Gilpin observer., 1915-07-15
FOUR ON AN ISLAND
BY DOROTHY ALLEN.

know, not large at all. Sometimes
when there's storm the sea comes
clear up to the garden, but it's love-
ly there in the summer. I'm glad
you could both run down to see Law
renee"
Gwen smiled at the two in the op-
posite seat. Smiled deliberately and
with malice aforethought and most
delightful impartiality. Flick Hab-
beton and Dolf Cramer returned
the smile each in his own way.
Dolf's was broad and melting and
fatuous. It bespoke alteration and
utter helplessness. Flick's was full
of strange, cynical misery. as of
one who would have said to the world,
"Lo. she has landed me. Behold me
pant and die"
"How's Larry bearing up?" asked
Doll
well, Of course. he's not really fully
recovered. 1t was awfully nice of
you boys to come way out from
the city to cheer him up. Aunt Helen
and do our best, but we're not like
men, you know, and his own crowd.
I'm glad we just happened to catch
the same train"
Flick grinned out at New Ro-
chelle fieeting by. He had waited for
hours, it seemed, beside the grilled
gateway back in the Grand Central to
beat Dolf. and had wakened to find
Dolf with the captured prize saunter-
ing over from the ticket windows. He
wondered how they could still even
preserve the semblance of friendship.
Was 1t not he who had worshiped
Gwen Marquis from afar for two
years? Hadn't he put up with Larry's
general pugnaciousness and loQuacity
solely because he had sister with
a face like an apple blossom? Hadn't
he monitored Larry all through his
last year. pushing him along by
sheer force, just to win the cbnfi-
dence and affection of Gwen? All
this, while Dolf Cramer reigned in
his own special field Of endeavor, and
took no more notice of Larry than
II he had been a midget in the ada
cent blue.
Then there had come the accident.
1t had been voted a pleasant and ad-
visable thing by the junior class to
place a goat Of mature years and live
ly sense of justice IN the private con-
sulting room of the seniors, a goat
dyed a deep, rich red, with black
horns, and it was done. All juniors
had been warned to go far from the
scene of action, but Larry had lin
gered, being interested as the person
who had assumed responsibility with
the goats owner. And he had been
caught. felony in junior eyes, caugh:
and taken into the private room and
imprisoned with the goat in the inner
closet until the quality OF mercy.
strained to the minimum, released
both
Gwen had come after the remains.
Larry was not injured vitality, but the
goat had not chosen kindly and he
was bruised, much bruised. There
upon, Dolf Cramer had assumed COM
mand on seeing the patients family.
1t was he who devised the pretty tale
that made Larry a hero and hid the
goat from the family history. 1t was
he who conveyed Gwen around the
campus and showed her its beauties.
Nobody had ever suspected Dolf Of
esthetic tastes. He had been bluff
and hearty through the long, sane
winter. His class name had been ap-
propriated and. seemly. name suited
to his general temperament and man.
ly proportions, for he was dubbed the
"Porpoise." Flick loathed deception
in any form. He could not see that
by the alchemy of love the soul of the
"Porpoise" had bloomed like some
mystic rose of gold. He could not see
any of this. nor even grant him par
tial right of way, for love did not give
him any blooming roses. 1t only
made him silent and suffering and
he took to leaning against corners OF
buildings, with q face like Dante's
death mask.
Yet he had not retreated. When
the invitation had been given for him
to visit Larry in his convalescent
state, he had accepted. even while he
knew that Dolf likewise was inclined.
Shall man drop from the firing line
for a wound here and there?
you ii DOth love Aunt Helen, sai0
Gwen. She came down on an ear
lier train with Joan. We Just met
Joan over at the Pennsy this noon.
1t seems as II you boys ought to
know her. She's from Richmond, too.
Joan Carruthers."
Then Flick turned his head and
smiled at the "Porpoise.' Did they
know Miss Carruthers? The smile ON
Dolls rotund face became fixed like
Buddha's. 1t lacked spontaneity and
innate Joy. And Flick's humor rose.
81 have never met Miss Carruth-
ers,' he said, but l have often heard
her spoken Of. She was very popular
at Richmond. very popular"
At Sound Beach they took the car
that wound along the rhore line. Gwen
said 1t wasn't very far, and then just