The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-14

don't you Donna Anna"
 l wasn't sure whether under
 stood perfectly-or not at all. But
 looking at Toms haggard face, I could only nod and agree to set off
 at once with him for the studio. CHAPTER 65s l When at last Tom Mason and I reached the sinister locked door of | his studio and peal after peal of the | bell reverberated unanswered through
 the silence. my feelings changed. l found myself sharing Ton's almost | inexplicable terror over Daisy Con | don's disappearance. When he un- l locked the door, switched on the l lights and we entered the hot musti- | ness of the closed room, my first re- l action was one of great relief, every | thing was neat and orderly-undis- | turbed if the studio had been l carefully closed and locked up for I the night. There was no sign of pur- l pose or plan. The place was still and silent and unrevealing. At least there was this to be thank full for: The girl who had once stolen my pearl ring, could face large temptations now-and honestly. Thank fortunen' nurmured Tom 1 in a throaty voice, there's nothing here to worry about, is there?" Of course not,'' replied euuably. Whoever thought there would be?"
 T did," acknowledged Tom, .I tell you I had the blind stagsers at the thought of coming in here alone. was plumb loco at the idea that I might f1nd-I don't know what-but something. I couldn't face-know- tng-what I know
 Excellent English A flow of words!' I broke in. 'tBut what do they mean? Look here, Tom Mason. either you conf1de in me and tell me usl whats on your n1ind-or you don't. In which case, don't see how
 l can be of much use to you.''
 Tom was pacing about the studio
 as 1 spoke. He didn't stop his jerky peeripg into corners and behind cur
 ta1ns until I came to the end of my half laughing effort to change his grim mood Then he flung himself oown 3, on big oak settle and sat with shoulders hunched and face
 buried in his hands. After a mo-
 ment he looked up and smiled with astonishing wistfulness. Somehow every trace of the hunters look was gone from his face. It seemed washed of it's hard and calculating lines. He appeared gentler some how and boyfsh. Even my adn,i-s- ton for the loyal friendship for Jim which drove him off in search of Dick West, had not softened me to- ward Tom Mason as his look of pleading was now doing.
 Anne" he said, and there was something notable in the way he spoke my own name instead of +be half-bantering title he gave me Ione ago. Anne, I'm going to tell vofI the whole of this business But it,s got to be in my own way, Have won the patience to listen and to stand for my revealing something I've no right to blurt out, much less tell in cold blood ?''
 Will your telling what you want to tell help us find Daisy?" I demand ed
 If I thought it served no burmese I wouldn't speak" Tom gravely re- piled 'I tell you, Anne Harrison. if anything has happened to that little Condon kid I'm done for. I'll never have right to the happiness I want so badly. You see. - Oh. hanp it all. what's the use of words? yon see, it's like this: From the minute I first clapped eyes on Irma Warren I knew 1t was she nobody for me I love her. I haven't told her vet And she's so sweet and modest that I'd swear she doesn't know. But Daisy did-she doped it out And that's why the poor kid went so much further than she meant"
 Daisy was fond of you," I ven tured
 'Yes, she was" Tom broke in grave1y. "I used to be about the sort of philanderer you thought me Ev cry new face was a new fancy No getting away from that But little Daisy seemed just a dandy pal fooled myself into thinking it was Just Ming porcelain and Florentine tapestries that we had in common But the kid misunderstood was blind and selfish about it. And then saw Irma Warren and found ont what it means to care. That's what did it ''
 ''W ..at did what?" I interrupted.
 Told you I'd make a mess of tell ing tf1is,'' grunted Tom. Don't you see the more I didn't care a hang about Daisy the more gave her emphasize my friendship and her usefulness to the business jollied myself along like that. But [ didn't jolly Daisy
 'She knew you cared for Irma" murmured, revisioning the 1ong-ago evening when we had sat together It Hidden Brook considering the lit le newspaper picture of Irma Daisy nad found secreted in Toms great ,hest
 Long ago and far away in the lear paSt Jim once hazarded a guess hat Irma had bow1ed Tom over bought Tom was only flirting. Now hat he had told me clearly and de- 'fsively that it was for Irma he cared matches of conversation with Daisy anne back to me.