The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-30

4 knitted brow revealed the Obrus- cated condition of my brain I was thinking very intently, not to say re moteIy.
 Don't you read the newspapers ?'' she cried impatiently. She actually re- scented by ignorance.
 tReligiously,'' said, stung to revolt "But make it point never to read the criminal news"
 Criminal news?' she gasped. What do you meanT'
 'Tt is merely my way of saying that I put marriages of that character in the category of crime'
 "Oht' she cried; staring at me with unbelieving eyes.
 Every time a sweet lovely AmerI- can girl is delivered into the hands of a foreign bounder who happens to possess title that needs fixing I call the transaction crime You did not love this pusiIlan1mous count, nor did he care a hang for you. You were too young in the ways of the world to have any feeling for him, and he was too old to have any for you. The whole hateful business therefore resolved it self into a case of give and take-and he took every thing. He took you and your fathers millions and now you are both back where you began. Some one deliberately committed a crime, and as | it wasn't you or Che count-who levied his legitimate toll-it must have been the person who rlanned the conspir- acy. I take it, of course, that the whole affair was arranged behind your | back, so to speak
 Her face was quite pale. Her eyes did not leave mine during the long and crazy liiatribe, of which I was already beginning to feel heartily ashamed l and there was a dark, oninous fire in them that should have warned me.
 She arose from her chair. It seemed to me she was taller than before,
 ssIf nothing else came to me out of 1 this transaction,.' she said levelIE, at Mast certain amount of dignity was acquired. Pray remember that l am no longer the unsophisticated girl you so graciousIy describe. am a woman, MT. Smart 7
 'sTrue,' said L senselessly dOgged, "a woman with the power to think for yourself. That is my point If the same situation arose at your present age I fancy you'd be able to select husband without assistance, ana ] velt-> ture to say you wouldn't pick up the first disso1ufe ngoIeman that came your way. No, my dear countess, you were not to blame. You thought, as your parents did, that marriage with a count would make a real countess of you What rotl You are simple, lovable American girl, and that's all there ever can be to it. To the end of your days 1 you will be an American.
 We were both standing now She was still measuring me with somewhat incredulous eyes, rather more tolerant than resentful.
 |, Do you expect me to agree with you, Mr Smart 7,' she askee.
 4sI do,'' said prompSly. ''You Of all people should be able to testify that my views are absolutely right"
 'sThey are right she said simply s:Stn you are pretty much of brute to insult me with them. 1 q most sincerely crave your par don if it isn't too 1ate!'' I cried abject once more. q don't know what gets into me once in awhlle.)
 Please, please don't say anything more about it. daresay you've done me "a lot of good Perhaps shan ses things little more clearly. To be per fectly honest with you, I went into this marriage with my eyes wide open but was only one fool among many Dozens of other girls in nay set were crazy to marry him. Fl haven't told you that he is extremely good looking And he was-was adorable in those days.',
 Stranger things have happened than that you should patch up your difficult ties and go back to live with. your bus- band.''
 She uttered a little cry of revuIsion.
 eeHow dare you suggest such q thingl How dare you speak to me in that way! You--I ought to order you ont of this room and never-never''-
 My luminous. smile checked the out burst.
 Asplendidt' I cried ..You convince me that it can never happen
 sYou spoke of him as my husband. she said, going back to my remark. .tHe is not my husband Please be good enough to remember that" "It will be easy, assure you. May therefore venture the hope that il you ever decide to marry again you'll give some deserving American chance to make you his queenT q shall never marry, MT. Smart D , she said with decision. Never, never again will get into a mess that is sO hard to get out of I can say this tc you because Pve heard you are q bachelor. You can't take ofEense." (Coutinue edo FTTNFgRAT, DESIGNS AND