The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-03-08
CHAPTER CCxx.

CdAH4EES kC<A<h "You might have been decently were driving. When I lasked her to stay to dinner. she had more than half a mind to stick. and then you froze her out"
 "I know I did," replied sererely, floating the cream in his pet fashion on top of Jim'S after-dinner coffee. Jim looked up in astonishment. well you're a cool k>nd. Anne confessing that you snubbed one of my oldest friends in your own home. t-And right after she invited us to the country for a weekend"
 That was one of the reasons" I | answered, smiling with the firm de- 1 termination that nothing should make me lose my good-tempered I counted on Jims senese of hunor | to conquer his ptque, and sure l enough it did.
 '.so when people invite you out you snub them in return-to make it harder, I suppose Think the law of supply and demand works socially, eh what, Anne? The more difficult you are to capture. the more you'll be valued CT something like thai tsWhen a. woman forces an invita- ton on me after I've declined it, show her I'm at least clever enough not to offer her an invitation I know  ed enignaticalfy, knowing very vel Jim would give me my chance by asking what I meant
 'tHe did. So I told him how Evv3 had invited me down for the week. end and how after I'd said we were booked, she'd hung around just Ions enough to seem to forget and to re- peat the invitation to him in a, way he wasn't likely to refuse.
 Clever kid, Evvy.'' was Jim: l amused comment "But it's prett. decent of her just the same. ant Cosby will be no end ticked to have Val meet the people whose home' are near Mason Towers Our ok place is less than half a mile away I'll show it to you, Anne. Now tha I'm getting more solid with Colb. every week, we'll buy it back som day. And Evvy didn't put fone owe pear to think. She merely playe4 into my hand by getting up th1 party"
 T see" replied, glimpsing at Jim whose quiet determination to g where he had started was new to me
 ''So you may see why your turn ing Evvy out so coolly tonight wouf have made me pretty mad if 1t hal spilled the beans and had cause Evvy to call off the party'
 stared understandingly at Jim hard, set jaws and smiled back m reply:
 She won't, though. NOt ENVY She has a game of her. own to play Jim, and I've an idea that the Cosby = are counters. But there's anothe , reason why let her go tonight.
 had to be alone with you, Jim. T | talk to you-seriously."
 e 'FCome on into the living room an = let me get comfy on the couch = you're going to hand out some nor b sob stuff. What is it. Anne? Brok e again?'' '. .sYes" I replied, as I patted 3. pi low into shape back of Jim's shoul l ders and put an ash tray at his e l bow.
 Broke -againi By heck, this doesn seem much like, the girl I used t 1 call trniseri! How many more dresse are you planning to order now?"
 "It isn't that,'' I said uneasill! wondering just wher etc begin Ut not-for me Jim, it's Phoebe. She l in great trouble"
 D sOh, think up a better one, Ann' l I know you're trying to put some fhing over. But if Phoebe'S in trou ble. since when does she fly to you? laughed Jim, cycling me lazily. 'Sa1 | girlie, you look good to me tonfgh How'd you like to go to 2. show l and somewhere to dance? I'll giv you~aI the money you need if you r 1 broke, but don't hand me out an l yarns tonight
 seBut it is Phoebei" cried. "She ! still in love with Neal and Dick Wes is trying to make her marry him. l "Of all the romantic baIderdashl