Middletown transcript., 1894-09-08
you are SO good and kind. If you


there's anything in the world / can de
Z for you, I'll do it. Do you.believe mel
4 "Oh, yes," answered Gwen, putting
out her hand to him with an impulsive
gesture, while the tears trimmed over
] afresh.
Bob took the trembl ing little hand,
, and held it in strong, close clasp; a
clasp that seemed to carry help and
: comfort with it,
"That's right" he said, NOW, let
me hear all about it. But don't cry
for PHYS sake, don't cry like that.
You'll send me mad if you do. Come
dry your eyes"
"It's about Phil" Gwen went on
mopping her eyes obediently. "Of
course it's obout Phil. Oh, Mr.. Hem
sleigh, you have known Phil SO much
longer than l have, and you must un-
derstand him better. Can you tell me
why he is queer with me?"
This was something of facer. Bob
ran his fingers through his short dark
hair and drew deep breath.
"Don't you know?" he asked.
Gwen shook her head, "No."
"Well, Pm blessed if do," said
Bob.
Gwen went on in low hurried tone:
"Phil has never been to me what
other girls lovers are to them; but |
don't know why. 1 only wish | did.
He seemed fond enough of me before
we were engaged, but now-well. of
course the whole thing is a miserable
failure, and it gets worse. 1t isn't
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.n
Her voice broke with a pathetic lit
tie quiver that went straight to Bob's
heart. He looked down at the child
Ish. forlorn figure, half lost in the big
leather chair, and felt wild impulse
to take it in his arms. But he re-
strained the impulse somehow.
"Well," he said, as quietly as he
could, lit is a riddle, isn't it? l wish
l could help you to read it. Old Phil
must b g lunatic-nothing less that a
lunatic.''
"No," Gwen answered Sadly, he is
not lunatic-far from it-but therei
something l don't understand" She
looked up at Bob again and laid her
hand lightly on his arm. Such pretty
little hand. 1t looked like snowfakes
on his rough coat sleeve. "Will you
do something for me?" she asked. II
know 1 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 Tot meet her eyes just then. But
lie took hold of her hand and squeezed
it hard.
"Anythin g. | 9 said.
''Then," Gwen went on, ''try to
find out from Phil what it is that has
come between US, and if can do any
thing to put it right. l have tried,
and failed. But you may succeed.
Will you try it?',
Yes" said Bob, ''just as lie would
have said If she had asked him to 60 to
he other end of the world for her.
That same evening he broached the 6
subject to Phil. Is 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. c
Phil hesitated little at first, but in g
he end be told the truth.
''You see, old chap" he said, "it's
ike this: The whole affair is a ghastly n
mistake all through. never proposed u
% Gwen at ALL" i,
DOU gave d SIodI StdTI. a
"You never proposed to her at ALP"
le echoed. "Then how in heavens
lame did you get engaged?" =
"Well," said Phil, addressing him. G.
elf to the lire, sit happened in this II
way. You remember Charlie Thomp- n
on, of the til? Well, was staying r r
own IN Devonshire with him last
ummer, and there I met Gwen. She q,
ook my fancy awfully at first, and l ki
eemed to take hers. So we started a N
irtation. and that worked all right Ii
ntil her sister Lily appeared on the bl
GENE. When saw her-Lily,I mean di
knew l was done for. She's-she's m
ifferent from other girls, somehow.
Yell, l soon made up my mind to ask
er to marry me, but was bit shy in
bout it, and, like fool, before speak "
lg to her l thought would try and tb
nd out from Gwen if there was a w
rance for me.
81 mentioned it to her one evening, in
nding to ask her to put in good word
IT me, but must have made an awful vi
iot of myself, for, to my horror, sh ID
fought l was proposing to her, and W
efore [ knew where I was she had ci
,cepted me. 1t was all up with me al
len. l felt queer, can tell you, Bob; liz
I'd when 1 found she had really cared er
II me all the time when thought she be
as only playing me at my own game, be
hadn't the pluck to tell her the mis- til
Ike she had made. 1 was a coward, 1 1t
now, but l literally could not do it. W,
just let things slide, and trusted to G.
ok to get me out of the scrape. You Pl
e the result. Luck deserted me for
ace, and, here I am-stranded. II
shaved like fool and scoundrel all pa
'und, and the worst of it is no one is 20
tisfied. am miserable, SO is Gwen, l {
I'd so is Lily-and all through a mis- We