The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1920-09-22

SaeldCn B1dk6S eyes C<1u6iie o.
he leaped forward from distant ta-
Bile and lifted his goblet OF water IN
greeting.
A plan Ieaped into my mind. I ex-
cused myself to Virginia ana -Pnoeoe
on the pretext of phoning, hurrled TO
the request to call Mr.. Blake from
the wall table in front OF the thlrd
pillar, and then recalled the page ana
told that astounded youth not TO call
that gentleman after all.
I had gone to the lobby fully YIN IN
and with little pretended air OF hu-
NOR to beg for rescue and the paitry
missing dollar-but I couldn't do 1T.
must return and ask Virginia Tor
it could be managed, and in a way
that need not reflect on Jim.
And so I went back and told V1r-
ginia a little white lie" about my
chronic carelessness in money mat
tiers, and how it had sent me out with
a ridicuIously small amount of money
that morning.
I'VE all do those things now and
then. May I lend you five or ten DOL
unruffled voice. Ordinarily that tone
of hers froze me. Now it saved me
| humiliation, as did the careless. mat
ter of-fact way she slipped a bill into
my hand under cover lofNthe danask
itablecloth.
Hardly was our transaction con-
cluded when Sheldon Blake came
strolling over to the table.
Hello, Mrs. Jimmie said he
Twill you let thirsty and lonely
man have coffee with you? Those
money-grubbing friends of mine don't
understand the joys of leisurely
luncheon
portunity to have you meet my new
sisters I said, and presented him te
Virginia and Phoebe.
Then, all in a moment, sheldon's
desire for a .leisurely cup of coffee
Virginia. He didn't make the slight
est effort to conceal his tremendous
admiration for Mrs. Dalton-and Vir-
ginia,s Indifference, coupled witt
told me something more to add to my
list of notes about this. almost TN
decipherable Sister-in-law of mine
Virginia had a great deal of charm
of lure-for men. Could that b.
Dalton?''
My speculations were interrupted
I'by the arrival of the check, which
Sheldon calmly appropriated ant
linglorious, missing dollar-after tn
actual ordeal of asking Virginia 70
help-came this absurd, yet perfect,
lproper ending.
And when Virginia. rose to leave
Sheldon insisted on putting his ca
at her disposal, and phoned just be
fore to explain almost apologeticall,
THAT he was detained at the office
but was serS1ing his car and ehauf
Ifeur around to call for us.
| And Virginia's illuminating com
ment when I came and told her, was
How kind. He must really b
quite devoted to you and jim"
i've never noticed it BEFORE" re
ed dr~yyly
Jim had almost affiliated himself witt
a gang of thieves down in the street
and Sheldon had made no move t
} stop him.
! you'll have dinner with us tonight
won't you, girIs?' I asked when tn
car deposited me at my door an hou
later.
"A nice little family party?'' aske
Virginia in tone that was almos
friendly Wen be glad to COME
get away from hotels and to test tn
|, housekeeping Jim boasts about
That left me in warm glow of de
| Hght-over which a shower of col
water was destined to be cast befor
Fong-for I was summoned to tn
phone in the midst of peeling pota
toes, and Phoebe's voice whispered:
Wee says she's so tired she jul.
can't go out again tonight-so wi
stead ?''
I knew Jim would want me to a,
: cept. But as I turned from the phon
hard on my own Yes two doubt
came to aSsafl me:
Had Virginia seen through m
fimsy little pretext about being car
less with money-was she asking 1
to be her guests at the Rochambea
because she suspected that my prou
, Jim could hardly afford to enterta
: any extras at dinner? And-d
. her invitation include Neal?
CHAPTER XIV
Don't always carry a chip on yol