The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-09-04
When A Girl Marries :.
By ANNE LIsLE

| your attitude toward Neal and me. In the beginning wasn't as generous Labout Jimmie-boy and his family, if you're cruel enough to remember"
 T don't remember anything of the l sort" denied Phoebe earnestly. '1r | I did, though, I'd not hold it against | you. We were new to you when we came back from our years travel. We | were interlopers. You had to ger used to us and our funny Harrison ways and our knowing Jim so much better than you'd had a chance TO. | But I found Neal through you. And l you were my dear friend before he l was anything-real to me-before he wanted to be anything to me, I mean. So it's all very different. You've a | right to your own little reserved seat in NeaFs heart. But" Phoebe paused in such distress that I waited for long minute for her 10 go on. Then at last, when she didn't speak I asked:
 That but makes me curious, Phoebikins. What does it lead up | tor"
 "But you've no right to be | friends with Jeanie when I'm not!' burst from Phoebe passionately, as l if she couldn't. keep it from jump | ing out and saying itself. "Babbsie, try to understand! I don't want to l feel this way. Yet how can I help | it? If you go on and on being close | to Jeanie when I don't exist any more | for her, don't you see, after while I'll-have to-have to-hate you? I won't be able to help it. I'll just be 1 eaten up by jealousy and misery and resentment. And trying to shut my | feelings in and hide them will make | it worse."
 1 Are you sure that's how you're going to feeI?" I asked gravely.
 'How can I help it?" demanded Phoebe.
 And yet. only a minute or two ago you told me that you were glad was to stay such a long time with Jeanie. | You said you hoped I was to beat | Dreamwold for a fortnight. Don't you see, that was the honest, uncal- | culated expression of your feelings? You were telling the deepest truth when you said that. You didn't plan it-it just said itself.'
 Phoebe smiled wistfully and also a little impishly. She gave my hand a pat which had a pathetic air of wanting to be casual and well poised. | Then she said:
 "Oh, yes, I did plan that, Babbsie! It was what I meant to make the | keynote of our chat. And the deeper
 
 is the ugly one which just startled you. What I meant when insisted l had to see you is bound up in your staying a fortnight or so. It gives me my chance''-
 Tt gives you your chance?" I asked in mystification.
 1 Through you. It means you can work your way into Virginias con- Ifidence and influence her to feel dierently toward me- said Phoebe in a set and determined tone. Phoebe, surely you know Virginia weel enough to- realize that no one con force an attitude upon her. I | protested, in answer to my sister-in- laws suggestion that turn my visit to Dreamwold into a diplomatic mis- sion in her interest.
 | "Oh, yes, I know that!' agreed
 Then, my dear, how can you feel | that a two weeks or a two years visit at DreamwoId will suffice to lead me to the point where I can risk trying to bring about a reconciliation between you two?' I argued.
 I'm leaving it to you to find the way"
 When she said this made up my mind that Phoebe was trying to force me back into my old role of Mrs. Exit" Moreover, she was asking | of me the very sort of interference II, would never have brooked if her po- | sttion and Virginia's were reversd l There isn't any way'' I said with all the f1nality I could manage to put into the words.
 j. There must be!'' Phoebe persist ed. eff you're there long enough you'll be clever enough to find it Achilles had his vulnerable spot, as l I leanred in schoo1.'f
 Her tone had a certain compIacent ring that antagonized he for a mo- ment or two. I've heard business men speaking rresentfully of some one who has way of-'tpassing the buck" So now I resented the cava- Her manner in which Phoebe was de- handing a miracle of me.
 eff the Harrison pride has its weak spot,' I said tartly, "it has manag to escape my observation. Virginia has taken a stand about your mar riage. I've learned by sad experi- ence that the best way to get her more indignana than ever on that score is for me to tel her how splen- did I think your marriage is. I add ed fuel to the fire once"-
 'Waiti" cried Phoebe, flinging m her head with graceful motion, which brought Jim right across the table from me. You quarrelled with Jetnie over me?''
 We disagreed about your elope- menS, I said quietly.
 "But the real scrap came over my recklessness in going into busi- ness.''
 'I thought all the time it was that, g murmured Phoebe almost to herself. 'I didn't dream that you'd run afouI l of her the score of ny-eloping with Neal But know better now. Oh, Anne-can ySa forgive me? I didn't realize that you, being you. would have taken up the cudge1s for us right off. I'm so ashamedi"
 You dear thing" I cried. Phoebe you're the sweetest little creature! Here you are apologizing to me when I ought to be perfectly abect for the way I haven't risen to this occasion. 1 My dear