Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1917-01-11
ALLIES
BY LOUISE OLIVER.

turned to Robin, u casual onlooker at
the tennis court, and said sweetly:
won't you play In this set with me,
Mr.. Dean? I'm afraid to ask, I'm
horrid player; but"
Robin had not allowed her to fin
ish, In his haste to accept. He flushed
consciously as he answered: THANK
you, very much, Miss Belle. I'd be
very much honored indeed to play
with YOU
And that is the way 1t began, for up
TO that minute Robin had regarded
Eleanor Belle as an unapproachable
planet OF the upper heavens, with q
group of satellites all her own, who
far surpassed him in brilliance and
age.
Craig Halsted and Mary Lane. on the
other side OF the net, nodded under
standingly TO one another. "Nelrs
caught another fish," whispered Craig.
But after all that wasn't the real be-
ginning either. That happened years
before one day when Robin was six
years old and Betty Wright was three.
That day a friendly collie dog had
knocked Betty down and In sheer ex-
uberance of spirits was kissing her all
over her little face when Robin came
along on roller skates and bravely
gave the tormentor a whack with a
stick and drove him away.
Betty and Robin had grown up
chums, fighting each others battles,
sharing each others joys, trlumphing
In each others victories.
Even now, Robin flushed with con-
scious pride as he thought of Betty.
perhaps Miss Belle will let me walk
home with her and we will pass Bets
home. Won't she be surprised, though,
to see me cumming with such a
queen"
He did walk home with Eleanor, and
they did pass Bets house, but SO
complete was his lnfatuatlon that he
didn't see his old chum waving at him
from side porch swing.
When he had left Eleanor at her
door he went back to Betty's, stepping
on clouds instead Of the pavement.
This time he saw his chum on the
swing.
Hello, Bet ~
Hello, Rob! What's up between
you and Nellie Belle? You looked as
thick ms thieves going along min
ute ago"
"Oh we played tennis together, and
/ thought I'd better take her home"
"She's older than you, Rob !"
mot much Besides 1t doesn't make
any difference. It's all in the way you
act"
Betty was silent.
In the days that followed Robin lived
in happy haze of unreality and
dreams. Eleanor was kind too kind
for his peace of mind, and she al
lowed him to call. But he found some
of the satellites around when he went.
That was no fun and he rather guessed
they were making sport OF him any
way. SO, knowing the power of rldi-
Guile, he stayed away and had to con-
tent himself with the telephone, notes
and messages in boxes of candy and
flowers.
He found Il willing ally In Betty, 10
whom he took all his troubles. She
managed his campaign to perfection,
and kept him posted us to the golngs
and comngs of his rivals and planned
opportunities for him 10 meet the OBJ
ject of his dreams
'You're brick, Bet What on
earth would | do without youg" de-
clared Robin one day.
"Oh, youll get along all right some
day when things get settled and you
and Eleanor are married"
Married." he cried. do you think
she-oh, Bet, DO you think she cares
for me? But really I've never actu-
ally told her that 1 loved her.
well, why don't your You've known
her good while and you are rich
enough to support her and you always
say age doesn't make any difference.
Why don't you tell her that you love
herr Fuint hcart--you know"
81 believe l will, Bet, this very night.
II none of those fools is hanging
around. Say, Betty" in sudden panic,
"how do you propose to n girly'
She laughed. Il can make your candy
and do your shopping and arrange your
meetings, but | can't do your propos-
ing, Everyone seems TO have his own
way deinurely.
How do YOU bnow?"
"oh, | know'
why, how many proposals have you
had to talk SOP in the tone of pat
ronizing big brother.
"Woll-there's one, two, three"
counting on her fingers, -four, five
this summer. Not so bad -
Betty! ] didn't dream you were
such a illrt. When has this been go
ing on? This doesn't sound Ike you.
My old chum! You" anxious
haven't accepted any of them, have
you?'
I'm not saying"
"But--why, Betty. what would | do
II You got murried2'
Would Ii make any djyerauu2 /
could still help you. Eleanor could
come"
Darn Eleanor. Its sou I'm worry