The Bridgeport times and evening farmer. (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1918-1924, 1922-06-23
CHAPTER 593

door of Car1otta house, Tony explain
ed his plan:
First thing tomorrow morning I'll
telephone to make an appointment
for US at the bank. I'm close to the
| vice president in the foreign trade
department. He managed my affairs
splendidly during the slump in ster-
ling. I've an idea. that about $3.50
will suit him. Is that all right for
you?"
Completely all right" I answered
| forcing myself to caImness and an
Imitation of serenity. although I felt
that I'd made a momentous decision.
| Tony" I flung out nervous1y. IT
don't believe there's another man in
the world from whom I could accept
so much"
| should hope not he replied
quizzically I'D hate to think you
| went around collecting friends if
they were a string of china beads.
You've a wonderful group of women
friendts-Betty Winston and Carlotta
Sturges''-
| 1.-TWO don't make a group. You
| said once when you were just begin
| ming to know Carlotta that she and
| Betty make a fine pair" I replied
| mischievously.
by jove! remember that.'' Tony
replied thoughfully. 81 liked Carlot-
| ia from the first. She's Betty with
out the hyper-civilization. Betty with
| out the high polish and veneer. On
| the surface you'd say Betty and Vtr-
ginia Dalton are alike-but at heart
| Betty's as honest and sound and sweet
as Carlotta. And Virginia's let life,
and pride, and certified standards
warp her Poor Wee! She never did
anything more foolish than throwing
your friendship away. L wonder if
you won't have to take her back
| again some day when you find out
| how you two women of one Clan need
each other
virginia doesn't need mel" I SCOT |
fed. ''And I've proved that no mat |
ter how badly I need her, won't turn |
to her. She's too insolent for me-"
"Insolence and pride!' repeated
Tony gently. Nothing could be more
foreign to your nature than those two
| qualities, Anne. I suppose nothing
could hurt you more than-insolence
and pride when they get on a high
horse and override your delicacy. But
I'm thinking that you'll have to learn
| to deal with them. You've married
into family where they are natural
herita ges. You'll have to learn-Iis-
| ten to the old fellow preach! And
| here I'm keeping you up to all hours
| to do it. Run along to bed, Friend
| Anne. I'll arrange for our interview
| tomorrow and let you know if $40 is
all right with friend V. p Good night. |
And thank you for your friendship
and for being yourself-sweet and
| fine always"
Good night, Tony" I answered
chokingIy. Il thank you, too-for
being yourself. And I decline to
stand here for the next hour and tell
you all that means added-manag-
ing to recover myself as I concluded
-"but I think you must guess how !
precious one of its meanings is. the |
understanding which is silent. but as
sure as if you'd put it into words !
Good night
ran into the house then because |
I had arrived at the point where |
Tony's unfailing loyalty was pre-
cious to me that I didn't want to say |
another word about it. The hall light !
was burning for me. Everywhere else |
there was still darkness. Carlotta's |
door was shut. 1 wondered if this |
was to spare herself or me, and de- |
cided it was sheer delicacy on her |
part. All the while I was preparing |
for bed I refreshed myself with
thoughts of Tony and Carlotta.
No one could be pessfmist about
folks I decided as I crept between !
the sheets. when a big, fine breeze
of girl blows all the dust and Gin |
ders out of the way as Carlotta !
Sturges does. Think of her guessing
that I needed Tony-and sending him
to me. Think of her not coming along
to assert the beginning of her infiu-
ence in his life No other wofntn
would have stepped aside like this n o
other woman could have resisted |
waiting up to see what had happened
She trusted Tony to see things
through And she's to loyal to stay
up and take any risk of having me
| i r|y,~r h o16
in his coming-just when needed
This thought jerked my mind back
to the issue I was trying to evade.
wanted to be rested and relaxed be-
fore facing the Max Hoadley problem
But now [ couldn't help puzzllng
about a certain phase of it Had Car
| lotta dreamed that I was going to
have difficulties with him? Did she
| guess that CARTS failure to wait and
| saw good night to her the night be-
! fore meant anything serious? Some
day I'd have to puzzle out the WORK
| inss of Carlotta's mind in regard to
| nv unfortunate experiences as Wo1n-
an in business
| In the old days at Haldanes I'd
| never encountered any such unpleas-
| antness wondered If my present
ditHcuIties meant that me uncon-
scio11sly take a less restrained attitude
| toward the married woman on her
| own" or If they fell to the lot of the
| woman at the head of her organiza-
| ton and forced to deal directly with
| men.
1 tried TO dismiss these unpleasant
| +bonghts and to go to sleep, but
could. MY problem demanded atten-
| tion. It fairly clamored to be
| thought out to conclusion. ] was
| vide awake with that sudden clear
ness of vision which sometimes comes
from over-fatigue. A sort of mental
| second wind came to me, as II
| uere tapping reserves of power be-
hind my weariness
| 7 knew I couldn't sleep until had
faced and settled my big problem
What am I going to do aeout Max
| Hoadley?
After my experience with the n~n
can I go on handling his advertising
| ACCOUNT