The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-03-03
CHAPTER CCXVI.


 "You're nervous cat, little lady," said Lane Cosby, waving a large forefinger at me waggishly. shouldn't take flyers in stock when hubby is away. But if you must in vest, do it with him instead of run ming out to some broker you don't trust"
 I was on the point of protesting at this interpretation of Terry's story, which I had touched on lightly in or der not to betray who the actors were. But Lane Cosby talked me down. I could see that he had the stubborn ness of all big, slow-moving crea- lures, and that once he had formed an opinion, he wasn't inclined to change it.
 Val. I know her ring I'll keep your secret from her, never fear. I know how you girls are about telling each other of your investments. You cheer you up. Yes, you're going to stay. Sh! Not another word. I'm running this party
 He was running it, too. For after he had hugged his languid Val and had kissed the cheek she held up to him, he announced to her that I was being nice and neighborly and had run in to have dinner with them since my lord and master was away.
 Jim gets back tonight, doesn't
 
 terest.'' We might to go the theatre and leave word for him to join us.''
 After I suggested that Jim would be much too tired to go out, Val favored me with a slow smile and made no further show of animation, even when I protested I couldn't stay to dinner. I stayed though-Lane Cosby saw to that and in bending my will to his, he gave me a glimpse of his slow tenacity.
 cd ha nf his Sf11h- bornness with me to my apartment when I went back to await Jim's coming. There was something almost relentless in it. It seemed to account for .VaIs marrying a man quarter of a century. her senior. When at last Jim arrived there had been plenty of time for me to thresh out the prob lenns of the world. Yet I hadn't been Cosbys and Dick West. Jim looked tired and gaunt. The muscles at the corners of his lips and across his jaws kept twitching. I knew he wanted to tumble right into bed, but l had to tell him of my worry over Terry's in vestment.
 s.Nonsense, nonsense, Anne!" he cried irritably. "Of course West didn't sell him out. If he bought at 34 and the stock declined to 29. a f1ve-point margin was wiped out. But West took care of that, I know"
 But did he take care of Terry ?' persisted. 1T looked it up in Lane Cosby's financial paper, and the stock opened at S1 yesterday and didn't get to 34 till one o'clock. So if Dick West charged Terry 34. he just put the $500 difference in his pocket I wouldn't put it past him to do such a. thing. I've never liked him." "No, you never hawe!" Jim retort- ed. And of course the people you don't like are always contemptible rotters capable of any evil. Your judgment is infallible and final. I suppose on the strength of your woman's intuition I ought to call up West and cancel our partnership this very night. You'd like me to wake him out of a sound sleep to tell him my wife thinks he's stolen three hun dred dollars, wouldn't you ?" t'I'd like you to protect Terryi" I cried. There's something fishy about all this. And if you want Betty to get her trip''-
 .'If want?" interrupted Jim furi- ously. Now listen to me, Anne. You act as if you thought West and were hauling down three hundred dollars on old Earru and di.1idin< tl~