The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-31
When 4 Girl
 M0rries
CHAPTER CCCxnx
By ANN LESLIE.

CHAPTER CCCxCIx
 nen Evvy Mason's eyes lifted tsltoIs the octagon gold piece in my hand and fixed themselves on my face, , .helr expression was inscrutable. But q her own embarrassment at being dis ;, covered on her return from the ra-
 Something you found ?' she asked.
 l seized the opportunity and re- ] peated the half-truth:
 Something I found"
 It may be valuable" she went on undoubtedly is,'' I said in a voice
 hoped suggested nonchalance. - suppose we walk back to the
 meeting-place we both seem to have i Ignored" suggested Evvy in a tone as elaborately over-stage- as my own we can sit down on the e steps there. The ground may be wet. Then in silence to which we tacit- 4 ly agreed, we turned back. As we i hurried along, I tied the coin into the Handkerchief again and slipped both ! carefully into the bosom of my dress
 When we came to the turnstile we sat down awkwardly side by side. ! Evvy stared away down the green path, as if she hadn't any intention of giving me the message for which !, she'd brought me there. And as watched her still face, what I'd been [ seeing all along but not noticing, fore I ed itself on my consciousness-Ev Mason was all in black. Evvy had worn blue ever since I I had known her. Blue brought out
 the soft texture of her skin and ac- 1 centuated the cornflower tints in her eyes. Blue made her young-boy- l ish and gay. In black Evvy was all most haggard. She looked years old er-as if youth had passed her by, and {. she didn't think it worth while to
 make an effort to retard its going. i At last she turned her head and spoke in that well-remembered, husky i~voice of hers. But it wasn't delib- erately sweet and aIluring now. It had a note I couldn't interpret
 ''I want to talk to you about Vale rfe Cosby" she began. iI've been down looking at the wreck. It's all clear in my mind, I almost spoke to you the day I got there just ahead : of you and slipped away without your Knowing. But I wasn't ready" "1 know" I began eagerly. ''The ]: day I came and found you already''- I pulled myself up short. Evvy knew and I know. But I couldn't say one word about the straps over the tank of the car and what they held. De- fiantly I stared straight at Evvy, de- termined to face down the look of an taSonism in her eyes and to lie if neeG be to shield Val.
 sI'm glad. you're wearing black" :"
 said almost before I~realized. I "It
 seems a sweet and honest tribute to friendship"
 Then I realized that there was a new look in Evelyn Mason's eyes. It was shy and pleading, but above all i it was understanding and approving
 Our hands went out and clasped. Fingers intertwined hard, with the pressure of sudden kinship.
 I'm wearing black" replied .Evvy sharply, for the man I loved." Before I could bring a reply to my
 astonished and trembling lips. Evvy went on:
 s.I sent for you to tell you that that and one other thing. I thought
 it was going to be hard, but suddenly
 I don't dread it a bit"
 She smiled mistily, and I felt again the awe as well as the respect she'd commanded from me that day when she. had stood, slim and defiant facing
 Val Cosby.
 Don't tell me one thing it hurts
 you to say Evvy. I understand with out another word" I protested. II seems strange for us to be understand
 ing each other and liking each other, : doesn't it?'' asked Evvy, shyly.
 We both laughed bit to relieve
 the tension. Then Evvy plunged
 "Anne. if you're ever tempted to blame Val-for anything, or my poor Sheldon, just stop and remember what I'm going to tell you. The wreck that day was my doing I'm the one who caused it all
 Don't blame yourself''-I began,
 but she swept me aside.
 -'I am to blame. though. For years I'd been playing fast and loose with Shelly's love. l was contemptible
 enough not to want it because l was
 sure it was mine. l laughed at HIS pain and chased fainbows. I wanted the unattainabIe. Now that it's too
 late I know that all 1 ever of life really wanted. mean-was Sheldon's , love- The biggest thing life could have given me would have been to be his wife But I threw my chance
 away. And then death'- 4You poor darling!" cried. Don't
 blame yourself like this. Perhaps there's a bigger plan in it all than we know Death took him from you'- But Evvy interrupted in turn, and
 again her face wore that strange look
 of triumph it had worn as she faced
 us over Sheldons dead body .sDeath gave him back, she said iD fa voice that startled me.