The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-03-15
When A Girl
 Marries
By ANN LISLE.
CHAPTER CCXXVI.

 Valerie Cosby glided nciselessly down the corridor and stopped at last at a door which sine opened silently. Then she turned with her finger on her lips.
 '4This is my room," she whispered. "I cafne up to reSt-I was feeling-a little done. up. I thought I'd get a breath of air, so stepped out on this balcony Come with me- and seizing | my arm, she drew me out after her. And I found that it wasn't a mere balcony from my window, but a long gallery that runs around the house." With her hand on my wrist, Val pulled me down the gallery after her. At the end there was a summer house of two decks, built right into the gall lery, with stairs leading down from the upper to the lower floor. 'HuShi" whispered Val. t1 brought you here to see the tricks that little Mason cat is playing with your young brother. I thought you ought to know" she added. virtuously, but in the moonlight I could see her eyes flash as they had when she turned from Mrs. Stoughton to Evvy an hour before.
 My My bresher2" ,e5s1, +hou que quesh9ned med
 Then I stopped. There was no earthly reason why Wal should know of Meals packed suitcase nor yet of my hope that he had gone back to Phoebe.
 'He was hurrying down the path when came out. I saw Evvy Mason run down from the upper balcony here and drag him into the summer house down below. They're probably there now.'
 At that I started toward the lad der-Hke stairway, leading from one floor of the Summer house to the other. What I intended to do if l found Evvy and Neal together didn't know. Nor was there any reason why they shouldn't be together. But I felt that Neal needed me-and l knew that Phoebe had never needed me more. I was going to fight for her happiness even if I made an abject fool of myself in doing it. Va lerie caught my shoulder in her puffy white hands.
 Hush! They'll hear you." she warned spitefully.
 Hear me?'' I echoed impatiently. They're welcome: I'm no spy.''
 At that a voice called:
 Who's up on the balcony"
 Its Anne, Evvy,'' I replied to her breathless, husky syIlables. Mrs. Cosby and I came up to our rooms to freshen up a bit And here we are taking the air
 Come down-both of you-and hear our news,' commanded Evvy with much sweetness.
 My heart contracted and my hands got cold. But started down the mocking eyes. They said as plainly as words We've muffed it! We're too late"
 In a moment I reached the ground floor of the little Summer-houSe- l noticed the faint musty smell of old wood even before saw Evvy stand Ing close to Neal with her head on his heart and his arms awkwardly around her. She ran from him to me and caught my hands in hers.
 ooh, mel" she cried. "nne-you tell her, Neal.''
 Neal looked up and beyond me to standing, tall white figure in the moonlight And then he spoke in a suited voice that didn't sound at all like his boyish, slangy self:
 ''Evvy has just done me the honor to say she'll-marry me-
 I frightened my hands over Esvvy's but I couldn't make a single word come from my dry throat Neal hadn't wanted this-I knew he hadn't Wasn't his suitcase packed? Hadn't he been all ready to run away-to Phoebe? I started to shake Evvy's clinging hands off and to demand an explanation of how she had dragged him to the summer-house and forced proposal from him. Even with Valerie Cosby there to witness the humiliation and cheapness of it all. I was ready to make a. scene. But Evvy foreSta11ed me.
 'tHe was running away the darling boy!" she cried, looking up in wide eyed simplicity at Val. Packed and ready to go. I saw him tip-toe into my room with a note and then climb down here to get out the side en- trance. And I followed him. You know it was my fault the canoe upset today, but he risked his life to save me. Then like the modest dear he is, he didn't want me to think I owed it to him to marry him after he'd saved me. I'm older than NeaI-and richer