Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-09-16
CHAPTER XIV.
The Approach of Disaster.

Ninette had just come in from a walk
and her pale face was little flushed
with the keen wind, and she carried
big bunch of shaggy brown chrysanthe-
NUNS in her arms.
Nothard went white to the lips as their
eyes met; but he only said Good Morn
ing" quite formally, and Ninette held
out her hand coolly.
How do you do? We are quite
strangers how is Dorothy!
II think she is better, thank you.
Haven't you seen her!
"No."
There was a little silence which Ninette
wont, you come in7 think tea must
be ready, and Mrs. Crawford will be
sorry If you don't stay"
She led the way into the drawing
-oom. but though tea was laid by the
FIRE. the room was empty, and Ninette
busted herself with pouring It out.
I've been in the park, she said. sue
hardly knew what she was saying. Her
heart was beating fast, 1t seemed as II
n must choke her What a lovely aft
ernoon It's been, hasn't il ~
"Yes-at least, / don't know. 1t was
I'm Dorothy's room-of course! I for
got. I'm so glad she is better
She carried cup of tea to him, but
Nothard took 1t from her and put It down
on the table, keeping her hand nrmiy ID
| his
"Ninette. I am not goiug TO be treated
ike this--as If we we're Strangers' his
voice was rough, his breath uneven
Last timA we met you
Her dark eyes were raised 70 his.
Last time we met offered you your
choice, and you took it. told you
would share you with nobody. l VIII
not"
You were cruel--unreasona5lel what
else could I dOY She was Ill; it would
have hurt her cruelty
Ninette's lip curled.
Hurt herr Nothing can hurt her, ex-
cept the loss of her beauty"
He let her go.
THAT is a hard thing to have said" he
told her.
She repented instantly.
ut was. | am sorry. 1t was brutal
Of mel But why talk about it at all!
It's your fault; you spoke Of her. The
subject was dead I've forgotten It."
| She spoke hurriedly She went beck ia
| the table and poured another cup of tes
with unsteady hands.
| Nothard watched her for a moment in
| silence Forgotten. had she1 He al
most hated her for having said that when
he was so desperately unhappy that he
hardly knew what he was doing. Days
/ and nights had been a bell of torment
since Ninette sent him away. He won
dered drearlly what the future would
prove to lie like. when there was nc
/ longer the vaguest possibility Of avert
ing his marriage.
Pain drove him to be cruel and 1t was
9TH deliberate intent that he said pres
J entity:
IF you have so easily forgotten. as YOU
say. perhaps il will be interesting to You
20 hear that am to be married as soor
as Dorothy is well enough7''
For an instant it seemed to Einetts
that a dreadful silence fell on all the
world She felt herself growing cold
from head to foot and for an instant she
thought she was going to faint.
She bit her lip hard, to try to recover
herself. She would rather have died thar
let him zee how his words had cut her II
the soul But all the will In the worlt
could not keep the pallor from her face
or the look of stony shock from her eyes
and after a moment Nothard said again
hoarsely;
You have not quite forgotten, then
| Ninette2"
She turned away-che could not trus
herself to answer-and at that moment
Mra Crawford cane into the room.
/ Nsnette made her escape soon after
| ward. She went upstairs YEARLY, tee
sick at heart TO think, to feel very
much She only knew that she longed
desperately to be alone so that she
turned, with a frown of annoyance when