The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1923-02-17
ALICE ADAMS
by BOOTH HARRINGTON
in The Times series by Indiana writer's
1921 by Doubleday, Ppge Co


"Oh, poor Walter!' over and over, but
after a time she varied the sorry tune.
''Oh, poor Alicer' she moaned, cling
ing to her daughters hand. "Oh,
poor, poor Alice-to have this come
, on the night of your dinner-just
when everything seemed to be going
so well-at last-oh, poor, poor
'Hush!" Alice said, sharply. Don't
say poor Alicer I'm all right"
You must be!' her mother cried,
clutching her. You've just got to bel
! One of us has got to be all right
surely God wouldn't mind just one of
US being all right-that wouldn't hurt
him
Hush hush, mother! Hush!'
But Mrs. Adams only clutched her
the more tightly. He seemed such
a nice young man ,dearie! He may not
see this in the paper-Mr. Lohr said it
was just little bit of an item-he
may not see it, dearie-"
Then her anguish went back to
Walter again; and to his needs as
fugitive-she had meant to repair his
| underwear, but had postponed doing
so, and her neglect now appeared to
be a detail as lamentable as the ca
lamity itself. She could neither be
stilled upon it, nor herself exhaust its
urgings to self-reproach, though she
finally took up another theme tenn
porarily. Upon an unusually violent
outbreak Of her husbands, In denun-
citation of the runaway, she cried out
family that he was cruel and further
Z
Of Walters beauty as a baby. and of
his bedtime pieties throughout his In
fancy.
So the hot night wore on. Three
had struck before Mrs. Adams was
got to bed; and Alice. returning to her
own room, could hear her fathers
bare feet thudding back and forth
after that Poor papar' she whis-
pered in helpless imitation of her
mother. Poor papa! Poor mama!
Poor Walter! Poor all Of us!'
She fell asleep, after a time. while
from across the hall the bare feet
still thudded over their changeless
route; and she woke at 7, hearing
Adams pass her door. shod. In her
wrapper she ran out into the hallway
and found him descending the stairs.
Papa
Hush" he said, and looked up at
her with redeemed eyes. Don't wake
your mother"
L won't" she whispered How
about you? You haven't slept any at
au"'
Yes, did I got some sleep. Tn
going over to the works now. l got
20 throw some figures together to
how the bank. Don't worry; I'll get
hings fixed up. You go back to bed.
Goodbye"
Wait" she bad him sharply.
What for?"
You've got to have some break
asst"
Don't want ny"
You waltz she said, imperiously,
and disappeared to return almost at
once. I can cook In my bedroom
-uppers," she explained, but I don't
lcieve I could in my bare feet"
/ Descending softly, she made him
wait in the dining-room until she
brought him toast and eggs and coffee.
| 'Eatr' she said. And I'm going to
| telephone for a taxicab to take you, If
you think you've really got to 60"
No, I'm going to walk want
20 walk"
She shook her head anxiously. You
lon't look able. You've walked oil
night"
NO, I didn't" he returned. Il tell
you I got some sleep. I got all 1
wanted anyhow"
But, papa"
"Hereg' he interrupted, looking up
at her suddenly and setting down his
cup of coffee. Look here! What
about this Mr.. Russell? I forgot all
bout him. What about him?"
Her lip trembled a little, but she
controlled It before she spoke. We'll,
what about him. papa?" she asked,
calmly enough.
We'll, we could hardly" Adams /
paused, frowning heavily. I'VE could
hardly expect he wouldn't hear some /
hing about all this"
YES; of course he'll hear 1t, papa"
"Wen?"
We'll. what?" she asked, gently.
You don't think he'd be the-the
cheap kind tia make difference with,
IF course"
"Oh, no; he isn't cheap. 1t won't
make any difference with him."
Adams suffered a profound sigh to
,scape him. 'Well-Im glad Of that,
nyway."
THE difference" she explained
the difference was made. without his
hearing anything about Walter, He
Doesn't know about that yet"
well, what does he know about?'
Only" she said. about me-"
What you mean by that, Alice?"
lie asked, helplessly.
Never mind" she said. TITS
nothing beside the real trouble were
in-I'u tell you some time. You eat
your eggs and toast; you can't keep
going on just coffee"
"I can't eat any eggs and toast"
he objected. rising. 81 cam"
'Then wait till I can bring you
something else"
NO" he said, irritably. 81 won't
do It. I don't want any dang food, /
And look here"-he spoke sharply to
stop her, as she went toward the tele-
phone-"I don't want any dang taxi,
either! You look after your mother
when she wakes up. I got to be at
worllr'
And though she followed him to
the front door. entreating. he could
not be stayed or hindered. He went