The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1910-09-14

Rainbow Gold
By Temple Bailey
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Literary Press

chair that Philip had placed in front
of the fire for her.
How good it seems to be with you
all again." she said, "the three dear
people with whom l played as a
child"
Presently she went on, And now,
Evelyn is going to marry Bruce, which
Is as it should be. I have come beck
to give you my blessing"
The word was said lightly, but
Philip, watching her, saw the trouble
in her face. Did she still love Bruce?
Would this marriage make her still
more unhappy?
when | went away" she said
after a silence, II thought that my
return would be a triumphal entry.
Everyone would want to hear ME
sing-and now no one will care to
hear ME-"
Philip sank down on the fur rug In
front Of her. rs 1t all gone, your
voice." he asked softly.
81 still have a little voice." she said,
but no one cares to hear it."
And again there was silence. There
was constraint, too, in the atmosphere,
for Bruce and Evelyn had grown into
each others lives and away from
Christine's. Only in Philips heart
was the real welcome that she craved.
She felt this ~instinctivelX and 1t
was her need of him, perhaps, that
made her ask later, when the four had
talked of many things, will you ride
back to the hotel with me, Philip? /
know, Evelyn had a dinner engage
ment and Bruce will. want to a
good-by to her without U.s."
Philip insisted upon a stop at a tea
room. where they ordered Ices as an
excuse but ate nothing.
They talked Of Bruce and Of Evelyn
and of the coming marriage. Evelyn
chose the better part" Christine said.
"A woman IS only q woman after all,
and Housekeeping hearts are happi-
est"
. He felt that she regretted the loss
Of Bruce, and tried to comfort her. II
don't believe that you would have
been happy with him. Christine he
said.
She looked at him startled. with
whom?" she demanded.
with Bruce, Of course" he said.
"Oh!!" she laughed a little Did
you think-why, Philip, l I'M glad |
gave up Bruce. If I had loved him |
could not have given him up. If had
loved him no career could have taken
me away from him, and that was why
I went away to search for my pot Of
gold" She stopped for a moment;
then she went on with some hesita-
ton: There was some one else that
l loved. Philip, but I was not light
enough or frivolous enough to turn
from n man to another. I felt that
/ must give up Bruce and test my
self-but the other man never told
me, Philip, that he cared"
Something in her voice made him
look at her startled.
Would you have given up your ca
reel for that other man." he de-
handed.
YES" she said softly. ~ would
have been glad to have used my voice
for love songs and lullabys. Philip. J
knew that l was following a phantom,
that my greatest happiness would not
come from a career. But I felt that !
must go away-because this other
man was true to his friend, and be-.
cause I felt that I must be very sure
Of myself"
Il could not tell you. You under.
stand?" he asked eagerly. 81 did not
dream that you cared, and I thought
Bruce's life was bound up in YOU"
9" knew 1t wasn't" she said. But
that had to be proved. and only my
going away could prove it. And / am
more than glad that / went away,
Philip, because I have learned now
that love Is the greatest thing In the
world. ! saw SO many women over
there living their pitiful little lives
women eaten up by jealousies and am.
billions and the craving for excitement,
and T learned that nothing makes a
woman happy but love and q home
All the modern theories, all the ad.
vanced arguments can never make
me believe anything else."
And then he knew that all his wait
ing was to have its reward. He told
her, then, Of his dreams and of his
desires. He wanted her in his life. II
seemed to them both, as they went
out. that the world had changed;
there was a radiance about the star.
lighted evening that was a reflection
Of the radiance within themselves.
AS he left her at her hotel. Christine
whispered, 81 have found my pot oil
gold, Philip"
"Where?" he demanded.
"At the other end of the rainbow
she said. AT the end that was near
est home, Philip"