The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-01
SECTION
When 4 GirL M0rYies
By ANN LESLIE.

fire chief and the insurance people, too, was the clever evidence that the fire had been set-de1iberately.' And incendiaries don't get much chance to collect on their little bonfires. So Dicks matchsafe is a pretty luckJ find-on the part of Miss Storrs."
 Again that touchy note in Carlot- ta's voice-as if she, who is so gem erous and so free from jealousy where most friendships are concern ed, really resented my friendship with this other business woman" There was nothing for me to do but to ignore it and to trust to Carlotta's common sense to adjust itself and her to the fact that she wasn't the only person of her mental capacity in my list of friends
 ''Now we've gone around in a cir cle and have come back to the pre- else thing I was saying when you got so excited'' I said in a tone of older sister, sofelytried patience and toler-
 ation. "Fd have to pay off the mortgage if We didn't get the insur- ance. Because. if I didn't do that. suppose some sort of lien on Jin's business would naturally go to the mortgage. And even though I had no way of foreseeing and preventing she fire I'd hate to feel that some day I must face Jim knowing that I'd let his affairs get muddled up like | that. See?''
 "Yes, I see." replied Carlotta, du- | biously. You get the insurance and | you pay off the mortgage. And there isn't another word you'll say ito anyone but this Miss Storrs, | who enjoys your husbands conti- | dence and yours. too.'
 "SillyT" I taunted. Jim had the
 money when-he needed it. And the | stupid old mortgage won't be & mill- stone around my neck when he's | away. And Richard West, Esq, will | know little Encouragement when
 he sees how his schemes don'a | work out"
 l His schemes probably go deeper | than appears on the surface," re- | piled Car1otta, soberIy, GOT he never would have permitted the matchsafe l to wreck it. Unless, of course, he
 merely lost they safe. That might be I-Fate.
 | 'But there's one difficulty which is
 in my department. That's the reve-
 nue from your furnished apartment. | You're running a new baby of bus | mess, Anne. You'll need all the cash | you can get. How about letting me | furnish your place as soon as it's re-
 paired, so you can sub1et again?"
 I stared at Carlotta Sturges. sens- | Ing new pudSe the generosity
 which wou1d't be thwarted. But | knew there were limits to what I | could accept from any friends. It 1 wasn't possible for me to avail my self of this generosity offered help from the girl who stood by me so | staunchly-while my husbands own 1 sister-wife of Carlotta's partrer-~f | ignored me.
 "You dear!" I cried. But shook
 my head as spoke. 'Td rather rent l the place as it is. I'd like it best if
 I can sublet unfurnishedi and for
 what I paid. I'll be glad of a little
 profit. But I'll take a loss name | fy. I've a business, as you say. So
 I don't need to rely on a furnished | apartment for my income"
 Sure, Amer" persisted Carlotta, | with a tender. throaty note in her | voice. I'd love to furnish the place
 for you. though, and rent it out that | way as soon as the repairs are made.
 This is open season for furnished | apartme ents."
 Rent her as she stands" I re- piled
 I met Carlotta's anxious eyes with l the most gallant smile I could man. | age. For deep in my heart I knew
 that I had long, hard road ahead land I had Ca new baby of a bus iness' to carry up that road.
 Gro Be Continuedl