The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-03-27
SECTION
When 4 Girl Marvies
By ANN LESLIE.

CarPs door and then walked in. still immersed in my mental processes still to all intents and purposes the man of affairs
 But as I walked into Carrs office he 1eaped to his feet It didn't reg ister on my mind that he wasn't in the habit of rising when I came into his room. forgot that business men haven't time for such social ameni- ties, nor. indeed, the acute, se1f-coa-' sciousness which would lead them to pay such tribute to business associ- ates.
 T came in to make an appoint- ment to see you later" I tossed at him out of the depths of my pre-sl occupation.
 Nothing could suit me better" re- piled Carl.
 We've a lot to arrange-a lot to talk over. I hate to go. Our asso- citations has been so close" I began
 Then I felt my hands caught in Carfs nervous grasp, and-almost before I was aware of his touch-his hands frightened over mine and drewf me toward him. I didn't react quick ly- l didn't realize that this was act ualIy I about whose fingers mans hot, nervous hands were folding so 1mper1ously. Nor did I have any particular consciousness that this
 
 manding face, was Carl Booth-the big-brother of my city career, the good friend of my business life. s~ For ., minute I had an utter de- tachment from the strange scene. Then a wave of, pity swept over me- If Carl Booth cared for any woman he must care deeply and-decently. If he laid hands on another man wife it must be because he was inn pelled beyond his power to control his own big, fine nature. He must have received encouragement - or thought that he was receiving it. Ii didn't blame Carl at all. I blamed my own stupid absorption in my | own life, How could Carl know that Jim filled my heart to overf1owing ana | that all my friendliness was fmper- sona1? In the moment before I start l ed to withdraw my hands from Caris l. Judged myse1f-not him. I knew 1 had been leading my own life to the | point of blind selfishness. I felt that I'd have to withdraw from Carl not only the hands he had no. right to | touch, but the very spirit oh the 1 friendship he'd misunderstood | through no fault but mine. '1'1n sorry, Carl-so sorry,' I said i gently, looking up at him squareIy and uncompro rnisingly s l Don't look at me so pityingIy." ha cried, flinging my hands from him az | if they burned him. You needn't 1 say a word. can read what you feel. I didn't expect it to be disgust. I've founght against this, Anne. It fa | one of the reasons I thought it best | for you to go- But I meant to let you go with-the old friendship in-. l tact Only when you said we'd a lot to talk over and that our relation had been so close I misunderstood l Deliberately, I knew you. I needn,t havs misunderstood. It's just that I'm a brute and wanted to-misun-s l derstand."
 Shall we forget this-bit of dra- | matics?" I asked in a tone which I held to level notes in spite of the4 uneven jerks of my breathing. We; l have business to duscuss. And there | is an old, decent loyal friendshdp which doesn't die in a moment of l storm, Carl" s- Carl didn't answer. He strode tns the window and stood with his back | turned and his head flung high, aA 1 if he were gazing out over the roofs and trying to find an answer to something fin tho skyline of tiae world. t~-
 CTo Be Continued)