The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-30

The astonishnaent with which I'd heard myself acknowledging to Ralph Lacy that we were friends didn't last. : In it's place came a feeling that we'd always been friends and always would be. So when I went back to carry his message to Miss May it was with feelings divided between the loyal wish to say nothing that would give her any inkling of his plans. He'd managed to convey to me the idea that ne wanted them kept secret, so hardly knew what to say and what not to say until Miss May gave me my cue.
 You look perfectly satisfied" she cried. 'It's just the way I knew you'd look after you and Ralph got your heads together 'I like your assurance I laughed. What magic do you think we've worked %
 "Oh, you told Ralph that I'd made d mess of things. He vas sorry ani 1 sympathetic not scornful as I let myself fear. So he probably sent for | that stubb orn, overgrown boy Hoad- | ley and persuaded him, for the honor l of the fami1y-that's me-to go 1 through with selling out his hat bus | .ness.'
 | Nothing like that" I confessed.
 Ralph wasn't disgusted with me?" 1 sasped Miss May, reverting to the I u | carly in the morning.
 1 Not at all. He seemed complete ly to understand that-that you'd done 1 your best,' I declared with growing sense of certainty. 'In fact he seem- l ed positive that you'd-bui1ded bet | ter than you knew. He gave me the ] impression that something good was | bound to come of your plans. He said you'd set train of fine and dandy 1 circumstances in motion. He said you'd done something big. He insists 1 that you haven't failed.' l If he said all that. it's true, and l I know he did, for you wouldn't be putting me off " said Miss May com placently. T mean as long as Ralph l says it's all right, it is. But I wish he didn't have to be making up ex- cuses for me and allowing for me like the silly old woman. I am l II havn't conveyed his message to you clearly. Nor his spirit I con- fessed Else you'd know that he tisn't making up excuses. He's hiding ornething big up his sleeve And it's as if you'd knitted the sleeve, with plenty Of room for big things to hide l think your Ralph is planning a coup d'etat. And he's building it on leads from you. Can't you trust him as do?"
 At this Miss May did surpr1sins 1 thing. She leaned forward in her chair and stared at me fxedlv. They, she said in the qeerest, half chuck1ing l tone:
 Certainly I can trust him as vou oo. Ralph isn't your nephew; he's mine And besides, he has the most honest gray eyes I ever looked into.' | All of which is a trif1e irrelevant" l replied with every bit of dignity could muster. "But as long as YOU aren't breaking your heart over your n fo ont Sor,e they won't be wasted. guess my mis- sion has accomplished it's purpose
 I'd like to know what that bows up to?" churcked Miss May CT just feel as if every bit of the responsibil- ity was on his shoulders now. And Kind of like it that way. I don't feel as ambitious as I thought I did. Ra1nb kind of affects you that way, don't he?" 0oA
 Yes. he does." confessed absent mindedly
 And you just look at those steady nsht gray eyes of his and keep look ing in between his thick Iashes and you know you can't any more get to the bottom of his big soul than saa all the way into his eyes," continued Miss May.
 l smiled at the way the dear little old soul was rhapsodizing. On she went brisl1ly:
 
 ner orr to that boy or know why. He's the dearest, steadiest, souarest man isn't he?' '-''
 Hes all of that-though I'm in chned to reserve my superIatives for my husband" I replied. permitting myself to laugh aloud
 Miss May bridled and shook her head at me with the utmost serious ness as she flung back:
 IT your husbands half the man Ralph Lacy is, Mrs. Harrisan, you can be proud of him. There's enough Sooo In that boy for six full-sized men. We'll, to business" she added nrlskly, shutting off a quick retort that had leaped to my lips in defense of Jim. When is Ralph going to accomplish his miracle and turn my defeat into victory ?''
 He said we'd hear from him to- night I replied, nor could I forego adding, Miss May. since you like nice poys so much, I'm looking forward to having you meet Jir~. He's boyish and yet he's absolutely the head of the family. He's all man-and strong and handsome. with a Vaccinations and an unexpectedness that make ordin- ary men seem very prosy"
 Ralph Lacy is no ordinary man." replied Miss May.
 l I didn't answer. If anyone else had shown so partisan spirit I'd ] have declared that she was hardly courteous. But I realized that my little partner had given her loyalty once and for all to the two fine boys who had treated her with such chiv- airy and such an air of real affection and devotion. After all, I'd hardly like her if she didn't stand up for them even at the cost of seeming to question Jin's superiority.
 It didn't occur to me until after ward thaa it wasn't for them" she was standing up, but just for Ralph Lacy. With a smile I accepted her dictum that he is ordinary man. and letting that stand as my answer, I plnged into the days work.
 It was late afternoon when Ralph IacY telenhoned ask for what n