Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1895-03-07

4oAStA tHtH AtahNs HitN sNh Ass'PN 80
derstand him better. Can you tell me
why he Is $3.50 queer with me.'
This was something Of a faeer, Bob
ran his fingers through Is. short, dark
hair and drew deep short breath
Don't you know" he asked.
Gwen shook her head.
No"
well, I'm blessed if do" said
Bob.
Gwen went on in Il low, hurried
tone.
"I'hil has never been TO me what
other girls lovers are to them; but
don't know why. only wish did.
He seemed iond enough of me before
We were engaged, but now-.well, of
course, the whole thing was n miser-
able failure, and it gets worse. 1t isn't
that Phil is unkind Ia me; he is as
Eind and good and patient as a man
could be- He considers me before
himself; there is nothing he wouldn't
Go for me, but--but -he doesn't !oye
me. That is the ROOF II the wno.r
matter
Her voice broke with d pathetic lit
tie culver that went straight to Bob
heart. He looked down at the child
ish. forlorn figure, half lost in the h'g
leather chair. and felt a wild imp Use
to take it in his arms. But he re-
stiained the impulse somehow.
We'll" he said. as quiet as he could.
tits a riddle, isn't it? | wish | could
help You to read II. old lhil must be
a lunatic. nothing less than lunatc."
No Gwen answered, sadly, he is
not a lunatic-far from it--but there is
something | don't understand" She
looked up at Bob again, and laid her
hand lightly ON his arm. Such a pretty
little band 1t looked like Il snow
flake on his rough coat sleeve. "Wlll
you do something for me- she asked;
Il know ! can trust You and YOU are
Pills oldest friend; bur you must say
IL you mind very much"
Bob turned his eyes away, for he
dared not meet her eyes just then.
But he took hold OF her hand and
squeezed 1t hard.
Anything" he said
'.Then." Gwen went ON. "try and
find out from Phil what it is that has
come between ms, and If | can do any
thing TO put it right | have tried and
failed But YOU may succeed. WIN
you tryY'
Eyes" said Bob, just rs he would
have said ii she had asked him to 30
to the other end Of the world for her.
The same evening he preached the
subject TO Phil. 1t was rather big
fence to tackle, but III 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, its
like this. The whole affair Is a CHASTITY
mistake all through. | never proposed
to Gwen at ALL"
Bob gave a great START
"You never proposed to her at allT"
he echoed "Then how in heavens
name did you get engaged?'
well" said Phil, addressing him
self to the fire, sit happened in this
way. You remember Charley Thomp-
son of the -th? Well, | WAS staying
down in Devonshire with him last
summer and there ] met Gwen. She
took my fancy awfully at first and
l seemed to rake hers; SO we started a
flirtation, and that worked all right
until her sister Lily appeared on the
scene. When | saw hel'-Lily, | mean
knew ! was done for. Shes shes
different from other girls somehow.
Well, / soon made up my mind ITO ask
her to marry me, but ! was n bit shy
about 1T, and, like fool, before speak
i.ig to her. thought ] would try and
find out from Gwen IL there was q
one evening, and tried to ask her TO
chance for me. ! mention ID 1t to her
put in & good word for me; but | must
have made an awful idiot of myself,
for, to my horror she Thought ] was
proposing to her. and before | knew
where was she had accepted me. 1t
was all up with me then. felt queer,
can tell you, Bob; and when found
She had really cared for me all the
time, when ! thought she was only
playing me at my own game, ! hadn't
the pluck to tell her the mistake she
had made. was coward, know,
but / literally could not do 1t Just
let things slide, and trusted to luck 10
get me out OF the scrape. You see the
result. Luck deserted me for once,
and here am-St1anded. I've behaved
like a fool and scoundrel all round,
and the worst Of II, no one Is satisfied.
| am miserable, so is Gwen, and 80 IL
Iily-a and all through a misunderstand-
ing. Is there anything ! can do 70 put
things straight, old chap 2-withotlt
behaving more like scoundrel than
than ever, / mean. What would you
do In my place."
Lob thrust his hands deep IN his
pockets and nodded his head with
great gravity.
"Tell the truth" he answered,
tersely; ''it's the only thing you can do,
and you ought to have done II long
ago. love! it's a tight fit, though
Phil fairly groaned