The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-02
CHAPTER 575 Copyrig ght,- 1920. King Features. \Syndi- cate, Inc.

told me as much as Daisy CondonSs fierce ejaculation on the night we mel at Hidden Brook had revealed. And the evidence that Loren Haldane's niece has fallen into Toms snare seemed about the last touch to his record of philandering.
 I've seen the coloriess little grain of dust, who once was Daisy Con don, turn into radiant, vibrant young woman bearing the same nanre, but nothing else to remind me of Kate's little sister. Toms doingi Now l. beheId quiet, hosney. o1d-fashioned Irnaa Warren triumphang ins the thought that a man hated to- leave town just as@she returned. Again Toms doing!
 One of the girls had to bea hurt. Perhaps both.
 The last time I saw Daisy-out at Toms place, Hidden Brook. where Mrs. Ein was chaperonings her for the week end-she gave me a-sdefinite i'm pression of terrific unrest and lack of boise. At that time sensed some thing churning about.ln s1aer mind and soul. And the forces I felt: at work in her seemed directly due to me. I'd brought Rates sister into the new world where such great changes were coming to her. I was responsible for her-to Kate, as well as myself.
 
 Daisy's feelings so clearly revealed Toms deep interest in Irnaa. Other wise why should he keep the news paper picture of Miss Warren at the launching of the boat she's christen- ed? But I hadn't taken Irma into account. Tom interested in Loren Haldanes niece was one thing. 1rma interested in Tom presents a. new phase of the situation. But what can I do about it? Every obligation of gratitude to Jim's friend Tom, demands that I keep my feelings to myself. Every impulse of loyalty from woman to woman insists that warn the girls l who are heading for unhappiness. l And I don't know what to do. l Then you really think he was sorry mot to wait to see me?" cried Irma
 smiling and toying with her own I words an dthe1r implication. I smiled too-trying to make it a knowing look so that my glance | would cover my puzzled silence and give my thoughts chance to scurry about and arrange themselves in .or- der.
 'eThen I've no reason to be hurt" insisted Irna- 1T wouldn't want any man to think he could telegraph me and ask me to telegraph him when to meet me-then snub me. Oh. Mrs. Harrison, please don't think me the great silly I am! But this is the first time I've ever been friends with
 a grown man and city man, too. And I know I'm a goose-so that's why I came to you to have you straighten me out a bit.'' It was straight from the girls heart. There was doubt of that. And I hadn't the slightest idea how to answer. Whatever I said was like 1y to be wrong. Who wants to go | stumbling into a romance and de- stroy it? Who wants to sit idly by | and watch two girls head for unhap- piness? And to make bad matters worse-I have most decidedly trou- bles of my own. As I opened my | mouth without knowing what I was l going to say-without being able to | decide for what kind of trouble 1 was reading-tfat little god out of
 the machine known as the telephone. rang.
 l As I started to answer it, Irma 1 Warren jumped to her feet. "Tm keeping you; I'm disturbing l you. I'm so ashamed of myself, | I'm going to run right along now and l telephone you some evening later this
 week to have dinner with usrand 1 you won't say a, word then to uncle
 about this visit, she added. waiting l With a, smile as she got to the door | and a shake of the head after she | left it, I picked up the receiver and l said my business woman's mechani-
 cal 'cHeI1o.''
 Hello, Anne-Car1 Booth speak | ing. They tell me you called and left word for me to do likewise ,''
 came the voice of my old friend.
 At once all problems except the | iy1aT a{jn nTf jrfn oh
 scurity, and I found myself crystal
 izing into A. L. Harrison, Advertis-
 ing Consu1tant. With the relief that
 a woman of business must feel at 1 having the assistance she neded now
 at hand. replied heartily:
 "Oh, Carl. I'm so glad to hear your l voice! I've been hoping, you'd call l me soon."
 wouldn't you have tried to reach | me again If hadn't?" asked Carl. | "Of course." agreed heartily l What business man wouldn't? And you're talking to A. L. Harrison, not to your old friend, Barbara Anne"
 ''Go ahead, then-A. L. Harrison, I as one man to another-whats eat 1 ing you7" demanded Carl with a
 chuckIe. shading the cheapness of
 his words and making them chum-
 my and soothing.
 T tried to call a directors meet ing ot sse company" I explained,
 'TbaE find that Max Hoadley is out of town"
 l '~roo bad: we'll have to postpone it, then" returned Carl easily.
 But had eagerness to match this My necessities were grim and, though I didn't think it wise to say i so over a. wire which might be-as
 Mabel Storrs had warued-tapped by | not love, not a braggadocio mower to 1 ttaho nffst-rnrsf raalfxA that erl1k ffn<