The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-07
koOnanned.l

fContiUu66sl ...lz. z ssI think it is safe to assume, how ever, that it is not meant for publica- tion,'' said he 'Et strikes me as being a. bit too personal. There are parts of it that don't believe she'd dare to put into print, although she reeled them off to me without so much as blush. 'Pon my soul. MT. Smart. never was so embarrassed in my life. sher--
 Never mind,'' I interrupted hastily. Don't tell tales out of school"
 He was silent for a moment, finger ing his big eyeglasses nervousiy. 1t may please you to know that she thinks you are an exceedingly nice man
 ssNo, it doesnstr' I roared 1rascfbly. sTm blamed if I like being called an exceedingly nice man
 ssThey were my words, sir, not hers,' he explained desperately. T was mere ly putting two and two together form ing an opinion from her manner, not from her words. She is very partieu- lar to mention every thing you do for her and thanks me if call her atten- ton to anything she may have forgot ten. She certainly appreciates your kindness to the baby
 egThat is extremely gratifying.1s said acidly.
 He hesitated once more "of course YOU understand that the divorce itself is absolute. It's only the: matter of the child that remains unsettled. The
 fairly parked a him. What the mischief do you mean by that, sir What has the divorce got to do with it2'
 A great deal, I should say," said he, with the rare, almost superhuman pa tience that has made him so valuable to me.
 @Upon my soulF' was all that I could say.
 Hawkes. rapped on the door luckily 1 at that instant.
 sThe men from the telephPne com pany are here, sir, and the electricians. Where are they to begin, sir ?''
 TeI them to wait,s said l.. Then I hurried to the top of the east wing to ask if she had the least objection to an extension phone being placed in my study. She thought it would be very nice, so I returned with instructions for the men to put in three instruments one in her room, one in mine and one in the buffers pantry. It seemed a very jolly arrangements all round. As for the electric bell system, it would Bpeak for itself
 Toward the middle of the afternoon When MT. Poopendyke and were hard at work on my synopsis we were star tied by dull mysterious pounding on the wall hard by. We paused to listen. 1 It was quite impossible to locate the sound, which ceased almost immedi ately. Our first thought was that the telephone men were drilling a hole | through the wall into my study Then came the sharp rat-a-ta-tat once more. Even as we looked about us in bewil- derment the portly facade of Ludwig the Red moved out of alignment witt a heard Bending squeak and a long thiE streak of black appeared at the innel edge of the frame growing wideran6 blacker if anything before our startled eyes
 Are you at homer inquired voice that couldn't by any means have enaa mated from the chest of Ludwig, ever in his mellowest hours. leaped to my feet and started across the room with great strides. My sec retary's eyes were glued to the maesc portrait
 By the Lord Harry!'' I cried ssYes!' The secret door swung quietly open laying Ludwigss face to the wall, ana in the aperture stood my amazing neighbor, as lovely portrait as you'e see in years trip through all thu galleries in the world. She was snnil ing down upon us from the slightly elevated position, a charming figure il the very latest Parisian hat and gown tI am out making afternoon calls, said she. Her face WIS flushed with ex cftement and self consciousness <Wil you please put a chair here so that may hop down2'
 For answer I reached up a pair oi valiant arms She laughed, leaned for ward and placed her hands on my shoulders. My hands found her waist and r lifted her gently, gracefully tt the hoor
 ''How strong you arer' she said ad nniringly. How do you do, MT. Poop endyke! Dear me, I'm not a ghost sfr.'s
 Flow do you do?n he jerked out Then he felt of his heaRt. My God I don't believe it's goingP'
 Together we inspected the secre doors, going so far as to enter the room beyond, the countess peering througl after us from my study. To my amaze 1nent the room was absolutely bare Bed, trunks, garments, chairs-every l thing, in fact, had vanished as if whisk ed away by an all powerful genie.
 seWhat does this mean7'' cried turning to her.
 ,kr,svs