The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-09-24
When 4 Girl
 M0rries
By ANN LESLIE.
CHAPTER CCCxvIII.

CHAPTER CCCxvIIL
 That's about the last thing you thought I'd do, wasn't % asked Val, after telling me that she wanted Jim to try to reach Lane by long distance
 Then she collapsed. She went off into long faint whcih was almost a coma and didn't come out of it until long after Jim and Pat had carried her up to the guest room, and Jeanie and Bertha and I had undressed her and had laid her in the big four poster.
 The doctor said it was shock, wrote prescriptions galore, ordered an ice bag and digitalis for her heart and left orders with the nurse that no one disturb his patient. But scarcely were we through the breakfast which had been so long delayed as to become called it-when the nurse appeared with the information that Mrs. Cosby insisted on seeing me- You'd better come. It's best not she.
 'shut the door," commanded Val when I appeared in answer to her summons '.and lock it.''
 I did as she bade me. Then I sat down beside the bed. Mustn't agitate yourself, Val" 'I won't. But I'm not so sick that don't know what I'm doing. Pm not going to tell you thing" she de- clared.
 NO, Val, the only person you must tell anything to is Lane,'' replied.
 Val stared at me for a moment with an air of looking through my head into my mind. Then she asked terse- ly:
 Has Jim reached Lane yet?"
 Not yet. But the call is in for Montreal and the stop either side of there"
 "Oh-that's good, Whats Jim go- ing to tell Lane when he gets him ?'' Just that you were smashed up a bit by tumble down the river bank Place."
 well that's so, isn't it?" demanded
 If that's all, I'll open your door and call the nurse.''
 'No-wait!" commanded Val. Af- had any news from Mason Towers? 9"
 Pat went over," I replied.
 Val dragged herself up in bed and winced with pain. But she demanded with a sort of breathless vigor:
 What did she say?"
 Evelyn? Pat didn't see her. She wouldn't come down. Mrs Mason told him''-
 Told him what? Talk faster"
 Told him that Shelly is gone," I replied. trembling with fear of the effect my words might have.
 'I knew that" said Val, looking at me inscrutably. ''He was gone when we got to them down there by the river. He died in Evelyn Mason's arms. He was speaking to her when he died I wonder-I wonder-what he told herr"
 Her voice trai1ed off, and my as- tonishment 1.I5h banished discretion. of his going-as if a pet poodle had gone You don't seem to care. Shel- don's dead. I thought when Evvy took him home that he'd come out of nd 10 hri,, him back. But he's dead"
 Val He died speaking to Evvy Mason. I've had plenty of time to get used to that idea. Whats death? Nothing. It's living that's hard some- times. Living when you're restless and always unsatisfied, always wapt- ing to conquer and to go on-on to what you haven't got But what's the use-you wouldn't understand
 'I don't" I replied. but wouldn't
 'I wonder what Evvy Mason's go- ing to do?" replied Val, ignoring what I'd said. "I wonder"
 She stared at me for a moment as Then she laughed oddly.
 Only a day or so ago you thought was heroine because I put out the willoughby girl. I had to- I can't bear to see beauty marred. But death? Pooh! And today you think no, on the whole, l won't say what you think. But you're wrong. You're always wrong about me. Anne. Run along now and send Jim to me. He speaks my language"
 Wal, dear" forced myself to utter the word, you're getting yourself wrought up to a fever. You mustn't see Jim.''
 Send him, please" said Val. and so saying she turned in the big bed so that only a shaking shoulder was revealed to me.
 You must be quiet" I protested. I'll come back and let you know as soon as Jim reaches Lane." There was a knock at the door lust then and Jim's voice sounded through the panels:
 May I come in? I've a message" "Let him in,'' said Val in a voice that seemed to hold either stihed | laughter or muff1ed tears. "I won't vamp him.
 Then she pulled back the covers and revealed a face distorted by pain with burnt-out embers for eyes and ashes for lips.
 ''Jim's safe with me-" she muttered. | Anyone would be. I'll never play with fire again so long as I live But must talk to a mana man like J1m-before I see Lane. Oh Anne if | you want to help, if you ever cared for poor Shelly--go to Evvy Mason! Find out what she means to do, She hated me enough before. I wonder | if she'll make a dead man pay for | that? Now. let Jim come in, please i And keep the nurse away, And hold tight to the fact that you'd invited | me down here for the week-end." l Gro Be Continued.)