Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-19
T CHAPTER XIX.
Dorothy Looks in a Mirror.
"she means everything in the world tc

"She means everything in the world to
me-"
Peters words were like a cleaning
sword between him and Dorothy.
He turned and went slowly from the
room, as he realized what he had said
1t was impossible to talk longer with
Dorothy, and his heart was so heavy that
be hardly knew which way to turn.
Left alone in her room. Dorothy paced
the floor in a fury. She was enraged
with Peter for his devotion TO Ninette ;
she had long suspected it, of course, yet
his confession startled her. And it had
been unlike him to make it, great as the
provocation had been.
well, ! shan't give him up, even *
they are in love with each other" she
declared. angrily. Hes far too good
a thing to lose And he's too honorable
to ask me to release him, of course. Be
sides, he really needs a wife like me-
Ninette would never do credit to a man
of his position"
Even with herself she did not dare TO
be truthful, and acknowledge the fear
that had haunted her waking hours
since the moment when she regained
consciousness after her accident. Try
as she would, she could not CONQUER the
forebodInR which the doctors evastys
words only served to strengthen.
How will l look when the bandages
are taken of my facet" she asked him,
time after time
That's hard to tell till the time comes. >"
he would answer, or There may be some
marks, of course; however, wouldn't
worry about that"
She had tried pitifully hard to have
faith in his alf-promises that her beauty
was not gone, yet at times 1t seemed to
her that she must tear away the conceal
ing strips Of gauze and learn the truth,
bitter though 1t might be Once or twice,
when the long night hours dragged in
terminably, she had even started across
the room to the mirror. but she had al
ways turned back before she reached It,
too fearful to yield to the impulse that
had driven her.
And always there had been in her mind
the comforting assurance, "Oh, well. II
my beauty is really gone III still have
Peter-he wouldn't go back on me, he's
too much Of gentleman"
Tonight, however, the impulse to learn
the truth for herself was stronger than
ever before. She tried to fight It or by.
curling up once more on the couch by
ll6 nre anu opening Dook, out reaQlng
proved to be impossible, and the mirror
hanging on the opposite wall fascinated
her
Twice she started up from the couch,
and then forced herself to lie down again
81 won't do til won't" she told her
self determinedly
And yet,-wh~>not just lift the edge Of
one of the bandages the least bit? Sure
~ there could be no harm in that And
If the skin was ciear-if there wasn't any
scar-that would be so reassuringl
And so, reasoning with herself. argu-
ing the wisdom Of her own folly, she stole
over to the mirror lighted the cant $
that stood in scouces at its sides, and
lifted the edge of one bandage ever so
lightly.
Her Joyous exclamation was whole
hearted. For the bit OF skin thus re-
vealed was unscarred.
"Oh, 1t did henl-I have not lost my
beauty" she cried exultantly, and tor
the bandage from her face.
One glance at the mirror, and she sank
back, covering against the great chair
that stood behind her
Her beauty, her one asset, was forever
ruined.
A livid scar zig Jagged across one
cheek. The flesh was puckered into q
white welt that drew up the corner of
her mouth into a CHASTITY grin. The ef-