The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-11-12
When A GirI
 M0rries
By ANN LESLIE.
CHAPTER COX.


 idea with great satisfaction. And I'm anxious to explain, so you and the swell gentleman you married won't hold grudge against an old man who always meant well. Think your hubby'H be back in a day or lso? could save breath by telling you both at once.'
 If you feel there's anything you want me. to understand" I replied twarily, .'why not tell me over the lunch lnIl haa table People +ea can always later"
 n,nd1a, That win be fne . sf sgresa ed, the he easier for me to talk before you, and and a plain man like Hyland here than to that swell young man of yours. And I'm just about ready for some ham and eggs and a couple of crullers- Is there nice hash house near. by"
 There's restaurant near here.' replied. Then I told Lyons to turn back to quiet little place in a side street. As we drove along I thought about Virginia, who had none too easy a time adjusting herself to me or even to dear, simple Father Andrew. How would she force herself to endure Lucky Lee poor old ex-gambler, to whom the niceties of life were a mys- tery? If Father Andrews steadying hand hadn't been over mine I think in those first ugly hours of adjust ment I'd have found myself crying
 
 in my mind as well as in my heart. to shout. You can't be! Fate wouldn't play such a cruel joke me just when I'm enduring this ter rible separation from Jim and all the torturing uncertainty of his whereabouts. I'm suffering all that my mother suffered-and more. You if indeed you are my father-you went away from her. Now you have come back to inflfct yourself on me. haven't any feeling of belonging to you I haven't any desire to be la belled as belonging to you. You'n shame me in my new world more than you shamed US in the old.'
 But no hint of what I wanted to say crept into our desultory conversa- .tion as we covered the remaining dis which I had directed Lyons
 And even after we were establish ed in a quiet corner with food before us. Dad Lee seemed more inclined to as he called it-thar to the story he had promised to tell me. Indeed. it i took several reminders before he could be persuaded to talk, and then | he had finished his coffee, pushed | back the cup and had folded his thin arms on the table in front of him.
 "Purty fair food-purty fair, he | began "M' dear, I don't suppose you | ,recollect what slim pickin's we some times had back in the old times?"
 1 as I spoke that my voice was almost |
 We used to be rich when the pol nies ran right. Then you an her | ,pers,. you was then Nothing g., was | asked again anxiously.
 "Ys, I remember" I repeated. But this time the pathos of it made me
 They was a bad spell. A year .or so when nothing broke right Then I got together everything I could beg or borrow and went off to a big meet | had some good dope-tps l was sure of, and I thought I'd come back rich But I didn't make killing. Guess I was in wrong with the chaps who was touting for the big ones. There I was down and out. was kinder sick about it anyhow. And when I got to thinking about going on seeing my wife and little one sui fering, I couldn't stand up to it. But I didn't see a way out at first So T started home. Where you was waiting, wasn't you, daughter?
 "Yes we were waiting, I said, "But YOU won. You wrote us that you won.''
 I brought that out triumphantiy, feeling sure that I had disproyed the | little thin mans claims to being my father I had a great feeling of re- lief and yet I wasn't in the least | surprised that things were coming out this way I'd been more than half sure all along that Fate couldn't play | me such scurvy trick; Ihls HnaIf ira active specimen couldn't be Kin or mine It didn't seem possible tpat he'd ever meant anything to my little mother. ,eenated. staring from the cringing little man to my dear Father Andrew mine once more. And now you say that you lost ev9rytn1n.gs' n1, hrolza in inc thin voice-"sure I did. That was to protect your dead mother thought I'd find a way to save her and T did couldn't bear to have her know that I'd been clean bust
 The arrant seIfishness of 1t made mo sbiver but he went on in quiet cyertainty, and with what seemed also
 Fate came into the rss game 4Tstr ane me Was ridfn' on got shivered to bits I come out whole. but I finds chap about my size who's got his; and that money mon my Allies would get if it's me that makes my last book stead or him. Right then I sees my way 10 lay a bet for Martha and my htIle corpse. Takin' the few dollars in his pocket sets out homeless tramp. b,,+ fa1t if was right It gave you and my Martha your chance, m'dear Ana when I heard few years later that Martha had found kind; good man to look out for her I felt I'd doped things out right; and e21ceptin' fer one thing I'd have finished like I start, ed. stickin' to a lonely old age and sufferin' and dyin' alone like dawg. But when ] heard that made up my mind 'twere my duty to seeR %-oI1 out. I felt you needed your dad, s12en Jf he was only poor old Lucky
 CTo Be ContinuedD
 Charles T.. Neal, aged 66 years rrominent grain man of Omaha Neb-, died of gastritis at his home Tn that United States Grain Corporation dur ing the war.