The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-03-24
CHAPTER 517 Copyright, 1920, King Features Syn dic9te Inc

Copyright, 1920, King Features Syn
 dicate, Inc.
 "I had a plenty,' commented Ber-
 tha, and then raced ahead with a
 sort of breathIessness: Gan any one
 hear us?''
 NO one will try,'' said soothingly. But even if they did, what reason is there to be so cautious-and so tin1id? Have you anything very l tragic to relate? Is it about Lyons?'' AS I spoke I visualied Slim Dar- rows race on the day when the de- l tective5 led him away and he turned with a blasting glance of accusation and vengefulness to stare after the car in which LycSns was driving Tom Wason and me away from the scene. Some day he will try to repay the individuals he holds responsible for his capture. And, although he is in prison now, there is the possibility of ! his starting in motion some ugly un- derground force. Bertha's agatated paIlor suggested grave evil-perhaps Slim Darrow already was at work ! '1t is and it isn't about Lyons," re- piled Bertha, setting my fears at rest with her first words. He doesn't 1 know yet, and I don't want he should. ! It would be bad enough if Mrs. Da1- top had to know the rest of it, as if what that Hedwig told her wasn't I ! a-plenty.''
 l "Let me get this straight, Bertha | I commented. And so you must begin at the beginning of your story. | What you've just said doesn't actually 1 tell me anything, you know 1 "Yes'm, know,' grinned Bertha. | ''I was letting off steam. But now I'll get down to the facts. I've quar- relied pretty bad with that Hedwis you brought along when you came 1 out to Dreamwold. There's been ruc- 1 tions between us ever since she came
 And Mrs. Dalton at first always sid ed I with me. So that made it worse, sec l ing how Hedwig got terrible fond ot ! the Missus and being so devoted 1 didn't like to think me the favorite l Now I think it's got where Mrs. Dal- ! ton has kind of took a fancy to He'd ! wig, like you do to a faithful dog tha, 1 would lie down and die you. You l knowshow Mrs. Dalton is, awful high l spirited, ut tender hearted too" 1 I smiled, remembering how Vir- ginia had only a short time ago l shown me clear proof of her high 1 spirited nature-and how for a long l time I hadn't been able to set her | heart vibrating to tenderness. Der 1 tha accepted my smile as agreement | and went on:
 | 'OI course, seeing MIS- DalLOn get l ting fonder of Hedwig all the time 1 didn't tickle me any. It's natural to l want to be liked. And then the Da1- 1 tons got to coming out to Dreanwo1d ! to week-ends in MT. Norreys' car and | of course my George, he drives them And I was even extra glad to see him having felt so left out in the cold due 1 to Mrs Dalton's taking a fancy to Hedwig.
 Maybe I wasn't as cautious as i might have been. And now Hedwig's ! got hold of it that there's som methins between Lyons and me. She's a;w- fully straight-laced and sensing something wrong, she threatens to gt to Mrs. Dalton and tell herr
 s@Ten her what?" I. interrupted 1 thinking it high time some concise ness was brought into Betha's nara 1 tive.
 1 'eTel1 her things ain't just as they ought to be between Lyons and me- | the woman flung out defiantly.