The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-01-06
L1EUkJEzEANDOLPH CHESIEl9;


 J. Rufus WaIlingford, with an ex- pression on his face of hungry mas tiff watching goose, stood in grumpy loneliness at the bar of the Surf hotel when Blackie and Paul Pollet, the lat ter chewing vigorously, came in upon him.
 Where have you expert sidesteppers been,'' he demanded, tand what makes Polly bulge sop
 : "Sa1t water taffy packages con- fessed Paul, trying to be happy about it. Have some. It's fine" And he placed little pink box of it on the bar, hospitably removing the lid
 NO, you don'tr' interrupted Blackie sternly, capturing the box as WaIiing- ford was about to sample it's contents. 'tYou have to curb your unselfsh t1n- pulses here, Crackers
 '1 said a boob was 8 1ollop, and be , said the gink was a gook,'' explained slow host, Jim." And he motioned to the bartender How have you been amusing yourself?''
 WaIlingford's big pink face lost its gloomy expression, and he chuckled. Restraining myself from Joining the party he confessed in d confdentiaI tone and with an almost imperceptible jerk of the head toward the padded a1cove beyond the end of the bar, where 8 group of middle aged men who looked as if they had earned the right of the mad luxury were mixing carbonated water with their cham pagne and trying to drink less than l anybody else.
 Blackfe made a nasty but ccnprehcn- stve inspection of the quietly animatea ! crowd Nothing deing." he softly ol5- served. This is a pleasure trip fn honor of my election as reform mayor of TarryyilIe, and no one is to talk shop He gave another glance at the furrow browed gentlemen.
 "Ffnancfers from the wealthy middle vest unused the chunky ex-reporter. ''The home papers are mysterious to- day.''
 You're trying to duck that tafEy.'' BIackie reminded him.
 Excuse me- apclOgized Paul, and sought out a piece with the teabersy flavor.
 Blackie, noting the vast variety of havors printed on the wrappers of the candy, was about to prepare an elab- crate taffy menu for him when his ear caught certain words that acted on him like a magic formula.
 
 the words he heard, and the man who uttered them, gray haired chap with particularly healthy compleEions nev CT smiled.
 The conversation at the bar ceased absolutely. Paul Pellet, having denud- ed his teaberry taffy Of it's wrapper. paused with it just at the entrance to his open mouth. Wal1ingford had been | in the act of lifting drink, but he held it suspended in midair.
 sDon't figure it that way, Nayler,' protested the man with the thin nose and the wrinkled eyes. There are ten Of US here, and move that we split the half million equally. Any one of us can arrange for S50,ooe invest ment.'
 Blackie stared sadly into the weata- cred oak aIcove for a moment, then he turned and tiptoed stea1thiIy out of the l bar, motioning Polly and WalIingford to follow him.
 q had to leave there or handcuh myself, = he admitted. What do those captains Of industry intend to do with l their half million of real money, JiEn Build an Atlantic City hotel for so- cial prestige at home" chuekled Wal lingford s.Each family plans to re- I serve an ocean front suit by the year and talk about it between trips at the wildwood Whist club.
 eHaIf q million cash. commented 4lackie, annoyed with himself for re- membefing it "Is there no place where we can have 2 vacation from
 Not in Atlantic City. decided wal lingfords with sigh
 
 The telephone bell rang in Blackie l Daw's room.
 DMr. Twist to see MT. Daw." an- nounced Paul, covering the transmitter with his hand Anything doing?"
 ssTwfst,'' speculated Blaclie, with the anxiety he always felt at the men ton of an unfamiliar name. sfWhO's' Twist, Jim?''
 sI never remember them by name.' l stated Wallingford. 'I'lI be right down." advised Blackie.
 s.<!o; have him up" said Walllngford.
 Mr. Twist proved to be total stran- ger, a pasty comp1exioned man with l shiny lips, and avarfce had screwed his eyes nearly shut He shook hands with WaIlingford most effusiveIy when he was ushered into the room, under the impression that J. Rufus was BGrs Daw.
 q came up on strange errand,s hG I confessed, with dry little chuekIes q trust you will pardon this liberty because havestaken a greater one"
 6To Be Continued.9