The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-05-08
CHAPTER LVI
DeSDOndence
the middle Of the page ia
nina had written: $50 you've
~ turned u brave Red over to

-N the middle Of the page ia
nina had written: $50 you've
u turned cur brave Red over to
Tia, and he's flying to San Fran
cisco to settle it up quick. Con-
gratulations, my lear p~rotege. Glad
to see you're getting sense"
Chickie saw only that. Fogs that
were thick and pulsed swirled about
her. Her head grew light and cold.
Through the trees went the flash
Of bright summer dresses, young
girls waving their letters, beckon-
ing to n another, laughing. They
seemed remote, drifting farther and
farther from her. The sun, too, was
passing and she herself sinking into
these gray, thronging mists that
touched her with such chill fingers
on her face and in her thought.
Some n passed, said. Good
morning." She heard it dimly-gave
no answer. Some one bumped
against her-a laugh, and three girls
surrounded her. Wanda Lent, teas.
ing, Must be a bear Of a letter.
Let's see the first liner"
She was aware Of smiling vaguely.
stuffing the letter in her blouse,
pushing them away.
No thought came to her-only
this fainting weakness stealing the
life from her heart. She sat there a
longe while without impulse to
move; to protest. She said to her
self, II must go. I can't sit here"
Bu. she didn't stir.
"A corner of the heavy envelope
stuck so hastily in her blouse,
pressed against her flesh. Heat like
guilt rose through her. She touched
the letter, drew it out furtively,
smoothed it slowly on a shelf Of
the rock.
Janina had more to say: MET
Tufts on the street just half an
hour ago. He gave me the low
down, though he didn't know 1t.
What a shock! I thought you were
gone for fair on the boy. I had
visions Of walking slowly before
you to the altar. Instead, off goes
the groom. Some lure to the brain
of callow youth, I'll say
-7T didn't occur to Chickie to
doubt this. She let 1t sweep
~ yer her in rolling, desolate
waves that bore her down and in
their ebbing sucked the warmth
from her veins.
In her mind there grew an image
Of him going with hurried steps
down the path. twtss snapJ ing and
Of herself, c%rouching against the
tree, listening for the steps to re-
turn.
Farther away now-steps grow.
ing fatnter-no sound at all.
Gone" she said this aloud, and
suddenly a frightened pulsing shot
through her mind. Gone Flying to
Frisco. Gone for good"
She got to her feet and began
running down the road, g. blazing In
her thought. Stop him-call him
back! That was it. Tell him not to
go.
When she came in sight of the
station her sudden wild courage
IIlckered. In q Whlmperlng misery
she began accusing herself: You
sent him. You pushed him into 1t
You made him CO."
In a way that gripped her so that
she stood motionless, as though con
fronted by a living presence, thai
last moment under the madrone re
turned. He was bending down tc
her. He was saying: "Chickie, you
love me. oh say it! You won't;
You want me to go? Chickie, it's tor
late now"
Too late now-her thought stopped
at that, seized 1t. That was what
he said. He cared too much. He
couldn't let 1t end. you don't
want me to 60, Chickie? Oh-loob
up, say it. After all we've felt
After all we've told each other