Page:Georgie by Dorothea Deakin, 1906.djvu/29

"Plain Anne" gotten Violet. It is a bit of a mess, isn't it?"

"Yes." My hopes were growing. "I can only think of one thing to be done now."

"You're deuced clever, "said he gloomily, "if you can think of anything. I've tried hard enough."

"You will have to tell one of them the truth," I announced with stern decision.

Georgie flung down his newly oiled bat and plunged his hands into his pockets.

"I'm damned if I'll do that," said he stubbornly.

I went on unflinchingly.

"You'll find yourself in precious hot water if you don't. There's nothing else for it. It is cruel of you to treat them like this, and you are behaving disgracefully to both of them. Write to Violet and tell her that you were mistaken in your feelings, and too young to know your own mind. You had mistaken friendship for love, you might say. You know the sort of thing?" 13