The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-12-28
When 4 Girl
 MUrries
CHAPTER CDXLV.
By ANN LIsIk


 country depot" as sped toward them to make the train which would carry me to Neal. AS swung around behind the station, a door opened and out stepped pr. Norman. His smile was debonair as he advanced toward me.
 yeered away The train had pull ed in and the last coach was no more than fifty feet distant. Running for ward with a sudden spurt of. strength. I found myself abreast of the last coach. I caught the rail at the side of the steps and started to pull myself up. As I mounted the first step, felt a strong hand clamp down on my arm, and I was jerked back to the ground and caught in the grip of two steely arms.
 50 this accounts for the sudden thirst!" said Dr. Norman grimly. 1 can't be so ungallant as to permit my patient to go off on a train when brought her out in my little car. Where is your heart set on going, my lady Don't you know I'll take you there | if it can be done"
 He was leading me back toward the station as he spoke. l gave sudden | twist, trying to break his hold on my arm He laughed manciously as he | frightened his grip until 1t hurt. Sul- lenly I burst out:
 'Iet me go! What right have you to interfere3 You shan't stop me-" "No?' chuckled the doctor. My dear child, what chance do you think you have to get away from man who admires you as much as l do and has your welfare as completely at heart as I have? Now-here we are, right back where we started-tn your doc tor mans little car: Surely you don't think half a trip is enough of your charming society to satisfy me? Climb right back into the car and I'll go see about our party as soon as the 4:OS Is safely out of harms way"
 "I must get that train" clustered. Let me go, or I'll"
 You'll cry?" asked the doctor with mock horror. And I'll have to let you weep on my shoulder? That is a dire fate with which to threaten me. Ahi there goes the train. Now for our luscious phosphates and then off we go home again, home again, rig-a-jig-jig."
 "You're odiousi" I panted. my brief spurt of strength spent and my un- happiness driving me to throw caution to the winds" How dare you quote nursery rhymes to a woman when you've just kept her from going to the brother she adores-the brother who's in dangerS"
 brother! Do you think you'd do him any good tearing down upon him in your weakened condition? Do you think any self-respecting doctor is go- ing to permit a patient of his to get up from a sick bed and go on such a journey under circumstances like these ?''
 Dr. Norman's voice was curt and determined His determination to keep me from Neal had a sinister flavor.
 Sulkily I covered back in his car, vowing that I'd not let myself go, not
 Now we'll have our phosphates.' 9 repeated pr. Norman with peculiar insistence.
 Don't you dare bring me a phos- l Y
 "No?" he laughed. with 8 tantaliz- 1 ing air of omniscience. well, my dear, as matter of fact, l haven't ordered the nectar for which you really want anything more than a chance to get me out of the way Sc you could carry out that harebralned l idea which has been on your mind all through our little drive. Now don't you think you might give your atten- ton to me during the rest of ou1 trip?"
 "and as quickly as possible 1T you will.''
 'Some one has a temper" chaffed the doctor, throwing in the clutch and 1 starting the car as he spoke. some one thought all she had to do was to smile at some one else and he'd let her twist him around her little finger as nice as you please. Now, 'fess up my lady, don't you like me all the l age this little affair myself?" MY dear doctor" I said airily and patronizingly, "I retained you as a physician not as a guardian. After today shall not need to retain you any longer. But whether or not you are man enough to nanage-your af- fairs are of no possible importance to me-"
 l a glint of fury in his eyes. Then e 1 twinkle of humor twisted his face into the likeable boyish grin. You win!" he said. "But can af- 1 ford to let you, since the important victory was mine.
 l The rest of our drive passed in sill ence. I confess that sat and sulked for a minue or two. Being frustrated and a far more vital emotion came to banish my annoyance. The longing to l be of service to Neal and fear for him made me forget everything else, in ciuding the actual presence of this Don Juan of a physician Here we are." he said at last, steer ing the car through the gate and ur the driveway between the weeping
 so dolefu1. It's reflection on my powers of entertainment"
 Not willing to let Miss Rathbur suspect that you~p9wers usa,+st'egs Of enter are your" I asked with seeming inno. cence.
 | wanted to remind him that
 wasn't deceived concerning his actua friendship with the nurse he'd SC
 cruelty put in her place. as his pro, Ifessiona1 inferior. But he skir1me e6 over the surface of things with ar
 amused chuckle.
 kitty has claws-hasn't she?" ht asked.
 At that moment we pulled up a,
 the front steps, and the porch dool opened as if in answer to a signal There. silhouetted in the light from the hall, stood Miss Rathbun. sh' made no movement to come and hell lDr. Norman with his patient. but stoot motionless while I slipped out of th' car and tottered up the steps.
 Silently Miss Rathbun stood asid to let me pass into the house aheas of her. She was not looking at m not noticing me. She had her eye fixed on pr. Norman, who stood fuss
 ing with the lights of his car. He eyes were no longer wide and wistful
 They were scornful and accusing. Gro Be Continuod.)
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