The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-11-22

'.Just what do you mean by this line of talk?" he inquired blandly, stepping nearer.
 "I'n tell you what I mean" Roland clinched both fists and thrust his chin out pugnaciously. "Pd been a-goin' steady with Josie Lockwood for more'n a year before you come here and thought that on account of her money you could sneak in and cut me out"
 "Was her money the reason you were after her. RolyT
 "What?" The question brought Ro- land momentarily up in the wind. !" 'Tain't none of your business if it wasr' he snapped. recovering. "But here's what Pm gettin' at" He tapped his breast pocket with sheer of bu ,olic triumph. "Just about ten months sgo." he continued uleaningly. 'they was q cashier skipped out of the Long acre National bank in Moo York, and they ain't got no trace of him yet"
 So this was why Roland had been so assiduous a student of the back files in the Citizen office!
 'Indeed?
 "Yes, indeed I had my suspicious all along, but didn't say nothin', but just today got a description of him, and the description just fits, MT. Nor timer Henry
 "Just fits Mir. Mortimer Henry? But what has that
 "Ah. don't you try to seem too darn innocent" Roland snarled. "You can't fool mep'
 A light dawned upon Nat, and laugh ter flooded his being, although out wardly he remained imperturbable- merely mildly curious. But his fin- gers were itching.
 "So you think I'm the absconding cashier, eh, Roly?"
 "You keep away from Josie r you'll find out what think" Nats placid ity, deceived Roland, who drew the wholly erroneous conclusion that he had succeeded in frightening his rival, and consequently dared few lengths further in his tirade. Why, if was to go to Mir. Lockwood and tell him you're Mortimer Henry, alias Nat Dun- can"-
 '"That will do," Jelly. "That will be all for this evening, thanks"
 Are you goin' to quit chasin' after Josie?'
 'Tn begin chasing after you if you don't clear out of here"
 "You better agree"-
 Just there the storm burst. Ten sec onds later Roland, with a confused impression of having been kicked by mule, picked himself up out of the dust in the middle of the street and stared stupidly back at the store.
 Here's your hat. Roly,p called Nat. Tossing him the hat, Nat turned con temptuously.
 He paused in the middle of the store and felt of his necktie. It proved to be little out of place, but otherwise he was as immaculate as was his won't He reviewed the encounter and laugh ed quietly.
 ''There's no cure for fool" he unused.
 The telephone bell reused him from LID ACNS4IC. dC WELL ONcI tO tue HI strument, sat down and put the re ceiver to his ear.
 "Hellop' he said "Oh, hello, Josie. Whats that? That's right, but I'm not used to it yet. you know. We'll. I'll try again. Now-ready? He schooled his voice to a key of heartrending sentiment Hello, dar- ling. How's that? Told your father Told him what? Oh. about the en- gagement? Was he angry? Oh. he | wasn't, eh? What did he say? Wasn't | that nice of himv' Conscious of a slight noise in the | store, he looked up. A young woman | had just entered. She paused just in side the door, smiling at him a little timidly.
 Without another word to his fiancee
 Nat put down the telephone and hook ed up the receiver
 Betty" he cried wonderingly. |