The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-01-13
When 4 Girl
 Murries
By ANN LESLIE.
CHAPTER 459. 1Copyright, 1920, King Features Syndicate, Incl

5ednAe looked up as l reached the
 doorway, she called cheery greet
 ing:
 Hello. Sister Anne-dear, I had
 hunch you'd want to trot o1t and
 nook under the canary's cage, So 1
 didn't get out a clean traycloth this
 A M. Come and look upon the
 percolatof while the coffee IS hot
 and before my lord and master has mat second cup he steals whenever
 l turn the other way"
 Pat rose with a flourish to let me
 slide by him into the cosy wind ovv
 seat which had evidently been ilept
 Tor me As l sank into the tempt
 ing, pillow-laden spot. there was a
 up-hung draperies, and Phoebe rose
 scuse me, Jeanie." she called
 over her shoulder arresting, her hurry this morning, because I want to walk to NeaFs. He complained yesterday that my checks weren't pink enough. And I'm desperately pale this morning from a bad night so I want to paint the lily for my
 Why don't you go with her 'Twou1d do you world of good. I'd tap at her door and tell her to walk tenporized cheerfu1.''
 Jeanie?'' asked Pat, accepting my reply unquestioningIy
 than a long shortcut through the park in your society"
 "Ali right. honey" returned ViT- ehas @ tsy sr eyes seeed so sort carsss aa sePs Anne of all people, won't mind if we go off on one of our continuous performance honeymoon taunt-
 She's nice little naten-rnaker," chuckled Pat complacently--aM the soreness evidently gone from the
 memory of the days when they'd godmothering so badly. DO you think we're after being grate-
 Anne knows how gratefu1---how eternally grateful -, we are, rnur- mured Virginia gently. her hand on Pats shoulder, her proud head stopped against Pats crest cf gray hair as she stood back, of his chair. Pat flung up his hand and laid tt
 eyes, I think our Anne : A1anna is can ever be asking we won'+ stand gravely. .'But let's tesp . tening her and telling her, so if ever the won't wait special and particular invitation to be saving so:
 Hand in hand they left the room Mechanically I finished my. grape to bring me fresh toast, I buttered a slice from the rack on the table poured my coffee and took swal- low or two.
 The canary above my head chirped a tentative note Then he went on in a lovely cadenza of tTills' ,o,d aside running down the hall and the heavier thud of steps that meant Pats pursuit. The front door slammed. The sun YpoJ1rad fT1 warm and golden.
 In another minute Phoebe came sedately down the hall. I caught brief glimpse of her. pretty ana brown embroidered in amber and topped by a big brown hat laden with shining sheeves Of wheat. She 1 seemed as sunshiny as the day. | The bird enrolled louder than ever. his little body vibrating. his throat swelling with song I wondered how Dicl1ey could sing like that He
 Resolutely T picked up my toast, broke off a bit and tried to eat: The. brittle dryness, choked me; 2 Suddenly all the calm orderiiness to which I had been forcing myself deserted m me fest fs and nffpeaeed pen down the hall to the refuge Of my room Once there I locked the door and 1 imply sank into the nearest chair: i,rea
 | drabIy "Tve tried, and can't"
 For the first time since Jim. went away I let myself face the facts, didn't dare look down weeks and perhaps months of separation. This hour itself was more than I knew how to endure.
 'T'n completely alone I n1ur- nured, formulating the words for he dreary comfort of hearing a voice, even if it was merely my ,wn. .Pat and Jeanie invite me +, @Ir oSf HT h. ionyt need = me. Neal belongs to Phoebe. It isn't fair to claim him. I'm all alone. Troubles I don't knew 1oyr to meet are closing in. can't saIe help, because I'd have to dis .lose things that might endanger Tirn's plans. If I blunder Jln1 will nave to pay dearly" ..-.
 If ever have to walk tight ,ope over Niagara Falls I won't feel more terrified than I did in these But worse than all the tear of one false step was my ach- nr longing fer linn. It is nearly six weeks now since Tim went away, and during all thls sYns I've had one Interrupted. phone tnd two letters 1; s- I've tried to be calm, to go about he ordinary concerns of each day md the big concerns of our strange as if were perfectly atisfed with the arrangement. I laven't dared let Jeanie, or Neal with loneliness and that every morning finds me afraid If the new
 thought of the sAamed misery f gave me to find strange w2man ' ysd tried to mat even this with , SrnIIe For weeks I've been working and schenling and pan ,fnr for Jim the best knew snxz For all those weeks I haven't et myself yield to the anguish of loneliness know Is lurking al- ways on the threshold or my heart .sadv to sweep in and overwhelm ! Crunnpled in tho wicker chair. ,ehind the locked door Of a room - Vfrginia's empty apartment. eJt that I hadn't the strength to To on. ,.
 I CT can't stand this loneliness any cried desperately "I --,sf have tidings Of Jim. I won't lt ' us .,s-ss. s41rnhling arouni in the