The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-12-15
When 4 Girl
 MarrieS
By ANNE LISEE
CHAPTER 760.

"Youre not -
 I couldn't go on. My relief was so intense that ! dared not try to put it in words During the time Park and Ralph were trying to find the man l knew as Dad Lee. I'd been dreading the disgrace and the publicity ct, for J:n2's sake. I had to pray for his capture. Now it has happened-and has brought us no shame.
 moistened my lips. Thoughts Scurried through my mind, but they
 went very fasr anu l was too tired to try to catch them. I stared With alien eys at the little figure crumpled twist wryly. lie looked like a bat tered Jack-in-the-box. Turning TO Jim, I saw that his face was cold ana stern. His eyes were narrowed and his lips set.
 ''Jim!" I cried hystericaIy. You hear. He says he isn't my father"
 ''I heard htm!" said Jim. His voice held scant reaSSuraT ce. It was very courteous and very distant as he wenr on-nOt to me. his wife, but to Ralph Lacy and Park. ''Fu get round 70 this impostor later Now, I want to say that you two are the best scouts I've eve- met. IL would be a farce to try to express my gratitude. As for this scOundreI -"
 Dad Lees face worked. He cring- ed more dolefuIy than ever. But 1t was to Ralph Lacy he turned for pro- tection.
 '"TeII-her that I didn't have o'Iet on I ain't her Dad. Tell her you had a, lot of trouble prOvfn' it on me Dick dootored the records pretty good. Make her see that. I threw the race for her sake. l ain't hardly had the heart to go on since my boy died
 Mrs. Harrison understands" sug- gested MT. Lacy gently.
 Then why don't she say one word to me2'' he whimpered. Tt hurts how she sits there and don't act as if there was ever anything between us. ! got awful fond of her-neXt to my poor Dick I loved Anne -
 That VIII dol" thUndered Jim. ''When you speak of my wife say Mrs. Harrison
 .'I will! I wiIl!" the old man cried, blinking plaCating1y at Jim. But you folks ought to be fair to me. If hadn't a-been here to represent you, as you might say-if I hadn't come and a-trailed along with my lilly - with Mis- HarrisOn-whO knows what could a-hapDe1.ed @''
 "Who knows2' I echoed. moved to reluctant pity. " ou'Ve always been fairly decent to me when we met. Once when you thought I was penni- less, you actually offered me money. believe you've been loyal to me after some queer fashion of your own. I believe you're being Ioyal-nOw. don't hate you. I want you to knOw''
 "AnncH Jim's voice was cold and commanding.
 Dad Lee got to his poor shaky reer
 
 of the fighting bantam in his pose.
 Don't you go a-scOlding her for Hiking me teeny mite,' he murmur- ed Let me have that. It's all I got. But 1T she hadn't kinda got tu me from the first. I might of acted different From the time my puy went. I ain't never told the rest of his 1 gang one thing. Why didn't I trail | with them? Account of her I hid | the papers you were Joking for. That was account of her. too. And when the gang couldn't make me squeal, | they wouldn't give me a cent. But for-her. kinda liking me. whether or no. I'd a-starved. I been dodgin' everybody. Why, the reason it was so hard for MT. Lacy to get me, was 'cauSe I had to hide up for fear the | gang would get me and torture me" |
 Exhausted by the effort he had | made, he sank back into his chair | coughing and choking. He took. the | drink Park held out to him. put it | was to Ralph Lacey his eyes turned. l Perhaps 1t was for approval. Possi | ply for courage to go on, but it seem | cd to me like a poor oOld dog, he was seeking for some one to worship and l believe in.
 ''They didn't get. the papers either" he added proudly as he set down his l empty glass.
 What papers?" snapped Jim.
 "'Them as'u prove title to the Cor dova land" cried Dad Lee with a cer- tain imDish wisdom Them as shows where the richest oil has been rgget- ed out by the backgrounds in the Ar kansas strip the Storrs girl held on to though she near starved to do it. Park got me after pretty race. And MT. Lacey's get the papers cached in his office safe, I guess"
 Park beamed and began shaking hands with Jim in a fashion which Nave me a hysteriCal impulse to g1g- gfv.
 ,fhen Jim turned to me-not ten- derly-aS 1 ionScd to have him do but With something grimIy possessIvo in his manner.
 "I'u hand it to you for making this possible" he said. ''TH hand it to you-your friends for standing by. And you can do a little handing out. too, Mrs Harrisan. Not A. l.. Har- rison. but Mrs. J. H. We're gong to be rich again. All credit to Mabel. All credit to you! And now you can go back to your desk and make Betty Q present of the business ed
 Jim's eyes were steel as he fixed them on my face His lips were cold as he said:
 wen be more generous with Betty than that Now. turning to Dad Lee and sepaking in voice like q lash. ''what do you think we ought 10 GO with you ?"
 into the corner of his chair furthest from Jim Let me go. I ain't done any harm. I'm right fond of Anne Mis- Harrison. She'll tell you not to put me in stir"
 ''Of course we won't hurt you von poor lonely old man." was wrung from my lips.
 Indeed 9 inquired Jim a shade 100 politely. Suppose you leave this to me. Anne2 Your good friends have managed things ma gnifcently so Tar. How about letting your husband con- clude the affair."
 "Oh, Jim!' l sasped. at q loss for words to express my shaken uncer- tainty-
 ''I'u just start off now, with Mir Lee said Jim Suavelv. II know that I won't be imposing on your courtesy. my friends. if I ask you to see that Mrs. Harrison gets r. own in lime IL atr-nd tN her lrlStrRSS..'