The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-01-02
Mon-.--- "A Girl MUrries
CHAPTER COxLN.
By ANN LISLE


 H ~ln passion which astonished me,
 nough I'd seen her display 1t once 1"1ce before. She actually seem 70 De motherdne me. In less than @49 ume was divested of my wraps 1o mad obediently taken a cup of me perclator.
 All the while Virginia was keep
 1E uIs a rapid fire of answers to the H1eguons shot at her.
 igs les, NeaRs better. No you can't
 n to him till you're rested and
 Pt stay long even then. No, we
 Ht want him to talk. The nurse " Fl come out and get you when she's Raoy 10 let you see our boy" aAdter few minutes the door to ( Hafs bedroom opened and Phoebe k pped out List1essly she came over M ld Kissed me, and even more indif- MI Eently she announced:
 tSAIl Sou may go in now for ten min
 SsF ,i11 Anne, s But nurse says not to 4 l1ything to excite him."
 }k whose brother is Neal, anyway? ?'' asked with effort at humor to "A l1oss over my irritation at the way II tEnoebe and Jeannie were taking pos IN essdon of my Neal and permitting l41e only few moments with him
 nder the strictest of orders 3f At this Phoebe flashed me glance gn1ch both questioned and defied
 wondered if 1t meant that eeal had told her of Dad Lee. But I |113ad no time to waste speculating
 hen I could be with my blessed
 ea- So I got up and went to his Eoor There turned and asked K R demand:
 "Surely I am to be permitted " minutes alone with Neal?"
 You shouldn't ask that Anne re t 8ft alone with you, he'll want to dis
 1ss your affairs. and you'u have the
 1ost natural impulse in the world IX2 go into the matter of his accident.
 shafs not good plan. If the nurse
 there, she'n protect You from your | @It's like this, AIanna," explained
 Fat "The bullet glanced off the |kpy's ribs and didn't-touch a vital Loot. But it did sever a little blood N oEsel. We don't want to excite him nd start any internal bleeding again. {ED wei"
 .Agadn P, I cried; turning with my )aat mean that you have already let bomething happen to excite him ?'' 2 As I asked. perceived. that Phoe- kefs face had gone chalk white. mto the room, Pat came over and, 1
 pening the door for me, fairly shov- 1 |kd me over the threshold. II Babbsie! Babbie darlng!' mur- |Emred a low voice Come and kiss
 I knelt down by the boys bedside |
 
 Nv his dear head close against me. Apallor of his face and the weak | |t 4of his voice told me that what l jFd Suspected all along was true. Neal 1 must have gone close to death.
 "Are you all right again, Babbsie?'' ~he murmured against my heart H laughed with the joy of having | Dim there, safe and well-my Neal. ,khe dearest young redhead a girl ever bad for her kid brother"
 F ssThe shock of finding that you'd 1x,, ricylot ont Sef my system I declared truthfully. 5sThe excitement of coming to you Apvered the perdod of convalescence. Md now I've had a tonic and gotten
 NJ over the after-effects just in this
 Enute of cuddling my laddie dear HsListen to her. Nurse Whitcomb,' HsGm his manenrs and pre- len = the nice, elderly woman who was lurking in the background.
 Tis tonic, Itsa I'm m thinking IIrsn she nand IS Ik1sx mighty grand when brother and dster get on so we'll Now if you II fuss~ be kissing our lad good; Mrs. Harrison, we'll let you have half an hour with him tomorrow morning. sDon't make her go-yet," pro- Hested Neal.
 kad. and say never a word if let the pretty sister stay and baby you While longer?'' asked the nurse. | Neal agreed and snuggled close
  Minutes longer I was permitted to &o1d him, but at last when his reg kfar breathing told me he'd dozed off, <he nurse signalled me, and so rose &ndetly and stole away. Neal stirred Ind murmured sleepily, but he didn't Hake to active protest. The nurse hme out with me and announced: ~,Twas right soothing for him to kee her. He's gone fast asleep"
 srThen you might go down to din nsr- now suggested Phoebe with the IiSf1aSGnReS which seemed to 2 make her fnconsiderate if not actual H rude. md then in expression of the perfect kroord which seems never to fail hem now, Pat said:
 stSuppose we three go down to the sestaurant now, Mrs. Whitcomb, if nat suits you. I'm sure Miss Phoe- be won't mind staying with Mrs liar 86son and we'll send up the waiter Hfth a nice surprise tray to the two 1frut-in ladies Does that suit every npdyc"
 .'Tis fine for me-" replied Mrs. Rhftcomb with evident gratitude III r sJeanie and I exchanged glances of Approval for Pats fine consideration. I turned to Phoebe She |Fas staring at me with wide eyes. There, was a black frown between hem and a twist of scorn to her soft F-If Phoebe'd rather So down with &a1 folks I don't mind being alone" \ | Hsasd in uneasy recognition of a cer- Ie3r hostility in her manner
 ssYou don't think I'd leave you,' .,r,rraured Phoebe in the gentlest of Fpiees.
 IA Hooking again. could almost per = euade myself that I'd imagined her :: straaned fxity of the minute before Ip5, ofbe was all mild sweetness now, es she said to the others; II s.I0on't hurry a bit. You all need II so poke as much as you |sJ<e over your meal. And you need II not send the waiter I'm going to Il rI1ggest a meal which will be good N Inr Annie whether she likes it or not N -~soT,e broiIed chicken with mashed II ootatoes and apple sauce, a romaine dad. and rice custard for desert 4,,oTyine twinkle in his eye. Il &.sAll right agreed.