The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-04
SECTION
When 4 Girl
 Marries
By ANN LISLR
CHAPTER 478

can't take any dangerous characters aboard, can we?"
 i 'No, ma'am," breathed Oliver in & 1 tone of sudden approval which sug- gested that sharing his make-beNeve and indicating that I sensed the man 1 ly loyalty behind his boyish game had won the lads friendship. So I walked unnaounced as of old | into the office which had been J1rn's There, facing me in her usual trim. l stiffy starched white shirtwaist, sat
 Mabel Storrs. Her smooth hair was 1 caressed by struggling day of sun i light which shone into my eyes for a ! moment and dazzled me so that I had 1 a visitor. Whether I first got the warning flash from her eyes. or whether I noticed him before she had | time to wireless me that he was there don't know. But all of 8 sudden I perceived that a little figure was. huddled down in the chair facing her ! and with his back to me. I nodded to Miss Storrs but my first words were flung out before I'r taken a, step beyond the threshold of the door. Hello, Dad Lee. This is & sur prise!' I said nonchalantly. l Dad Lee shrank down in his chair as if he were cr1nging away from a blow Then he turned his head and peered around his shoulder. Why, Anne, n'dear!' quavered 1 Dad Lee, in the tone of one caught in the act-though just what act [ couldn't guess. Then, with 8 sudden recovery, he went on:
 'I was laying my bets you'd be along any minute. Couldn't locate you at Miss Dalton's or your l brothers or anywheres. And I was kinda lonesome and worried, so I thought I'd mosey down here and see
  of ours.''
 I was almost breath1ess with sur prise. If this had occurred before Miss Storrs and reached our entente cordiale I don't know how I would have endured the fact of her sharing with me and my nearest and dearest this ugly secret, which not even Jeanie and Pat knew.
 When I greeted him by name as Dad Lee'' I wondered if in my desire to take him off his guard I hadn't betrayed to Mabel Storrs what there was no necessity for her to know. But his first words assured that for reasons of his own he'd undoubtedly already made things more than clear to Miss Storrs.
 As Dad Lee concluded speaking and before she replied, Miss Storrs cross ed to me and took my hand. As we stood facing my prodiga1 father, I had a feeling of solidarity. We seem ed to be a phalanx drawn up against something, though just what. I wasn't sure.
 MT, Lee has been telling me how fond he and Dick West are of each other,' she said smoothly. And how much he misses Dick, whom he hasn't seen for days. Also, MT. Lee was tell ing me that he could hardly wait un- til MT. Harrison's return. I can un- derstand MT. Lees impatience to meet your husband. but I took the liberty of explaining that neither his business representatives nor even you were in 8 position to promise MT. Lee a meet ing.''
 Her voice held more than 8 sug- geStion of warning as she came to the end of her words. I smiled in friend
 ly fashion and gave her fingers & re- assuring pressure before I released her hand Then I said what thought must convey volumes to so astute q young woman as Miss Storrs:
 Dad Lee Is new in my life that in spite of the cIoseness of the relation ship he's proved between us, he doesn't know my husband, Miss Storrs. They've never met. In vtSW of the shortness of a, child's memory, you might almost say that this-trip
 marks our first meeting" I meant this to convey to Miss Storrs that I was ready to accept. without resentment. her hint that Jim's affairs were to be guarded closely from this prodiga1 father of mine. I meant her to see that didn't feel close enough to the man who was my father to give him any confidence. Since Jim took our friendship for granted, and I'd felt distinct stirrings of 1t at our last meeting, I thought this a good time to show my friendly tendencies. Great then was my sur prise when Miss Storrs went on with a sort of brutal over-emphasis:
 'T'd always taken for granted that you and MT. Neal Hyland were broth CT and sister. And 50, of course thought your father would be named HyIand- and be a big, robust man like MT. Neal, whom I've seen often, though we've never --~+ I'm afraid that I rather put your-father through the third degree. You aren't much alike. are you Miss HarrisonT
 Something in her tone was so cool and insulting that I felt sorry for poor little Dad Lee. who stood crtng- ing there before this handsome young woman. He looked so much the un- der-dog beneath the curt scrutiny of Mabel Storrs's eyes that he wrasted from me the pity due the weakiing In a whining tone, Dad Lee took 1t upon himself to answer the woman:
 My girls like her mother. Any one with half an eye to class could of seen that my wife was a cut above me Sos my daughter-though wom- en of your class don't always see those things"
 There was a snarl in his voice. but Miss Storrs didn't vince. Instead she replied with unruff1ed suavity:
 .I wonder if I may have Jew moments alone with Mrs. Harrison! If you wouldn't mind waiting outs1de MT. Lee?''
 Again Dad Lee cringed ana snu1- fled out In spite Of his admitted friendship for Dick West I felt sorry for the man had to despfse- didn't ike to see this vigorous young wom- an insulting a timorous little old man. But felt sure he was @im's