The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-09-01
CHAPTER XVII.

This morning brought me the first
letter L have ever had from Jim!s
The very moment the tiny white
triangle peaked under the door 1
dashed off the covers, battered across
the room in bare feet, and fairly
yanked in the welcome messenger 1t
had to be from my boy; had never
a doubt of that For an hour L
had been lying awake, with my heart
in a tumult, waiting for that letter.
OF course I kissed the address he
had written; of course held the en-
yeiope close to my heart for mo-
ment in happy anticipa ton of that
other moment when I should read the
words my lover had written
With trembling fingers L opened
the envelope and read:
Thursday evening.
"Wish you were here with me, as
Washington is, well worth seeing 1t
is sizzling hot, though, SO maybe my
little girl is better of in New York
Am so busy I don't have time to
eat. The board will convene ton1or-
row. 1 don't know what the out
come will be, but am hoping Tor a
good appointment, even If not in the
Aviation. Will stay over day OF
two if need be. But will surely be
home some time Sunday.
Betty happens to be here, see
ing about her camp welfare work
She knows a lot of the big men, and
is helping me pull wires. OF course
I want to fly, but captaincy in the
artillery would not be so bad, as that
would take me to France. Betty will
put me in touch with some OF the
men higher up So hope for the
best. When 1 have finished this let
ter am calling for Betty, who is Civ
ing a dinner to a couple of the big
guns and yours truly. Guess things
will break to my liking.
"Pray for me, Princess Anne.
"Devouted1y, YOUR HUSBAND"
1 started at the letter in unbeIief
| Then I read it again slowly - the
first time I had whir1ed through il
| in a breathless rush to know just
| what my boy was doing. Now ]
| read carefully word by word, hunting
| for what / had missed - something
1 hidden between the lines perhaps.
1t was not there!
Except for the Sweetheart dear %
| and a half dozen words at the end
| that letter might have been written
| to-a man or maiden aunt.
And this was my first love letter
| from Jim!
| 1 sat down on the edge of my
| rumpied bed and stared in unbelie1
| at the sheet of paper in my hand. L
| stared back at me maliciously.
Then bitterness and suspicion
swept over me in great waves, en-.
| quilting my disappointment and hun
ger for some word OF love. How
did Betty Bryce happen" to be ir
| Washington?
I turned cold with terror. Bett,
| had a way of Happening" to be
| where Jim is.
| 1 hated that woman.
/ And yet, when I mad lain awake
| waiting for my husbands letter
| had practically decided to take Bet
| tvs apartment. She was Jim.
, friendi@she should be my friend, too
1 would be generous enough to &C
cept her generosity. 1t would de
light Jim-of that I was sure.
But now Jfm's letter!
| Cold hatred of Betty sripped M,
again. She had everything-money
bea uty. freedom to come and go a
will, power-the- power to help m
husband achieve his desire-whfle.
4 stood in the way of that desire
Suddenly 1 laughed at my owl
heroics and said to myse,f:
Anne. you little fool! Suppos
you did want to take the Bryc
wornan's apartment how. con1
| you Jim mas the Key. Jim is i
| Washington-with her You don,
even know where Betty's apartment
is. Suppose you found the address +
the phone book, could you persua d
any one to let you in?''
| Automatically / got UP and wen
over to the telephone directory =
Betty's name was not listed.
That much is settled" I said +
myself again and again, as if it. wer
the password, to some magic way .ou
of my misery. And then suddenl
| saw the way out
(To be Continued)
There is something wrong If me