The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1922-05-27
CHAPTER sci.
Copyright 1920, King Features Syn

NH1APIEAES Oh.
Copyright 1920, King Features Syn
dictate Inc.
'Wait a minuteI" I gasped, dizzy
with the force of Tom Mason's simple
relation. DO you mean to tell me
that Evelyn has started off in her
| little car alone to find Dick West
and that you're going to dash off on
a train trip with the same idea in
view? Are you sitting there calmly
and announcing that you two won
derful people are doing all this
"SureH grinned Tom chserfully.
What else was there for US to do
But Evvys not alone. She's got a
couple of detectives along. Man and
wife. She's been trailing with the
| man quite a bit recently. Dick elud-
| ed them both here in town, though.
Then she got hold of the Rogers man
who is Dicks go-between and runs
| a second rate hotel-but she coaXed
a lot out of him.
You see as I was explaining,
Miss Storrs-the Masons are an odd
family. we go in for flirting and
! lot of cheap junk like that. But
we know how to be friends. and that
Envy kid is about the best little
| Johnny -the-spot of a friend you
ever met. So when she started run
ming loco over this proposition of get
! ting Dick and keeping him from get
ting Donna, Anna and Tmmie-boy,
what coud I do but stand by?"
You sound like a fair example Of
the french,prop. stitfon yourself Mr..
Mason" answered Mabel. evidently
not at all affected by Toms repeated
warning concerning his own weak
points. And Toms reply set my last
lingering doubt at rest I felt a
| complete reinsurance and a complete
realization that these two admired
each other for loyalty to the Harri-
sons and their cause, and for no more
personal reason.
TRY to be a good pal" Tom flung
back gruffly. know darned well
Been keeping a weather eye on Jim s
office No offense intended. but I
had to be sure-and I am now
"Oh. we'd both play faEr-as we
saw it''-murmured Mabel, her voice
sinking away into a sort of awed
wonder as she concluded. "And SO
the man-hunt is on. Dick West has
come pretty close to the end of his
long trail
yes" exclaimed Tom briskly
you see, If he climbs off the train
further UP the line and tries to hit
across country-there's Envy in the
car. If he doubles back here. you
two girls are on the job. And If he
| makes for home-Tomnny M. is wait
ing to act as reception committee"
There hardly seems a way out for
Dick West" I said grimly. with
friends like you-friends so loyal to
Jim and-me-what chance has
Dick?" But as I spoke I felt a quick
grip Of Ice ct my heart
This must be the end of the trail
for Dad Lee, too.
The man for whom Mabel Storrs
had once cared and the man who
was soon to be revealed to the world
as my father. would go down to des-
struction together. Involuntarily
looked at Mabel
She seemed rem ote-wtthdrawn
into herself. Her face gave no hint
of what she was thinking-or feel
ing.
you two girls look as solemn as
owls. I get you. Feminine tender
| heartedness stuff. It's the way you
ought to feel-as long as you don't
set upon it, concluded Tom. with
elab crate briskness.
''We'n see you through" announced
Mabel. THE minute you came into
the office I got the impression that
| you'd be quick to find a plan to carry
| it through. I was mighty glad to see
| that Mrs. Harrison had a friend like