The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-07

should guess his conundrum, or so
without lunch. He should guess who
it was, and how she came there.
He drove the party before him into
the dining-room. This too had
been remodelled according to the
dominant affectation of the moment.
The windows were diamond-paned,
with hard, uncomfortable window
benches below them. There was a
dresser, holding pewter tankards and
wil1ow-pattern plates, furniture and
decorations alike made the day before
yesterday. The long trestle table
had two narrow strips of white cloth,
one each side. The hearth was open
up the chimney. The food, however,
was plentiful and wel1-cooked. Lau-
IA, in one brief interval when her
husband was not talking, remarked
regretfully to Vernon that she could
not make her country servants cook
fancy dishes; and Dan imm ediately
bawled out that repropation of
''kickshaws'' which seems to some
Englishmen a virtue of a high order.
He certainly enjoyed his lunch. 1t
is possible that the strange girl did
members of the party, one cannot feel
positive.
In after days Vernon often recalled
her sensations during that meal:
herself so new to England and Eng
lish ways, pitchforked as it were into
the heart of such a situation as this.
After lunch, all but Vernon lit ciga-
rettes, and drank liquor with their
coffee. The thrilling secret of tho
girls identity was revealed after
many an innuendo and jocose hit, to
Jem,. who received it with his usual
impassivity. His lack of response
did not seem to affIict Dan. He
always assumed that what was a joke
to him was a joke to other people.
proceeding which simplified life
wonderfully.
1t was about a quarter to four when
Vernon was assisted into the cart
by her well-meaning host, Jem Sit
ting grimly by. Dan said he didn't
want to lose his guest, but supposed
mother Bardsley had first. look in;
also the days were not very long,
though frightening in the satisfactory
manner common to them about
March; and he would like the old girl
to see the young one by daylight.
Laura was demonstrative in her
leave-takings. She wrapped Yer
non in a long motor-coat of pale bis
cult cloth, with green facings, beg
ging her to keep and use all her
things for so long as she needed
them, or forever, should she be SO
inclined. Her eyes spoke graft
tude which her tongue dare not ex-
press: a gratitude which Vernon felt
to be the eliminating point of her
general distaste for the lady. She
had much ado not to shudder at her
kiss.
Dan stood with his purple pudgy
| fist resting. on his wife's slim Shout
| der. while the stiff breeze blew about
| her copper-burnished hair. AS the
| two in the dogcart were borne away
| there was a dim look of pain, OF
| foreboding, which struggled with the
arrogance and the self-possession il,
Laura's face.
We'll. there's an adventure fol-
you." said Dan, as he turned indoors
chuckling. "And what an ankle thu
girls got-eh? Should say the
mother was a thoroughbred, ELI what
Jem feels quite abashed. Never saw
him so backward in coming forward
| Took all of heap, I suppose. Sa!
do you think the father left money.
Is she a good financial spec-as wei
as dam pretty girl? IT so. our
friends in luck"
| Laura, who was picking dead bios
SONS from a Towering musk, turned
towards him a face of faint surprise
Pretty? Really Dani Why her eye:
are downright small and her mouth
wide, and she has too much check
bone! always thought you were q
judge"
$50 am, so am, my DEAR" he
responded. standing widely a-straddit
as he lit huge cigar. 1.-The typt
amt subtle enough for me. Any
body that wants to know my fancy
can have look at my wife. She
hasn't got your--what'd that novel
writing chap call it?-your allure
but she's fine girl all the same. AMI
then you know, she's young. She
don't know all you know--uot vet
faint likely"
CHAPTER III.
Her Welcome.