The Washington times., 1920-04-20
CHAPTER CCLxVI.


~ course didn't discuss
Phoebe and Neal with Val
- Crosby.
1t was such a strange, delicate
situation that / hardly dared let
myself think about 1t, much less
talk II over with anyone. Jim made
it evident that he didn't want to go
into the matter. i couldn't go to
phoebe and say anything like this:
"Now, Jim has0driven Envy into
throwing Neal ~over. He's free
again. II he wants to come to you
l suppose you'll take him back"
Yet, what could 1 say?
No matter how delicately / ham
died the situation, no matter how
gently l approached it, anything 1
yentured to Phoebe would amount
to lust this declaration. / couldn't
go near Phoebe. And when it came
to Neal, for once in my life i sim
ply couldn't bring myself to go to
my brother and offer advice or COM
fort unless he asked for 1t.
couldn't intrude.
Yet / didn't see how they were
going to find each other again un-
less they were helped. Could proud
young Neal go to Phoebe and ask
her to take back Evelyn Mason's
rejected suitor? Would Phoebe
make one little gesture to encour-
age Neal?
1 thought in circles for day or
two. And then 1 decided to go for
help to the kindest, sanest person
I could rcach-Anthony Norreys.
II Betty had been in town she
would have helped me. Failing
Betty, Tony was the one person ]
could turn to. SO telephoned him
and asked him to stop in for a cup
of tea in the late afternoon.
1t wasn't until he actually ar
rived at a little after four and 1
was handing him his sugarless tea,
pale with cream, that l realized l
had gone around in another circle.
I couldn't ask Tony's advice, after
all. His friendship 1 was entitled
to, because it was mine whether or
not / did anything about it. And
however he resented Tony. I felt
JIM was beginning to understand
that. But l couldn't ask this ad-
vice about Jim's little sister. 1
spoke up honestly-if ruefully.
? "Tony, I've dragged you in from
the country on a wild goose chase.
wanted to ask your aid in mat
ter that needs-straightening out.
But find can't"
"Can't straighten II out! You
can't ask my help?" asked Tony,
his tender smile warming those ice
blue eyes of his.
"Can't do either" I confessed.
more and more ruefullw.
wild Goose Chase.
"And little fairy godmother Anne
loves-fixing things" said Tony in
n non-committal tone.
At occurred, to me suddenly that
anv other man would have protest
cd that / hadn't dragged him to
town on a wild goose chase, but
that lust seeing me was reason
enough for the trip. And | was
thinking how much I like Tony
for never even dreaming of saying
Il. when he startled me by his next
words;
"Anne. since this is a matter you
cant discuss with a chum like me,
perhaps 1t is a matter you have no
RIGHT to touch. Sometimes even
loving interference stops a kettle
from boiling or a rose from bloom
ing"
what have you guessed. you
wizard" demanded.
Guessed. little Kind-hcirt that
you may be agitating yourself over
something that will come right ~
YOU Just leave " tn mc--.to good
Old Dame nature"
Meaning. Ann,. don't butt In on
other peoples business, as you're
altogether too fond o: doingl or
course, you put II very swcetly,
Tony. But II comes to that"
said. somewhat pidued.
Tony's wonderful deep voice
soothed me, though again he didn't
protest nor deny.
words are colorfui thing. Anne.
TIE wrong ones are curt The right