The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-03-29
When A Girl
 Marries
By ANN LISLE.

I turned clutching the. black re- ceiver. which I'd lifted half way to
 my ear. In the doorway stood Jim
 From far away I heard a. buzzing rasp over the telephone wires, which
 l knew must be Number, please" "You've come back % I said, and
 my voice sounded far away, too. I lifted the receiver and stabbed at the hook, but it wouldn't go back at l first. So I had to take my eyes off Iim's face and give my whole atten-
 ton to the matter of hanging up the l receiver. Probably not a minute had passed since I started to telephone
 Jim at the club and beg him to come And though I had planned to be flu ent enough over the wires. now that we were face to face couldn't think of anything to say.
 Jim was home again, and the day he'd spent at the club didn't seem so dreadful. He'd often gone off on
 trips and. stayed longer. Perhaps fuss-jus. acted as if he'd been on
 right thing. But what I was plan ming and striving to do didn't matter, for the truth burst out and got it. self said:
 ..I'm so glad you're here, Jim.'' I said, trying to keep my voice low and controlled. 'I was just going to call the club and ask you to come home.''
 .'Dop't make me feel any more like a brute than I do, Anne,'' Jim nut tered in a husky voice. Then he took great. lmping stride across the room and gathered | me into his arms. I snuggled against his heart and clung to him. 1t was I who had come home-to Jim's arms.
 For a minute or two we chung to I each other, beyond the need of | words. Then Jim held me off at l arms length and stood looking down
 at me with a queer expression on his | questioningly and yet caressingly. | Anne" burst f. Nm him at last
 You still love mel'N | T never stopped, Jim,'' replied. You wonder-girl, you! My girl!'' | cried jim, gathering me to him l again.
 l I let him have his way. What did | it matter that he had left me alone l through a long night and day? He had come back. Later I might ques- ton and wonder and dread the cold ness that always follows so soon on Jims tenderness, but in this moment, when he seemed mine again, 1 didn't question anything. I was too happy After a little while, Jim led me to the big chaise tongue at the foot of my bed. He put me back among the pillow and sat near me with my hand in his. I wanted to draw him
 
 didn't dare. I was afraid to make a single move that might tear the gossamer of our happiness. "Anne,' said Jim, "Anne-this seems like a miracle. To come back and find you hereafter that dread full night, after this nightmare of a day!"
 I looked at Jim in amazement Had h eSuffered, too? Don't look at me like that!" he cried. As if you couldn't believe me, as if you-didn't know me. Anne,
 missed you, I tell you-an day long
 I wasn't good for darn thing l found out I couldn't live without you But Jim don't understand You didn't have to got" burst from that was just the wrong thing for me to say.
 Jirn's hand frightened on mine He looked at me peladingiy and then he | himself up and down the room with
 long, impinS stides that made my heart ache After a minute or two
 he came back and stood at my side.
 Can you forgive me?'' he asked abruptly. '1 was madis I flung out ! of hereto think about other things, | and all I could think about was you. 1 wanted you every minute of the | time I was gone. I couldn't see Terry | and Betty. If West had come back
 couldn't have said a.word to him af- \ ter I'd waited all day for him. I just l sat in the office and hated myself and | wondered-if you'd take me back af ter the way cleared out and deserted you"
 "why, Jim I never thought that you'd deserted me-" began, but Jim | went on | "Seme poet chap once wrote about
 I thought I'd done tthat. though I