The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-10-07
When 4 Girl
 MQrrieS
CHAPTER CCCLXXIXl
By ANN LESLIE

in which my strange interview win Uncle Ned had jdst taken place stood Lane. With a new tightening of the throat I wondered what he'd heard, what he'd made of it
 Then a sudden impression of Lane himself overcame my perturbation. The big brown bear looked dingy and pale. In the moments since I'd seen him he seemed to have shrunk into the beginnings of age. Something told me he wasn't thinking about any the room and huddled down on the big couch in front of the fire of nick ory logs. After a minute he start ed talking without any preamble.
 "You can't see her, Ned. My poor little girl is completely done up. It was a bad fall. Might have been worse, though" he rumbled along, half to the hickory logs half to us. worse. The nurse just got back She's giving my poor little girl isleeping powder. She put me out. So you can't see her, Ned-''
 Then, as if he were opening a book at a given place and showing an Illustrator a scene he wanted pictur- ed. he flung this straight at Uncle
 My little girl wants to get away at once. I'm going to take her in the morning If she stays here she'll new CT get her nerves under control. I want you to go right up to the city, i Ned, and book us through to the old :. place A private car, of course. Ard fhave Mol1ie find a nurse. We won't take this one along. She's too much of a tie with-the present"
 "Lane, you aren't going back to the old ranchr" exclaimed Uncle Ned in tone that was both warning and command. His keen eyes searcned Lanes face. and these dropped away i as if sparing 1t.
 That's where my poor little girl wants to go," replied LanG. And felt l,HI ling in the three words which he kept .d designating Val
 ''Is that wise ?'' warned Uncle Ned.
 "She wants to go." Lane replied
 But she mustn't go there. of all | places. The memories. People Uncle ; Ned blurted out his words, popping them at Lane as if they were blank cartridges. A warning but not
 It's what she wants. My poor little girl. All she could say over and over again was if I'd only take her tfrome she'd get well and make it all up to me She wants to go. To fight it out there with the people who judged her wrongly. instead Of staying here and-''
 Lane didn't finish. I wondered if .there had been a parallel in his mind. But now Uncle Ned engaged my at tention.
 n the ranch" he said in a tone which : suggested that he was quietly weigh ing ali the values and deciding some thing then and there for all tune. <.You're going to take her back home Well it's home to us, too. And home would always somehow seem where YOU two were camping That goes TOT my bride and me, So we'll go with you"
 No protests. No eXclamat1ons: lane got to his feet with some or inc gray gone out or ms Iace, anu tL,ro dv hand-clasp. That was all After a minute. Uncle Ned turned to me.
 "Good-bys little girl" he Sald. l think you're all right. I think some day ri know the chat we just indulg- Cd in went long ways to prove It. , Shake that young fellow of yours by +he hand for me. and tell him that Mollie and her beau will be lookins for a visit from you inside ot the lvear We got attached to you Child less old folks like us love feeling re- Hated to young-uns like you
 T held his strong gnarled old hand in mine. and I wondered if I was 90 ing 10 burst out crying like the 1olol IT didn't see much advantage Tn prov ..Yon're the most wonderful, loyal ffr;end in all the world" I stamrner- ed. ,.. Ifie Anne" replied Uncle Ned. tighten ling his firm clasp on my hand. Ana ,don't forget my bride aint a whit less ifond of you than I am
 sI wish I could see her again. I d come to the city to see her off no mat Her how early you started I began. Vaguely then I heard Lane stir clear his throat, and I hastily correct c1 myself:
 t .sTd come to say gooCb- to Aunt tt tMollie. if it weren't for the fact that sail the excitement of parting wouldn't do for. Val at all And anyway FMollie and me. That I know Friendships like ours don't just stop tThey go on. I'll telephone her this ,evening and tell her I love her and kthat if she wants me to take those lit kle WiIloughby. twins under my wing n'II flap it right up for them"
 Mercy. I clean forgot the little ksong sparrows,'' said Uncle Ned.
 Then he took my face between hi: 1.-two worn hands and kissed my fore pthead It felt like a penediction-
 ..The cars going to the station fn1 fJim and Pat in a few minutes You'll