Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-13


MY dearest"
"Oh, you take it so calmly!" sne broke
out you are quite willing TO marry
Dorothy, just because they say she Iaay
be Scared. What does that matter? She
never cared for you-you've just sajl so
and T."
She stopped, afraid to trust herself to
say any more.
Nothard walked away from her agi-
tatedly. After a moment he troke out
again:
Its my duty, as l see it. She has
only her beauty-you know that, Nj
nette, and you know what will be said
If | ask her to give me my freedom. |
can't do it, Ninettel l love you with
every beat of my heart, but this" He
stopped, as some one tapped at the door
Mrs. Crawford entered. She looked from
her nephew to Ninette, and hesltated,
painfully aware OF the ira gedy in both
their faces; then she said:
"Peter, Dorothy Is asking for you"
There was an eloquent silence, then
Peter made a quick, irresolute gesture.
THANK you. l will come directly
Mrs. Crawford hesitated but they both
seemed to have forgotten her, and she
went silently away.
AaNV
was marble white, and her eyes blazed-
she had lost all sense Of justice and pro-
portion in her newly realized love. She
had known the JOY of being held in
this mans arms. and of feeling his
kisses upon her lips, and for the moment
her soul was ahame with jealousy.
IF you go to her now l will never
forgive you or speak to you again as
long as | live I" she said.
She hardly raised her voice, but It
was shaken to the depths by the strength
of her passion.
"Ninette, for Gods sake"
She drew back.
~ mean what l say Put yourself In
my place and see how you would feel.
Imagine that some man who cares for
me was upstairs, asking for NELL
How would you like me t. go? Her
breast rose and fell stormlly; her lips
so shook that she could hardly form her
words. "If you go, now you will go
| forever--I never want TO see you again!
l don't care II she is III or what is the
matter with her. You say yourself she
doesn't love you. Well, dol l suppose
I've no pride to say it now, but it's the
truth, and / won't spare you You can
go to her. II you like, but IL you think
shall stay down here. and not mind,
when know you will kiss her, and"
she cried out as If In pain as he caught
her hand and tried to turn her to him.
"Oh, let me go--let me go" she sobbed.
But he was stronger than she and he
held her forcibly. making her look at him
as he spoke.
l.
upset, unstrung It's my duty to 80 TO
ler now, and you know It. love you
there Is no other woman In the world
for me-but Dorothy is ILL"
Ninette cried out passionatsly;
II wish she was deadi"
She trembled so that she would have
fallen but for Nothards upholdiDg hands
and for a moment they looked into ono
another's tragic faces silently. Then he
broke out again:
"At least kiss me, Ninette-if it's for
the last time!''
When he hent toward her she strug-
gled, and tried to hide her face, but she
was like a child in his grasp. and no
pressed long, passionate kiss on her
lips before he released her.
He turned to the door, but as he
opened 1t she called his name wildly,
Peter"
He looked back, All Ninette stretched
her hands to him.
Don't go ito her-don't col"
For a moment she thought he hest
tated then, with a sudden movement he
turned and walked out of the room, shut
! ting the door behind him.
! She stood where he had left her, SILVER
ing from head to foot, her hands pressed
hard to her lips to keep back the sobs
| that rose.
She heard his Slow steps across the
hall and upstairs, then the opening and
shutting of a door.
| She dropped into a chair then, hiding
her face and swaying to and from in
utter misery. In an overwrought tmagi-
nation she seemed to see every step OF
1 the way he took across that darkened
room till he reached Dorothy's bedside,
/ He would kiss her; he would speak to
her gently
Ninette bit her lip till It bled
II will never forgive hlm-never I"
! To her headstrong. passionate nature
she could see nothing right or honorable
in Nothards action. She argued that II
he loved her he would not leave her, even
for a few moments, at the request of any
other woman. She would not have done
such a thing in his place.
| She hated Dorothy-hated her, hated
her Her blood seemed to be on FIRE as
she sat there in the silent room torment
| ing herself.
II will never forgive him--neveri"
Ninetts slept that night with those
words In her heart, and she woke next
morning with them trembling on her
lips, to find Mrs. Crawford standing be-
side her bed.
Were you dreaming, my dear?" she
asked. You cried out when I came into
the room"
| Ninette struggled up.
'No-at least-is anything the mat
teri"
Nc; Dorothy is better. l think. She
had far better night than we expected
Nurse made some tea, so 1 just brougb:
you a cup"
Ninette drank It thirstiIy. Her head
acbed, and when presently she dressed
and went downstairs, she felt weak and
shaky, as il she had a bad Illness.
Peter was at the breakfast table and
Mrs. Crawford, but Ninette avoided
/ Peters eyes. and answered his good
morning" with stiff lips.
Breakfast was a silent meal, and sc
soon as II was over Peter made an ex-
cuse and left the two women alone
| Conversation was difficult, even be-
tween them, for Mrs. Crawford had
guessed good deal more than she had
seen overnight, and her heart ached for
Ninette's white face and the hard pain
of Der nephew's eyes.
why don't you go for a walkg' she
asked the girl. It's a nice, bright morn