes
and rode hard at it, going straight to
the point in his laundering, honest
way.
Phil hesitated little at first, but
in the end he told the truth.
"You see, old chap" he said, cts
like this The whole affair is ghast-
" mistake all through. never pro-
posed to Gwen at all.
Bob gave great start
"You never proposed to her at all?"
he echoed. "Then how, in Heavens
/ name, did you get engaged ?"
"Well," said Phil, addressing him
self to the fire, cit happened in this
way. You remember Charley Thomp-
son, of the til? Well, I was stay
ing down in Devonshire with him last
summer, and there I met Gwen. She
took my fancy awfully at first, and /
seemed to take her 8; so we started
Irritation, and that worked all right
until her sister appeared upon the
scene. When I saw her-Lilly, 1
mean-I knew I was done for. She's
she's different from other girls,
somehow. Well, I soon made up my
I,mind to ask her to marry me; but |
was bit shy about'it, and like fool,
before speaking to her, I thought [
would try and find out from Gwen if
there was chance for me. | men
toned it one evening, and tried to get
her to put in a good word for me but
| I must have made an awful idiot Of
myself, for, to my horror, she thought
I was proposing to her, and before I
knew where | was, she had accepted
me. It was all up with me then. [
felt queer, I can tell you, Bob and
when I found that she had really
cared for me all the time, when l
thought she was only playing me at
my own game, L hadn't the pluck to
tell her the mistake she had made. l
was coward, I know; but I literally
could not do it. [ just let things
slide, and trusted to luck to get me
out Of the scrape. You see the re-
suit. Luck deserted me for once, and
here I stranded. I've behaved
like fool and scoundrel all around,
and the worst of it is no one is salts
fed. am miserable, so is Gwen, so
is Lilly-and all through misunder-
standing. Is there anything can do
to put things straight, old chap, with.
out behaving more like scoundrel
than ever, l mean. What would you
do in my place 2"
Bob thrust his hands deep in his
pockets, and nodded his head with
great gravity.
s'Tell the truth" he answered,
tersely it's the only thing you can
do, and you ought to have done it
long ago. Jove its tight Mt
though.
Phil fairly groaned.
eff thought Gwen had given up
caring for me, I'd tell her fast
enough" he rejoined; sbut [ don't
think she has, and-ands how. can I
tell her !? !. No, hang it all!I can't. 1
shall have to see the thing through
now, whatever comes.
Bob was silent for moment or two,
blinking solemnly at the fire.
"Tell you what it is," he said, at
last, ssMiss Warrington has plenty of
pluck, and she's as straight as they
make EN-. You ought to be straight
with her, Phil. 1t seems to me that
| the more she cares for you, the more
right she has to know the truth. !
may be wrong-Im a stupid sort Of
chap, I know-but that's the way l
look at it.
Good old Bob His honest heart
and simple mind had led him straight
to a truth that wiser men have often
| missed.
The story is quite an old one now:
It all happened last year, and Phil and
Lily are going to be married next
month.
And the others ?
Well, it was only one day last week
that Bob said suddenly to Gwen
IT say, do you remember what hap
pened year ago to-day p
eyes, of course I do. 1 was in
trouble, and I asked you to help me
"And I did, said Bob, and then
bo mt h;e hand over hers as il Law