Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-02-25

Gale, did you? l mean about why yo,,
refused him, really?"
"Oh, mol" Mrs. Royalton's tone was.
for the first time, clear and honest and
she now took her turn. what did
you say to him. Carolyn?"
Carolyn smiled. "Oh, we had a nice
little time--no fuss, no Mysteries at all.
1t was really very amusing"
did he seem-well, how did he take
it, Carolyn"
"Oh, of course we pretended it was
all a joke, vol know. l wouldn't per.
NIT him to make a scene, but all the
same l could see that underneath 1t all
he was pretty badly broken up"
"Well, he didn't show it much when
he came to me, then. He seemed quite
hopeful"
At this moment there wal a peal OF
laughter outside the door, and a CAV
voice ending a passage of affected per.
sifiage. Rosamund sailed swishing in.
to the room. She held her head up
proudly, she seemed immensely su.
perior as she gazed about, triumphant.
The two women sprang at her.
what did you say to Hall Bonistelle?'
exclaimed Carolyn.
Rosamund waited a moment, proud.
ly superior. Then she answered calm.
ly, mo, l accepted him."
you accepted himi" the two broke
out.
"D'you mean to say you went back
on your promise?" Carolyn demanded,
furious.
Mrs. Royalton caught her by the
arm. Are you fooling, Miss Gale, or
what do you mean? You promised
"Oh, pshaw!" Rosamund answered.
whats a promise? Why, l found
out that Hall felt a good deal different
from what l had ever thought. Why,
he's a dear, really, and he never cared
a snap for o two"
"Oh, didn't he!" cried Carolyn.
"Why, the fact is, I didn't have the
heart to reject him, really I didn't.
saw that there was some misunder.
standing somewhere, and We had got it
all wrong. Halls simply crazy about
me, and it was perfectly absurd to let
our talk stand in the way of my happi.
ness-and his, that's ALL"
And do you mean to say you said
yes?" cried Mrs. Royalton.
Certainly | did. Hall Bonistelle
and l are formally engaged, now, and
we're going to be married."
That's about all you know" cried
Carolyn, now beside herself. Hall
Bonistelle is engaged to mel"
Mrs. Royalton gasped. Rosamund
raved: Its no such a thing! 1t can't
bel"
"Then you lied to me, Carolyn"
Mrs. Royalton asked frigidly.
well, l couldn't violate a conf
dence, could II"
tits a lie, that's all there is about
that" Rosamund exclaimed. Its per-
fectly absurd on the face of it.
guess l ought to know!"
"Oh, you don't have to believe it,
but it's a fact, nevertheless" said
Carolyn to Rosamund; and then turn.
ing to Mrs. Roya1ton, she added: "You
see, Rena, Hall explained it all to me,
and l couldn't really blame him for the
way he's acted. He was in an awful
mess, and had led o and Miss Gale
to imagine things that he couldn't gel
out of, very well. So, as long as l was
the n he really wanted, you know, I
thought"
Mrs. Royalton exclaimed. We'll, then,
I'd like to know what you think Of
that!" And she thrust her hand with
the ruby ring into Carolyn's face.
Rosamund turned white. "What is
it," she stammered.
TITS an engagement ring, of course"
said Mrs. Royalton.
"Rena Royalton," cried Carolyn. do
you mean to say that you have gone
behind my back and broken your prom
ised word?"
Rosamund took it up. you know
you said you'd refuse him!"
WELL" said Mrs. Royalton, Il can't
help 1t, but am engaged to Hall Boni-
STEELE. You two girls must have made
some big mistake, in some way. / don't
understand it at all. But you a see
for yourself-there's the ring!"
Carolyn looked at her coldly. "Rena
Royalton, you have lied to me! Well,
what can you expect from a woman,
anyway"
eyes," Rosamund added, "the min
ute your back is turned, and they'll
stab you in the back, every time!"
why, l had no idea of breaking my
word, Carolyn, you know I would
never do such a thing as that. 1t would
be utterly unlike me. I've always
prided myself on my loyalty. But, you
see, when it's a case of a mans happi-
ness at stake, his whole life-why, l
simply had to sacrifice myself. I'm too
generous, l suppose, but 1 simply had
to do It'll"