The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-18
When 4 Girl
 MUrries
CHATTER. 41S.
By ANN LESLIE.


 My Jim gamlbler." I cried in re- ply to the verbal bombshell Dad Lee had exploded. That's absurd. He isn't anything of the sort Hes a a conservative broker. Where under the sun did you get your queer tdea!" 70. I know what know!" an, swered Dad Lee, wagging his head sagely. You kin call it anything you're a mind to. but the dope for playing the ponies and for playing the market is about the same"
 "Indeedr' I replied, the more bit terly because once my Jim had said much the same thing in explaining gambling and-stock- gambling wonder who gave you this remarkable information! Someone up in sne wilds of the Northwest no doubt But it's all wrong
 "AII wrong, is it? We'll, I guess Sposs you never heard of a young fellow named West?' demanded my prodiga1 father in a tone which re- minded me of a purr or a snarl' which, I couldn't be sure.
 With my breath threatening to rush out and drown my voice in a gasp, l managed to ask curtly:
 "West-West? What West who d ever heard of us could meet your"
 "Oh. met a West feller who knew you, all right" said Dad Lee in a tone that convinced and frightened me.
  against the cushions on the curve be- s7ond me with air of strength and reserve in no wise lesSened by his temporarily leaving matters in my drew to see me probing into the soul of the man he was convinced was my Father. Instinctively turned my my old man who never fails me. Something worrying my gir1?" he asked. with his usual instinct to pro- beet me.
 -Tm wondering what Virginia will fhink.'' said at a hazard. They ex- pected me this evening. I should
 That's easily mended," replied Fa- ther Andrew, smiling comfortingly: Suppose I go and call her now. I'll be glad to have a chat with your boys and daughter can kinda get acquaint- ed"
 "oh, you mustn't bother," I pro releehone teIeed on this oor and 0 don't want you to chase down to the main fhoor.''
 Reckon I can do that much for my girl!" said Father Andrew, rising hnd smiling down at me with a sweet ness which really seemed like a bless ing
 figure had swung out of the room. Then I turned to the little man who was watching me with shrewd alert ness. Just because I felt cer tdn that conversation just where 1t had broken off between us, I forced myself to talk of something entirely different from the West fel1er.'
 tear?" I said. Hes too thoughtful to let me worry for fear my sister-in- Jaw ds worrying about me-
 Then as I had hoped, the little hy h 1- patitnce to swing the conversation back to the crucial point where we had left it.
 ''Hyland's all to the good I'll put any roll lon him But now tell me why you want to make your old dad believe that you never knew Dick West 2" he wfSned.
 "Oh-Dick West!" I cried, pounc- 1ng on the given name with an effort to sound casual and as if I'd just found the clue. "You only said West, tive name. Of course I know Dick West. But how did you come to meet him?''
 'sDick West. That is different, ain't sneantly labelled him instead o1 thinking of him by the more intimate name. Dad Lee'' which Father An drew had suggested.
 "Yes, of course, we knew Dick Vest conceded cautiously.
 I was determined not to do a thing to advance this conversation until he had given some sign of his purpose I had a strange feeling that he was looking for a clue to something ex- ac5ly as I was searching a hint o1 something that would enable me to set about disproving his claim to be- ing my father.
 West was your husbands running mate. wasn't he7 You knew him pretty well, didn't you, m dear?"
 There was 1eer of sugges .dveness in his voice. My thoughts went tum bling over each other as I struggled to extract from long ago days the sa- 1fent features of our break with Dick West. There seemed a tremendIou. Importance fn tying up yesterday te today. But memory failed me. Phoe- bes adventure of the jade necklace was clear enough. So was the even ing when Dick West had bul11ed ana terrorized me until I tainted, and and dealt with West after a summary fashion I'd never had fully revealed to me.
 But felt that there was something danced elusiviely at the edge of con. sctousness. I felt an impelling need to remember and a terrible blanE feeling of not having The clue to what it was I wanted to remember
 You knew this West pretty well now, didn't you?" urged the man who claimed eo be my father.
 With my eyes held sternly to his replied:
 AS you say. MT. West was my hus bands partner for a time. And ht had all the opportunity in the world to-probe into our lives, to find ou about us. I suppose fle told you al about us. I was wondering how ; man way up in the Canadian North west would have so much opportunity ito find out the details of my life land my mothers. So it was Dicl FWest who told you? But-how mucl did he tell you?"
 (To Be Continued.)