The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-01
CHAPTER 574 Copyright, 1290. King Features Snydi

available just when I neded him, I smiled at Miss May with fictitious brightness hardly expected to have deceived her and said:
 Gall MT. Booth at HaIdane's. please. It would be joke if he were out of town. too. wou1dn'. ?"
 Would it?" asked Miss May in a reproachful note which suggested that took things much too lightly.
 But in another moment she turned back to me. her face showing signs of the greatest relief.
 MT. Booth isn't in yet, Mrs. liar rison. But he'll call you just as soon as ever he does come"
 Just as she was speaking the door of my office opened and a girl stepped timfdly and almost gingerly over the threshold. One glance at the neat flat sailor, the plain little dress of dark blue and the trim oxfords, and hur- ried across the room to greet Irma Warren.
 "How do you do, Mrs Harrison. I'm not intruding, am I? Because if I am, you must put me right out" she insisted in her punctilaous way.
 "Ycu're welcome here and welcome home n everything!" I cried, seizing both her hands and drawing her to- ward me with the eager grip of my earnest liking for her.
 Before I could turn to introduce her., Miss May had battered away to the inner office with her unobtrusive and unfailing desire not to intrude,
 I'm glad we're a1one,'' said Irma, because I know I haven't a right to much of your time and I really am sort of lonesome for 8 real talk with you. It's so hard to say much when there's a third person around, don't you think so?"
 'I do think so-and even if we haven't any great international sec rets to discuss it's nice for us to be able to talk without supervision" I agreed.
 Irma flushed suddenly. I got the feeling that she was withdrawing her. self from me. and it flashed across my mind that perhaps this sweet, re- ticent old-fashioned girl had come to my office with some purpose beyond merely greeting me and announcing her return to town. I knew that the old world simplicity of life with MT. Haldane has made Irnla absurdly shy. So now I didn't want to drive her still further back into the secret places of her nature by seeming to demand her confidence on top of my in taking it for granted that 
 Aren't you surprised to find me established in an office of my own?" I asked casually, thinking that by talking about myself for a moment I'd be able to coax her to talk of her self in turn.
 CT hate to spoil your surprise" she replied frankly. ''But MT. Booth wrote about it to uncle-and then l heard 1t, too"
 Its nice to have faithful corre- spondents, isn't it" asked with an air of seeming naivete.
 And Irna's naivete which is real, frankly to the lead.
 ''It was so nice to hear from home" she confided with the quaint sim plicity that is here. 'I had number of letters from that dear Mrs. Hill, and once in a while MT. Mason add ed a few lines. Don't think I'ms silly, but I was fattered to hear from such a busy man.
 'I don't think you silly, dear,'' I replied gently.
 It wasn't in the least what I wanted to say My mind jerked from Irma sitting here sweet and cool and com posed and telling with glee of her let ters from Toms old housekeeper, to the other girl I'd seen sharing the friendship of the housekeeper not long before I translated myself back to Hidden Brook and the fierce sultri- ness with which Daisy Condon had cried out that Fate had a way of talk ing from her what she wanted most, but that now she intended to keep what was hers.
 You know I haven't many friends" Irrna Warren went on.with no thought of making herself more desirable by posing as desired. "And when a man of affairs and a fine old lady and splendid young woman like you all start to act as if you wanted to be friends, I can't help being so happy. I hope Pm not to eager-to respond. I don't-bore you by seeming so ready to be friends, do I? IT wouldn't want to seem over-anxious and-sort of push you away"
 There was a note of pleading In her voice as she ended. knew that Irna Warren had more in mind than didn't bore aae at all and that the of her readiness to be friends didn't make me any the less for her friendship. But I was afraid to make my assurance in elusive.
 After all no matter how splendid Toms friendship for Jim and me he still remains a weathervane where his heart is concerned. As far I know he wants what he wants until he gets it. And then he wants some thing else. So what would be Irma Warren's lot if she learned to care for Tom2 Nothing in my knowledge or experience of Tom-and the 1adies7- could supply me with pleasant an- swer to that.
 Her next bit of revelation left me more at sea than eyer. In gratitude. to the men who is so marvellous friend to Jim and me how can play Fairy Godmother to Irma Warren? have his family to reckon with and they'd never agree to the match now. It would ruin his social position or words to that affect. I went home and tainted and when came to I