The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-12
When 4 Girl
 Marries
By ANN LESLIE
CHAPTER CDXXXIII.

over my shoulders out on the lawn
 "Itn warm you up bit and keep them from asking embarrassing ques- tions about your going without even stopping for a wrap" he hastily ex- plained-
 I had just time for quick squeeze of his hand when Phoebe ran up to join us. I felt sure that Neal knew the handclasp meant ro5 only thanks but lea for him to keep absolutely to his promise that no word be said of our pursuit of the prowler who had escaped in the waiting limousine.
 Anne, dear," cried Phoebe fussily. don't you know better than to go roamin,. about on a cold night like thing :o protect you from all the river danpness? You're all upset. Getting Jeanie to behave was too much for you:
 scene. Her nonchalance seemed to tn- dicate that she hadn't heard Phoebe's last remark.
 Silly child, what were 700 doing out without a warm coat ?" she scold- ed amiably. That cape is no hing. Now, before you take cold, you must come right into the dining room and drink a hot lemonade Pats concocted for you and then off to bed you go."
 At anIother time I might have en- joyed having all this fuss made over me. But now I was anxious for but one thing This was to get rid of my well-meaning family and to pursue the course I'd set for myself. I had to drink the hot toddy. however, and room by two loving sisters-in-law, who were fully determined to tuck mo costly into bed. I persuaded them finally that the greatest kindness any one could show me was to leave me all to myself. So with a good night kiss or two Jeante and Phoebe went off to their rooms in the other wing of the house.
 Since Jim's departure Jeanfe has fely it a kindness to me to put me as far as possible from the dear little advantages of that never appealed to me SO forcibly as now. I was all alone in the east wing. That made cer ain things possible.
 things to quiet down in the main cor ridor. As soon as I felt that I was safe from de fection I set about what I felt must do. Over my shoes I pulled a pair of felt slippers I'd found in the closet. Then I flung around me the cape I'd been clinging to from the oilne Neal slipped it over my shoul- equipped I felG that I could fit about as noiselessly and as colorlessly as shadow. Next I crept to the door so I went gout, closing the door si- lertly after me and locking h from the outside. Then I tiptoed over to the back stairs and crept down to the main floor.
 The house lay In pi:ch darkness. But I had in my hand a tiny pocket torch I've kept with me ever since the evening I ventured down the enbank- ment, beween Drea1nwoik and Mason Towers, to examine the wreck of Shel- don B1akefs car: I felt no hesitancy in starting that trip, so naturally 1t never occurred 10 me to be afraid now when I was making this quest for Jim.
 Releasing the heavy chain from the side door, I slipped down the steps and hurried to the garage where Tony's -c-sr was kept. The big double doors were closed, but knew the trick that unlocked them. I'd learned it in the days when the car the gar age housed was my own big blue linn cuisine
 The combination didn't fail me and the doors swung back under % my my enough to permit me to crawl through the opening. Then I entered the gar age and pulled the doors to aagtn be- fore I pressed my electric flash. I wasn't willing to risk betrayal by fell-tale beam of light.
 There was something eeric about it became positively certifying as the single finger of light traced its way across the floor. I stood alert with narrowed eyes, ready to spring from Vea1ed.
 Across The floor travelled the re- voaling beam. and on to the furthest corner. Then brought it back to the center of the room. Nothing defect ed she single beam, nothing retracted
 The garage was empty, as I had suspected Tony's car was gone Neal had informed me that the big car I glimpsed at the gate was a linn cuisine. He'd said that. the man at driver wro'd whisked into the night with the man who'd shot at Neal and me be Lyons? And had he actually dared to use Anthony Norrey's car to turn his evil trick?
 Was the skulker at our living room windows really Dick West, as I'd thought? And had he intended to hit when he shot and plowed up the ground at our feet or was his aim deliberate and meant only to delay us until he could take refuge in the waiting car?
 If the man who's been so deter mined to spy on US and to avoid our spying in turn were indeed Dick West it boded no good for Jim. I began to feel helpless and-afrafd-
 I realized that this situation was to difficult for me to cope with alone and determined that in the morning Pr take Father Andrew fully into my confidence. This I felt more loyal to Jim than to sit by helpless while in trigue went on about me
 'Is this Lyons gratitude?" I ask ed myself bitterly. rIs this what get for trying to help him lead an honest life ?"
 Then steadied myself back against the closed doors there in the darkness to listen for the purr of the car which would herald Lyons re- turn.
 Minutes dragged by, grew colder and cold, shfvering ir the black si- lence. Then suddenly I heard a queer sound as if someone was drilling and boring through the wood. I drew myself taut and steady.
 Then I laughed. But it was a shudderins laugh. For I realized that the boring sound was a mouse gnawing at the wood.
 CTo Be Continued)
 COASTERS MORE PLENTIFUL
 Los Angeles, Dec. 12.-Lobsters are more plentiful this year than evel before in Southern California, accord