The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1920-09-27

open with them on q grassy spot near
the cars. Just to the right, peering at
b the parked automobiles, was Tom
Mason, and with him the gray-haired
man.
."Tomi TOMB cried Envy in a
surprisingly clear and penetrating
voice..
~ He turned and came toward us. His
companion followed.
virginia's hand turned icy in my
clasp. with jerk, she withdrew it
Tom Mason's companion was her
husband-Pat Dalton.
There was nowhere for Virginia to
/ go, nothing for her to do. The rest
I of our party were somewhere behlnd
in the press of people surging along.
Tom fairly hurled himself upon US
in greeting-and a yard or two be-
hind sauntered handsome Pat Dalton
in his careless fashion. I flashed my
eyes around to Envy. She was biting
one corner of her red mouth, but she
| seemed bubbling with laughter that
brimmed up to the corners of her mar
rowed eyes.
Pat Dalton was within three feet of
us now His glance roamed the
crowd. Then it turned to Toms
.friends'-and focused on Virginia. A
| hashl Then a glazed curtain over
! his eyes. A CULVER of the nostrils, like
! the quivering of a sensitive, thor
| oughbred horse.
Then Pat Dalton turned on his
/ heel, ana the crown ClOSeu dUOul nm.
CHAPTER L.
Jim's dinner was what I believe
I is called "a social success" Yet it
was Once G ni Upon time ne boosted as
proudly as the next one that I had
a sense of humor." Now I often
! If I'd any use for it if it were
around. .
Certainly it wouldn't apply to
the ugly changes l saw come over over
in the excitement of the race on
which he had staked his money. Nor
can humor deal with this problem:
If Jim acts so nearly like mad
man when he's winning, what will
he do when he loses?
And I challenge the ghosts of all
the humorists since the world be-
gan TO find anything laughable in
husband - or of her treatment of
me thereafter. She acted as if l
had betrayed and deceived her and
had led her into the pocket of the
Dalton came face to face. Why
couldn't she see that Envy was
responsible--that Envy was hurting
me, too?
not far from ours. We saw Pat
Dalton leap into the car and, throw
Ing in his clutch, savagely drive
recklessly, through the press OF
motors.
Tom Mason laughed--WaS II rue
F.WeIl, folks, will you have pity
on the lonely orphan?" he cried.
Jim took his cue quickly.
~"Plenty of room in Captain Wins
toms car, Tom. And a chance to
give you a rousing welcome home"
AS he presented Tom Mason
formally to Betty and Terry. Tom
looked his admiration for Betty,
but turned quickly to me:
go "Jove, what beauty! But never
so sweet and lovely as-lilac.
His tone was full of meaning.
was COMPOSED and icy again.
Her eyes were remote-like Jim's
when he talks of his days in the
flying forces.
Now the rest of our party joined
got into the cars.
There was a look of quiet happi-
ness on Phoebe'S face as she took
her place at Neals side. And Neafs
sort of triumph that made him APP
pear like statute of the sun-god.
But Virginia didn't seem to per
ceive this her eyes remained re-
mote-and sad.
Mr.. Mason took possession of me.
And in my bitterness at what Jim
had done, at the way he permitted
Envy to snuggle up to his SIDE L
" kindness with which Tom Mason
seemed to protect me from the tur-
moil of my own thoughts. 1 was in
no mood to play neglected Wife
while o Jim "a and ner ENVY e.Hvyc baved over
This was my husbands first party
and-Evvy serenely took charge of
it. 1t was like Jim's generosity and
gratitude to let her, but why
couldn't he see how this beitted
me?
ENVY practically ordered the din
ner She made the seating arrange
ments. Jim was at the head of the
table, at the foot. And stretch
ing between us were Betty, Terry,
Virginia, Sheldon at one side and on
the other Envy. Neal, Phoebe and
Tom. 1t looked natural enough
but as L sat between Sheldon Blake
and Tom Mason 1 wondered why Ev-
wy had put her old friend Sheldon
as far from her as possible and had
chosen to place Neal on her right
There was dancing in the big din
ing-room behind us, and without even
waiting for their clans, Neal and
Phoebe ran in at the first note of
a fox-trot and circled the room hap
PLY in each others arms. saw
a quick flash of glances between
Betty and Terry, and then the hand
some English captain leaned down
the table and said coaxingly:
Mrs. Jimmie-first a toast to our
bride and groom-and then this very
dance with the bride herself, please"
Tom Mason replied for me, lifting
his glass high:
"We'n rise to- your toast, Captain
winston-but the dance is mine.
Terry bowed gravely, and stood
up for the. toast to Jim and ME.
Then there began a contest be-
tween Terry and Tom Mason for the
honor of my society.
one side of me seemed to be
standing off and wondering why the
other side of me didn't enjoy this
half-laughing. half-serious competi-
ton for my dances. But all of me
was a-tingle with awareness Of the
situation of which L was part.
Neal was leaning over Phoebe so
intently that ne seemed almost like
a tragic young Romeo-but a Ro-
meo with all his boyishness gone.
ENVY, half turning her back to
Neal and bending toward Jim with
an almost audible call in her wide