The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-30

Then she thought of the telephone. 1
 A few minutes later she climbed | time to be warmly welcomed into the | Tolands lamp-lighted drawing-soom. | Barbara and her mother were still at | the yacht club, but the old doctor him l self was eagerly apologetic. Dr. Stud | afford, Ned, and Richie added their cheerful questions and regrets to the hospitable hubbub, and Sally, who had been at the piano, singing Scotch bal lads to her father, took possession of Julia with heartening and obvious pleasure. small but exquisitely appointed guest room, found a stiffly embroidered nightgown, a wrapper of dark-blue Japanese crepe, and pair of straw slippers. Julia, inwardly trembling with excitement, was outwardly calm as she got ready for bed; she hung her clothes in a closet delightfully."- re | braided her splendid hair. Sally whisked about on various errands, and presently Mrs. Poland hustled in grets, and Barbara dawdled after, rolling her belt and starched stock, generally unlocking and unbuttoning
 Perhaps the naughty Barbara found the round-eyed, golden-haired girl in 1 3 blue wrapper little more compan- fonable than the dreadful Miss Page, | or perhaps she was a little too lonely ! tonight to be fastidious in her choice of conf1dante. At all events, she elected to wander in and out of Julia's room while she undressed, and pres- ently sat on Julia's bed, and braided her dark hair. And if the whole ad- venture had excited Julia, she was doubly excited now, frantic to win Barbara's friendship, nervously afraid to try.
 You're an actress, Miss Page" asked Barbara, scow1ing at her hair brush.
 will be. I guess. I've had dozens l chances h1rf Mama don't want me to be in any
 The other girl eyed her almost
 q wish I could do something sometimes" she sighed. And she added, giving Julia shannefaced grin, I've got the blues tonight
 It was from this second that Julia dated her love forrBarbara Poland. Al delicious sensation enve1oped her-to be in Barbara's conf1dence-to know that she was sometimes unhappy, too: to be lying in this fragrant, snowy bed, in this enchanting room
 Well said Barbara presently, l If you hear us rushing about, at the screech of dawn tomorrow, it's be- cause some of us may go out with Do you like yachting? Would you care to go?''
 I've never been," said Julia. "Oh, well. then, you ought toI'' Barbara said with round eyes. "iu tell you-IH peep in here tomorrow, and if you're awake I'll give you a caIl. she arranged, after a minutes | frowning thought.
 .I sleep awful sound!o smiled Julia
 But she was awake when Barbara, true to her plan. peeped in at five o'clock the next morning. and pres ently, in bluejacket's blouse and brief blue skirt, with 8 white canvas nat on her head, and a boys old gray h cd I~ lowed untitled shapes through the cold house and into the wet, chilly garden | Richie was going, Sally had the gal | lant but shivering Jane and the dark eyed Keith by the hand, and Barbara hung on her fathers arm.
 The waters of the bay were gray and cold; a sharp breeze swept their 1 steely surfaces into fans of r1lffled ater. The little Crow rocked at her l anchor, her ropes and brassworlz beaded with dew. Julia, sitting in desperate terror upon, Q, slanting up- ter, and wondered why she had come,
 Barbara, Sally, Richie, and their father all fell to work, and present. | was running toward RichardsOn's Buoy under a good breeze. Presently | glorious sunlight enveloped them, Flashed from thousand windows on San Francisco hills, and struck to dazzling whiteness the breasts of the gulls that circled Sausbllitos piers
 everything SpaTkied and ShOna; the running blue water that slapped the Crows side, the roofs of houses on the hillside, the green trees that nearly concealed them
 Growing every instant warner and more content, Julia sat back and let her whole body and soul soak in the comfort and beauty of the hour. Her
 eyes roved sea and sky and enc1rcl-
 ing hills; she saw the last wisp of
 mist rise and vanish from the stern
 silhouette of Tamalpais, and saw an
 early ferryboat cut wake of ex- quisite sDeading lacewor!< across the bay And whenever her glance
 crossed Sal1y's, or the doctors, or Richie's glance, she smiled like a happy child, and the Tolands smiled 3 back
 } They all rushed into the house l ravenous and happy. for a nine
 o'clock breakfast, Julia so lovely, 1T l her borrowed clothing and with he, z bright. loosened hair, that +he young 3 men of the family began, withou = exception to show off for her benz t fit, as Theodora scornfui1y expressed 7 it And there was bacon and ~oll = and jam for every one. blue bovyl 3 of cereal, glass pitchers of yellow cream, smoking hot coffee alwly
 ready to run in an amber stream = from the spout of the big silver urn | (Cont1nued Tom norrow)
 THEFT INVESTIGATED
 CJara Oh