Bobs, a Girl Detective

  CHAPTER XXVII. REVELATIONS THAT DO NOT REVEAL

  The two lads who were close as brothers rode for some time in silenceafter having left Roberta at the Pensinger mansion. It took skillfuldriving to cross the crowded streets at First, Second and Third, butafter that the way was open to Central Park and, when at last they wereriding down one of the wide, tree-shaded avenues, Ralph turned his gazefrom the road and smiled at his friend.

  The eyes of Dick were searching.

  "And all this means what, to you?" he asked earnestly.

  "That I wrote the letter to which you are referring, hastily, on animpulse, before I was really acquainted with Miss Vandergrift. I know nowthat she isn't the girl for me, and I also know that she _is_ the girlfor you, and I sincerely congratulate you both. Now I say, Dick, youaren't going to spoil my plans for a house party in the Orange Hills bybolting, are you? Ma Mere will be back tomorrow, and she wrote that Imight have my friends for a week as soon as the house has been aired out.You know it has been closed all winter."

  "Indeed, I'm not going anywhere." Dick felt greatly relieved, for hebelieved that Ralph was telling him the truth. He knew that his collegepal was impulsive and often did things in more of a headlong manner thanhe would had he given the matter thought. "Of course he admires my Bobs;no one could help that, but I'm glad that he doesn't really love her,"Dick was thinking. "He's had sorrow enough as it is." Aloud he asked,"Who are you going to ask?"

  "Well, I did invite all four of the Vandergrift girls, but Bobs is theonly one who has accepted. The oldest and youngest sisters are free but afew hours each day; the rest of their time they devote to Settlement workand they feel that they are especially needed now that it is vacation inthe schools. Gwendolyn, however, may come, as of course I have invitedyour sister Phyllis and her guests."

  Dick looked at Ralph with the light of a new inspiration in his eyes. "Isay, wouldn't it be great if you could care for my sister Phyl? Then youwould be my brother in very truth."

  Ralph laughed. "Dicky-boy," he said, "are you turning matchmaker? It'stoo late for that, old man. Bobs tells me that Phyllis is engaged to afine chap from up Boston way. His name is Arden Wentworth."

  "Gee, that's great news! Arden is a chap after my own heart, but I didn'tthink that he ever could win Phyl. She must have changed a lot this lastyear."

  "Why, how's that?" Ralph looked around inquiringly. "His father has piledup a few millions. That ought to please any girl."

  "That's just where the shoe pinches, so to speak," was the reply. "Arden,being a red-blooded young American, refused to just spend his father'smoney and so he put on overalls and began at the bottom in one of hisdad's factories. He said he wanted to prove to himself, even if the worlddidn't care, that he had brains enough to make good without help. Phylwouldn't speak to him after that, hoping that, for her sake, he wouldgive it up; but he didn't, and so I thought it was all off between them."

  "Well, something must have happened, for Bobs tells me that they arereally engaged, and so, of course I have also invited Arden. By the way,you know Gwendolyn Vandergrift. What kind of a chap ought I to ask forher? Harry Birch is in town. I thought she might like him." And so thelads talked over the plans for the coming house party, and sosuccessfully did Ralph play his part that his pal did not for one momentsuspect that his friend was secretly wishing that he might have sailedaway in Dick's place on the boat which, that noon, had left for distantshores.

  But night is darkest before the dawn.