The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-01-31

wisely. "Oh, yes; we do that here"'
But I don't mind loose shoe
strings" he said. Not if they're
yours"
They'll find out what you do
mind"
But suppose" he said, looking at
her whimsically; suppose I wouldn't
mind anything-so long as it's yOurs?''
She courtesied. "Oh. pretty enough,
But a girl who's talked about has a
weakness that's often fatal one"
What is it?'
IT'S this: when she's talked about
she isn't there. That's how they kill
her"
I'm afraid I don't follow you"
Don't you see? If Henrietta-or
AIildred-or any of 'enl-or some of
their mothers-oh, we all do it! Well,
if any Of EN- told you I didn't tie
my shoestrings, and if I were there,
so that you could see me, you'd know
it wasn't true. Even if 1 We're sit
ting so that you couldn't see my feet,
and couldn't tell whether the strings
were tied or not just then, still you
could look at me, and see that wasn't
the sort of girl to neglect my shoe
strings. But that isn't the way It
happens; they'll get at you when I'm
nowhere around and can't remind you
of the sort of girl 1 really am"
But you don't do that" he com
planned. You don't remind Tne-you
don't even tell me-the sort Of
girl you really are. I'd like to know, "
Let's be serious then" she said.
and looked serious enough herself.
Would you honestly like to know"
Yes"
well. then you must be careful"
"'Careful2' " The word amused
him.
II mean careful not to get me mixed
up" she said. Careful not to mix
up the girl you might hear somebody
talking about with the me I honestly
try to make you see. If you do get
those two mixed up-well, the whole
show'H be spoiled
What makes you think so?'
Because its" She checked her
self, having begun 10 speak too I'M
pulsively; and she was disturbed, real
izing in what tricky stuff she dealt
What had been on her lips to say
was, Because it's happened before
She changed to, Because it's so easy
to spoil anything-easiest of all to
spoil anything that's pleasant"
That might depend"
No; it's so. And If you care at all
about-about knowing a girl who q
like some one to know her"
Just some one?' That's dlsap-
pointing"
"Well-you." she said.
Tell me how careful you want
me to be, them
We'll, don't you think it would be
nice if you didn't give anybody the
chance to talk about me the way
the way I've just been talking about
Henrietta Lamb?"
With that they laughed together,
and he said:
You may be cutting me off from
a great deal of information, you
know"
Yes" Alice admitted. Somebody
might begin to praise me to you, too;
so it's dangerous to ask you to change
the subject if I ever happen TO be
mentioned. But, after all" She
paused.
After all isn't the end Of a
thought. is it?"
Sometimes it is OF a girls thought;
l suppose men are heater about their
thoughts. and always finish EN-. 1t
isn't the end Of the thought 1 had
then. though"
What is the end of it?'
In At h fre1r7 lciv val
"Oh, it's foolish" she said, and she
laughed as laughs one who proposes
something probably impossible. But
wouldn't it be pleasant if two people
could ever just keep themselves to
themselves, so far as they two were
concerned? I mean, If they could just
manage to be friends without people
talking about it, or talking to them
about it?'
Z suppose that might be rather diff
ficult," he said, more amused than
impressed by her idea.
Il don't know; it might be done"
she returned, hopefully. Especially in
town Of this size; it's grown so it's
quite a huge place these days. Peo-
pie can keep themselves to themselves
in a big place better. you know. For
instance, nobody knows that you and
are taking a walk together today"
How absurd, when here we are on
exhibition"
NO; we aren't"
I'VE aren't?'
Not a bit Of itp' she laughed. we
were the other day, when you walked
home with me, but anybody could tell
that had just happened by chance, on
account of your overtaking me; PEG.
pie can always see things like that
But we're not on exhibition now. Look
where I've led your
Amused and a little bewildered, he
looked up and down the street, which
was one of gaunt-faced apartment
houses, old, sooty, frame boarding
houses, small groceries and drug
stores. laundries and one-room plumb
ers' shops, with the sign of a clair
voyant here and there.
You see?" she said. i've been
leading you without your knowing it.
OF course that's because you're new
to the town. and you give yourself
up to the guidance of an old citizen"
I'm not so sure, Miss Adams. 1t
might mean that 1 don't care where
1 follow so long as l follow you"
Very WELL" she said. I'D like
you to keen on following meat least
long enough for me to show you that
there's something nicer ahead of us
than this dingy street"
rs that figurative?" he asked.