The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1942-11-14
meant to her2"
"Ma-am?"

What she means, son, Is that
Nancy needed q sort of big bro
ther that night of the car wreck.
and you happened to be the
one. You'll have to excuse an
old man for preaching, but 1t
don't never do any harm to
show unfortunate people a ia
vcr that way. You understand"
Yes, sir. was glad to help,
what little ! could. But II wasn't
just me. 1t was al Of US. You
folks. most Of all. And the
team"
"She thinks most of you,
Duane" said Nom.
well, I appreciate that. but
it's not"
II tell you what, Duane" Pop
was stretched out comfortably
on the big sofa now, and jab-
bling a finger at the younger
man. If / was some of you
young buckos; be doggoned If I
wouldn't be looking at Nancy"
Mrs. Miller held up her hands
and laughed. For goodness
sakes. what do you think they
are doing?" she demanded. Nor
man was even cycling her right
out in the open. here today!"
For no reason-no reason at
all that Blythe could. see-all
three Of the others turned and
looked at her. And so far she
hadn't said a word! Their looks
were open, frank, quizzical, un-
til all at once they became self
conscious.
"A-humph, humph!" Pop put
on a very poor act of coughing.
He didn't have a cough, and the
transparency of it simply made
the little matter worse. To her
own CONSERVATION, Blythe felt
herself blushing. She, Blythe
Miller, sophisticate of 1912,
turning hot on the neck like a
Lizzy-Jane somebody from away
out on an r. F. D.!
She tore off all the pretense.
Listen, you folks" Bly, said,
smiling self-consciously, don't
look at me! OF course Norman
was 'eyeing' Nancy! Why
shouldn't he? She's a very pref
ty girl. And Norman certainly
isn't the least bit retiring"
"You ought to know, honey!"
Pop said that and thought it
awfully funny, from the way he
laughed. Mother Miller BEAM
ed, and Duane had rather
silly kind of grin. Lordy, said
Bly, to herself, what a naive,
folksy, supplemented bunch
they are!
And then-contradicting her
own self-she suddenly loved
them for it; all at once she knew
she wouldn't have these good
people any other way! Sophisti-
Gated? Modern? That kind Of
pretending didn't jell any more.
The warmth on her neck was
gone again, and Bly, had an odd
little desire to hug all Of them,
hug them and kiss them then
and there.
Nom was making small talk
again, going toward the kitchen
to start the dishes, and Bly,
would have followed but Duane
motioned her to stay. When
Nom was away, he softly closed
the living room door. All at
once then he was serious.
"Pop-Coach," he said, Il
have been talking to Bly,"
Both Pop and Bly, looked at
him in surprise. Duane was un-
consciously flexing his arm mus
cles, fist clenched.
Eyes, sir" he nodded. "And /
wanted to tell you, / don't know
what the score is, but you can
count on me. I'm not too smart
at figuring things out, but II
there's a job of work at hand"
He paused, q bit lamely. appeal
ing silently to Blythe.
II ought to say, Pop" she put
in, that the pistol brought you
didn't come from Captain Fos-
ter, as you asked. It's Duane's.
I didn't think any Of the Lincoln
Field officials-well, maybe
they oughtn't to get suspicious Of
anything. Until you are-until
we"
Eyes, sir" Duane nodded.
"And whatever needs to be
done, ! wish you'd let me do 1t
for you. Fists or gun!"
It was q tender moment, and
Pop honored that offer OF
friendship with a long silence.
He was deeply touched.
(To Be Continued)