The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-05

l ment when I sat raclxfng my brains for just the right words with which | to answer Phoebe. CHAPTER ess "Yes, Phoebe" replied, gently, to | the question she had asked CT am going to Vdrginia's for the weekend. 1 She is entertaining''-
 But Phoebe didn't wait for e1pla- l nations. With a look on her face | such as I hope Neal will never see l there, she cried:
 You're going tony sisters for | the weekend. And she won't even | speak to mel"
 I caught my breath at the brutality | of the bare statement. Don't say anything. Don't say a word!" cried Phoebe. before I could | collect myself. 'Tm sure you'd like | to find something to do about it. At
 frss I hoped you would. I wanted you to be friends with Virginia and
 to find a way to make her see that
 I didn't do anything so very dreadful l when I found my love-and took it. | But now I'm no sure TM ever speak | to Virginia Harrison again." Don't say thati'' I cried. "You
 two-and Jim-are all that's left of l the Harrisons. Virginia will come to | her senses before long. She must
 And when she does you'll be ready to | make friends with her. I know you, | dear; there isn't room for bitterness | or malice in your nature" That's very gratifying, Anne,'' re- | piled Phoebe co1d1y. "But it's too | generous. At first I was eager to l have Jeanie speak to me. was ready | to let her condescend - to forgive
 me, as she put it. But now-Im not | sure, I tell you.'' Why not, dear? She's still your 1 Jeanie. You know her faults - and her good points. You know how she 1 almost broke her heart over Pat and 1 still couldn't meet him halfway for a long. bitter time So you've no right ! to judge her or declare what you'll do or not do You're the younger You can afford to-give in.' After I'd said that got frightened. Knowing the Harrison temperament, I felt I'd gone too far. And made up my mind in the ensuing silence that I'd take whatever came calmly. since I'd brought it on myself. For a time Phoebe said no word to break the silence. I didn't dare break it.
 Finally Phoebe spoke again in a con trolled voice that aStonished me: I've been counting a hundred Babbsie- I'm not going to let the
 Harrison temper smash up beautiful
 things for me Not your love, for in
 stance. Not Meals happiness. It's all very well to talk about the Harri-
 son pride-it's really the Harrison temper. I've my share, but I'm go- ing to catch it young and manage it.''
 Then you're not angry with mer' cried. thinking it wise to acknoWl-
 edge the precise state of affairs be- tween us. You're willing to listen to advice from your Mrs. Fix-It Of
 big sister?''
 Phoebe dimpled and cuddled up to me in her best "kitten-girI' fashion.
 "Yes, I'm going to listen to you. Baobsie. And I'm going to stand for anything except interference where Jeanie's concerned.
 "Oh, Phoebe!" I cried, you musn't take that tone. l think Virginia's lonely. She has no real woman friend to count on, now that Betty is away. She and I are only on-tentative good terms. I don't know how much this weekend is going to do to put us on an intimate footing again. You see. it's largely a blind for Rosa Cor doVa''-
 ''W-what?" gasped Phoebe.
 "A-blind,' I repeated.
 Then, looking into Phoebe's wide puzzled eyes, determined that I owed her as much of the precise truth as could tell without showing my jeaI- ousy or suggesting that my love for Jim could ever be sbedowed by the slightest doubt. Not only would it have hurt me beyond endurance to let Phoebe stop believing in my faith in Jim-but I didn't want to risk throwing even a shadow of cynicism across her mind.
 So I felt my way carefully as began to explain:
 You see, dear, Jim doesn't know 3 thing about what's going on here No word from here has reached him or will reach him-save through the letters Mrs. Cordova is going to for ward for me now.''
 q see." replied Phoebee, her wide eyes narrowing.
 You begin to see," corrected. with a little love pat to soften it. lou see that Jim doesn't know of your marriage, or of any rift within he 1ute o6 the Jenie-Phoebe Rahhsie circle. But there's this-can you trnr lgine Virginia letting Rosa Cordova get an ink1ing of the fact that the Iarr1sons are at sixes and sevens 2,
 T should say I can't." Phoebe nuttered. 50 that's how you come o be-admitted within the gates-on rial"
 "Preciseay!'' I smiled. "You are .ever youngster. Sometimes I forget ust how shrewd and far-seeing you re-
 "Oh, I can see through-an open Ioor. Remember that, Babbs, In case ou ever feel tempted to try to put nything over on little sis"
 T will" I said solemnly Now ou see why I'm going to Dream 1old."
 .To put up a front before the retty visiting lady. who might turn ut to be pussy cat enough to write i'm all the unpleasant news were nxious to keep from him." laughed hoebe.
 Gro Be Continued) JSE TIMES w A N T