The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-11-11
JOANNA

"For once" Joanna remarked,
when she Strengthened up, Il want
to drink. I'm going to wait until
George comes in, if she makes 1t
early enough, and if her boy doesn't
get the air too quick ~ buy them
taxi while we hunt an all-night boot
logger"
|" EORGIE arrived, early - 1
III o'clock. Her companion Oh
IL the evening was sufficiently
equipped to supply Joanna's I'M
accustomed need, and glad or the
excuse for lingering over his dis
missal. Joanna's bitterness was mel
lowed. but far from banished, when
a streak of gray, stealing across the
court of sordid back yards, warned
the two pajama-clad girls propped
up in Joanna's bed, that II they were
to have any sleep at all against the
excitements of the day to come they
must get between the covers ana
trust to the housemaid to awaken
them. Many houses had been built,
some Of stone that were destined TO
stand forever, some cards that would
be blown away.
With her awakening to the new
day-the first full day of her new
estate varying emotions rushed IN
confusion into Joanna's mind. Her
first thought was of John. With 1t
came the urge of recollection of the
scene in the drawing room only.
She WINGED at the sudden memory.
She would get hold of him right
away. She wouldn't lose a minute
before he went to his work! She
buried her hand in the hair on the
pillow beside her. George had stub
bornly shut her eyes, refusing to be
ordered up by any housemaid, but
opened them wide at the viciousness
of Joannas tug at her shingled head.
"Pile out and get dressed" Joanna
commanded. "And be quick-you
can make up afterward. Bring
them things in and we'll ask Mrs.
Adams to let us cook them in the
kitchen for breakfast-and ! want
you to telephone from downstairs
on your way out"
George, her wits not fully gath
cred broke off short in a general
remark to the effect that some peo-
pie had their crust. Things came
back to her, especially that she
must send word to the store that
i
couldn't show up at the silk coun-
ter until the next day, and that
Joanna was going to take her shop
ping. She blotted out her first re-
mark with, "Surest thing you
know" And, in her own concep-
ton Of the way people kept their
affairs straight, she added:
"I'lI make the telephone in about
two minutes. What did you say
Johns number is?"
UT Joanna decided she would
X not telephone to John. The
hurt was too lively and bit
ter She didn't even want to ever
hear from him again. Brandon had
said she mustn't make mistakes.
That her perspective was no longer
that of the shop girls. Brandon!
Who, and what, was he? He must
be mixed up in this strange affair of
hers in some way. but he denied it.
She didn't like him. Why? She
was afraid of him. Why? Wasn't
1t because she was afraid of him, of
his association with her unexplain-
able good fortune, that she didn't
like him? He had been so quick to
begin his acquaintance with her,
and he frankly said he was going to
be devoted to her.
Yet Brandon had nothing to do
with her amended command to
George who had whistied her way
into the few clothes she habituauy
wore ard who was asking what she'd
say to John when she got him.
Nothing" Joanna replied, tartly.
IT don't want you to call him. Don't
be silly. I was only joking. Just
get the breakfast Take a five
hundred dollar bill and tell me what
delicatessen men look like when they
have fits"
Which George gayly did. Her re-
port was Historically satisfactory,
sobered only by the discovery that
she'd been short-changed ten dollars
out Of the twenty dollar bill she had
finally given him.
Let him keep It," Joanna ordered,
shortly. It'll be something to re-
mind him of the next time he re-
fused you credit"
"If you get me those buds you've
promised me-" George returned,
"I'n never look at a delicatessen
door again. I'll get my herring and
dill pickles at the Ritz. See if l
don't. All 1 need is clothes to get
out Of the delicatessen class"
Joanna shot a keen look at her,
but said nothing. John had turned
her soul against preaching.
m HE beautifications that are
suitable to new street tail
@ leurs, Joanna's which she had
worn the afternoon before, and her
preliminary gift to George, which
Georgia had blossomed in for the
evening, are not hasty ceremonies.
1t was we'll toward noon when the
two girls settled in their taxi. And
then George had to wait, a block
from the store, where she would not
he detected & having broken neither