The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1920-09-18
(Cont1nued)
CHAPTER XXXVIII-


Scarcely had 1 finished when Envy
arrived. While L dressed she perch
ed costly on my bed and began to
chat about chat icicle of a Bryce
woman" and handsome Captain
D Salon. there n 1 o stopped her; /
didn't want to learn anything about
the husband of Jim's sister, Virginia,
from Envy.
ENVY fitted from the subject good
naturally.
put on the cunning little dress
you wore yesterday" she said, Its
so becoming
1 crossed obedienhy to the chair
where 1 had put the dress to air the
night before, and as I lifted it the
telegram from Tom Mason fell from
it's folds. The yellow paper was
scented with ny violet sachet-it had
an intimate air. 1 crumpled it in
my hand, remembering that it had
lain all yesterday in the bosum of my
dress.
isn't it cool enough for a suit %
the same dress two days in succession
Il think they wear out SO much
faster that way"
Maybe responded Envy, indif-
ferently-whether or no dresses wore
out quickly was of small moment to
her.
1 crept into my closet to slip out
OF my kimono and into a suit; but
DeIOre L enhTSeO, luIlS Cleau L 4iG1b
torn the. telegram into tiny bits.
started at once for Tom Mason's; but
the morning had slipped away, and
it was noon before we arrived
There is something solid and re-
assuring about Mr.. Mason's dignified,
old-fashioned house And his quaint,
old-fashioned housekeeper, in her
gray mohair and dainty white ker-
chief, gave me glimpse of some
thing very sweet in Mr.. MaSon'S nal
ture, The '-Old Lady" as Envy call
ed Mrs. West right to her face, spoke
of Mr.. Mason as ''Tommie," and when
1 saw how this sweet-fa ced, white
| haired woman loved tther boy I was
ashamed of every doubt [ had ever
| felt of Tom Mason.
| Mrs. West had sent Jinl's package
| down to the Mason OFFICES, thinking
that it might contain something that
| 'tTommie's" secretary needed for
some interior decorating work they
| were taking up I wanted to go for
| it at once, but that violated all Mrs
Vests ideas of hospitality, and we
simply had to stay to luncheon-a de
licious affair, as dainty as the "Old
| Lady herself.
After lunch Envy suggested a
matinee, some shopping, all sorts OF
| ideas that would delay my getting
| that parcel off to Mr. Mason. An6
| he needed it by Wednesday,! I got
| more and more Hurried, in my desire
| to go to the office at once. And, ir
| the end, l had to reveal to Envy the
| whole story of the blue robe her cous-
my wishes. and which he now wa:
| borrowing from me-tO my Srea
! relief. Envy gurgled with delight;
| "Oh, Anne, itsn't that too cum
i ming! Tom has really-truly r.
sure crush on you.
This annoyed me. but when we go
to Toms office and found Mrs Var
den there Envy rose to the occasion
f,-io N
l demanded the package as her own
addressed it herself and, affixing {
special delivery stamp, announce
that she was going to hurry it RICH
over to the post office. as her Tom
mic was the most impatient cousin
in the world What Mrs. Varde1
would have said to me, if Envy hac
not protected me. I hate to try T.
''Glad to see your intimacy Will
the Mason cousins is growing; dea
Mrs Jimmie. If I knew as well how
to work them I wouldn't be haV1n'
such trouble in getting an apart
ment. You found it so easy."
: :.Evelyn was ready for her. AS w
swung out of the office she purre
her ''retort courteous:
, "Oh. dear Mrs. Warden. don't tel
US that a woman as clever as 20
has any trouble aging-s1m
pie folk like us!''
Hope she like lhal! CoHthIu rue
Evelyn as the elevator whirled u
down to the street and the 1fttl
: blue car. But I warn you, Anne
: don't let that old vixen get anythln
/ on you. Be very careful how yo
S play around with Tomnaie!
By now we were seated in her ca
I and whirling away to the post offic
with the rescued package.
After we had posted it we wen
r for a drive and to do a bit of shop
: bin~ and then there seemed nothfn
S to do but ask Envy home to dinner
Il She was a wond erfu4y helpft
little guest, and by the time my boy
e returned we had a fine meal pre-
a pared. Neal was delighted to see hi
Lady EvelyR? And even Jim thaw