Page:The principal girl (IA principalgirl00snai).pdf/272

 Mary, who was sitting up for him, if he had remembered his words.

"Fact is, old girl," confided Mr. Philip, "I knew I'd got 'em fixed up before I'd got half through my bally speech."

"Why, of course, Phil-ipp, you were bound to have."

And she was far too good a sportswoman to remind the vainglorious orator that it was not his speech at all. But don't let us praise her too much. For the simple fact was that it pleased her mightily to think that it really was his speech that had carried the day, and that she had nothing whatever to do with it. Moreover, she was perfectly willing for him to believe that it was his speech; and certainly, so high had success lifted her lord just now that it didn't really seem very difficult for him to do so. And for our own poor part, we have never been able to determine which phenomenon is the more curious: whether Man should plume himself beyond his deserts at the expense of Woman or whether Woman should derive a keen pleasure from aiding and abetting him in the deception.

Howbeit, so deep was the impression that Mr. Philip Shelmerdine's signal ability, in combination with his air of manly sincerity and straightforwardness, made upon the Committee, that no time was lost in inviting him to stand as a Rag, Tag and Bobtail for South-West Blackhampton.