The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-31
STANTON

He backed away from the table ab-
 .actly and sought his hat where he
 had left 1t.
 n- seemed that tthe Nebraksan was
 choken with remorseFfor he merely gave Kittie mute, heart-str1cken
 gaze and stumbled away. Tommie regarded Sprogget with quiet admiration. You're going to
 stick. eh?"
 q am."
 The New Yorker extended his hand. "Shake. When 8 man has that much hang-on spirit-we11, the girl that he marries is getting about ton of human will power walking around On two legs!" Sprogget was lingering his three theatre tickets. There was still enough time to catch the first curtain. "How about the theatre ?'' he asked Kittie.
 It was Maud Smith who answered. miserable of heart, yet concealing her | feelings behind a mask of boredom. "Gent1emen Miles" she spoke with a yawn-'reaIly, Tn a little tatigued. If you'll excuse me" She marveled at her own powers of acting. Her voice did not seem like her own. Some upper strata of the ! mind was speaking for her. She had only one wdsh-to seek the seclusfon of her own room and there weep un- til her pillow was wet for the thing which might have been. She was sick of the whole luckless game - sick. sick. sick! Kittie, too, felt a keen pang. The great hoax had left her more 1rm1y bound to Sprogget than ever. And Tommie, in her eyes. was growing .l4 uirof ,ya linn Too much had happened to give her any zest for the play. Tommie, baff1ed but game, had sunk into the depression that was upon everyone in the party, except Sprogget.
 "I guess the evenin' is over." Kittte remarked.
 'T think so." Maud Smith agreed. well just go back to the hotel, my protege and I. gentlemen" Kittie nodded wearMy. Have 'em call any kind of a car, Miles. It don't matter now ''No-nothing ,nat t'e.s." It was a blue groan from Tamie. The four of them taXied back to the Bellrood m silence. Sorogget, the only one who hal taken no part in the enginee- ing of q single attempted deception, was alone. the only enc
 
 pail life at the parting. Neither Ma aud nor kittie dared proloEg the strain. for when a womaE's nerves give away she usually weeps. It was a simple good night all around. the usual cour- teous word of farewell. Morning came and found Maud Smith tossing on her bed, in that | half-slumber that is the produ~t Of O distressed mind. Kitt1e had return ed with her ch9nc-..5 hack | own clothes and had gone to her own home, somewhere near t. C farthest reach of a north-bouud subway. | It was ten o'clock in the morning when Sprogget, fresh from nights solid sleep, a cold shower and a | hearty breakfast, strolied into the Bellrood lobby-as keen and bright as a razoredge. 4 sIeepless night had | left the girl at the switchboard out i of tune as to nerves and patience. | Copper hair pinche1 downey by the | disfiguring head-piece bent angriiy l forward as she jabbed little plugs
 savagely into their sockets, ass though she were punching them into the very l of her annoying and persistent tor | mentors.
 Could get you to get Miss Smiths | apartment
 ':'Number? No lady, the lines still 1 busy-Bellroodi Pm rlngin' that num- | Der, mister-say, what Eye think I | am, ssix women. l The harassed face looked upward.
 The surprise was mutual. l ''Miles!"
 l "Kitie-I didn't know you were I-I didn't"
 "Oh. Sure. I'm vorkin' here. Down
 to earth again. Say MLles-ever read
 a story called Cinderella?" | "Oh, sure.''
 "Kittie! You even tumbled to my
 name, didn't you?'' l Sprogget laughed You know, Miles, when got home
 last night and got all by myself. I | figured it out. We never fooled pou On the 1eve1-when did you first get wiser"
 | He laughed again. "I guess never
 was fooled very much after I first
 laid my eyes on Maud.'' l guess we didn't kid anybody but
 ourselves. About that Cinderella
 thing. Didn't she get prince out of it, somehow?'' l T believe she did" 1 Well, I got all the thrills e-cert
 that one. just wonder-e1cuse me a mtnute-Miss Smiths apartment |? | Who's calling? MT. Fredericks! Tom
 mic, you're kiddin'-On the level ?-
 This is mighty fast work-WeIf, I'll
 have to think it over-You know
 mats a mighty serious step-I,n off
 It !lve-Y ou'H call here for mel We'll. .good-by dear-'
 A new light was in her eyes as she
 lifted them to Sprogget. "Maype Il there's prince for Cinderella, after al!'
 Then, she got Maud Smith on the
 telephone. Maud" he said, "this is
 little gasp answered him. | come downstairs at once-ai1 is forgiveni"
 She came radiant. abashed. all at
 once. This day there was no forged
 marriage license. but a genuine one.
 and Jolly little minister who never suspected' nor could magazine. how
 hnuch they really loved each other.
 THE END. ecopyrisht 1922. Thompson Feature
 Service.)