The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-09-22
GUIL TY@IIpX byLAuRA LOU BROOKAN Auths, s5, F AP ss AE ARRAeE
REGTN HERE TO-DAY

E18Gty NO1thtA AEEI, %O-yeaE. old secretary in a law office, sees MARK TRAVERS for the first time when together they rescue q puppy from downtown traffic ir Marlboro, middle-western metrop. oils. Norma declines to tell Trav- CTS her name or where he can see her again.
 BOB FARRELL, young lawyer asks Norma to marry him and she refuses, though she is fond of him as Q friend. Norma takes the puppy to the shabby apartment she shares with CHRISTINE SAUNDERS. She fears Chris Is falling in love with her married employer, BRADLEY HART, pro- prietOr of an advertising agency. Norma inserts an advertisement about the puppy in newspaper lost and found column and the first person to answer is Mark Travers. He tries to make a date but Norma declines his invitations. A small boy comes to claim the puppy and takes 1t home.
 Norma receives telephone calls from Travers but ignores them. She goes for drive with Boh Farrell and he tells her he is leaving Marlboro. Two days later she meets Trayers on the street and goes to lunch with him. This is the beginning of 8 whirIwind courtship. Norma finds herself head-over-hecls in love, but thinks she must send Travers away be- cause of some secret of the past. fu Hrfe If Norma loves Travers all else is unilmportant.
 Mark is invited to dinner at the apartment. Norma is there, mak- ing preparations when caller arrives. He tells her he is Marks father and demands her affair with his son shall end. In the midst of heated speech Mark appears. Father and son quarrel. The elder Travcrs declares that if Mark marries Norma he will dis own him. Chris arrives and Marks father departs angrily. Mark begs Norma to marry him at once. Af- ter some hesitation she agrees. The couple set off with Chris and Brad- ley Hart for the town of Woodbury in the next county.
 NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
 CHAPTER XII
 Norma presesd her fingers to- gether nervously. She took a step back, felt her shoulder touch Chris Saunders. "Chris." the younger girl whispered. I'm frightened, Christ'
 There was not even time for an answer. Light had appeared in a window to the left of the little group on the shadowed porch. Now the door of the house opened. A mans figure, black against the yellow lamplight, appeared.
 Mark Travers stepped forward. "Are you Rev Littlejohn?" he asked.
 T am. Whats wanted?"
 Travers cleared his throat. "Could you perform marriage We've just come from Marlboro"
 Rev Littlejohn stopped him. "Cope in," said the minister in a shafp voice and the words were moro a command than an invita- tion. Got the license, have your" he asked when the four young peo- pie had entered the parsonage liv- ing room. Swiftly and shrewdly Rev Littlejohn eyed each one in the group. The minister himself looked we'll past the prime of life. His grayed hair, touched with white at the temples, was rumpled His clothing indicated that he had got into it hastily A pair of sil- ver-rimmed spectacles perched on Rev Littlejohn's nose. There was in the frown which furrowed his fore head disapproval of young people who came around the homes of decent individuals at the unearth- ly hour of Il D. m., knocking and distur ping peaceful slumbers. Mrs Littlejohn, a small woman in a black and white cotton dress, lin- gered in the background.
 "Oh, yes,' Mark went on eager ly, we've got the license. Here" He pulled a folded document from his coat pocket and held 1t out to- word the parson. We just got 1t over at the courthouse"
 "Hum!" With a shrug Rev Littlejohn accepted the marriage license and studied it thoroughly. When he looked up he asked, (Which of you is it wants to be married?"
 I'm Travers." Mark told him, "and this is Miss Kent. We-we're the ones. This is Miss Saunders, Rev Littlejohn. And MT Hart. They're here as witnesses. Will you-ahem-go ahead with the ceremony now?"
 The Rev Henry Littlejohn re- adjusted the spectacles to his nose. strengthened back and sunk his hands into the pockets of his coat.
 "I may as we'll tell you, young man." he began pompously. that I don't approve of couples running off and getting married in the mid dle of the night. I'm against it!" He eyed Mark, then Norma stern ly. "You folks don't looks as bad as some of 'em. Can't tell if you've been drinking. You don't show it.. That's a rule I make" The parson emphasized his words with a raised finger. Its a rule of mine never to unite in holy matrimony fool girls and men that scarcely know their right names because they're full of bootleg booze"
 But, Rev Littlejohn, I assure you"
 Its all right" The minister lifted a restraining hand. "I said you don't look as bad as some of them. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. It's the looks of the thing that's bad, young man. Come on over here closer to the light. I'll marry you all right. Maj" he glanced around toward his wife, "Ma get me the marriage ri- tual. will your"
 The subdued little woman across the room murmured a Hurried an- swer and disappeared.
 
 Before she returned Norma had time to glance curiously about the room. It was obviously the parlor. There were the plush up- L e4fa orx,. ho that