The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-04-27


pretty blue lamp over hei bed and
reached for a book. 1t was a book
Barry had given her-the story of
Ethan Frohm.
But she didn't read. She sat up
right and let her thoughts and her
emotions beat and exhaust her with
the battle they waged, Her love
rallied against her resentment; in the
end love won, leaving her shaken
with regret because she had allowed
Jake to lure her into another date,
Her thought protested: Il have
a right to take a little pleasure!
He doesn't care! He's hardly let
me see him this whole week. He
means that about waiting years and
years. Why. he thinks I'm throw
ing myself at him. And he must
remind me-oh!'
Love answered: He's working
like a slave. He cant run from
the office as you did! And didn't
he say he wished it could be right
away? He loved enough to wait
ind wait"
All, yes-and didn't his eyes go
down like holy lights into her
heart? And didn't his arms sweep
about her as he whispered: "Chickie
Il wish it could be now"
She was drawn back to the
piercing tenderness Of that moment
when the tumult of her feelings
stilled hers when she had seen the
flush staining warmly to his fore
head. his lips parted. He called her
the dearest thing in the world"
And, oh-he meant it! She knew
that-well enough.
TILL these images of Barry
"a spoke to Chickie; they sent
IL the tide Of EN- otion warm
and high. AS it's gentleness suffused
her, she was ashamed of the day
given to Jake; ashamed of the
shallow anger, the hurt vanity. Re-
greet for the thing she had done
sharpened like a pointed tooth in
her mind.
Running down the country with
Jake, because she was piqued!
Furious with Barry, because he had
to work nights and couldn't enter
tain her, because he happened to
say lightly that they had years and
years to talk. Ah--that was a
mean, petty way for her to act!
But she would make amends. She
would be worthy of the fine, strong
beauty she saw in him. There would
be no next time" with Jake: no
long drive through the hills; no
more dinners at quaint, out of the
way places that only he might
know. Oh-she would give it up.
and gladly. Love bathed her in it's
sad, terrible humility
She went to work the next
morning in a state Of exaltation.
Yesterday she would wipe away.
She wouldn't speak Of it. But there
was the future-all of it, bright
with promise. And it was for him.
She phoned to Jake. The girl
answered that he was out of town.
He would be in the office Saturday
morning. Time enough! She would
call him then-say she couldn't
possibly go.
The fervor of her resolution
made her radiant; filled her with
a happy mirth. Janina observed
and made her own deductions. which
she promptly conveyed to Chickie
In a note:
mot such a babe in the woods,
after ALL huh? Glad to see your
not going to follow in our dear
Stellas footsteps! Have a nice III
trip and get back as was We
got your stall, ole dear, but Mitchell
didn't Better look a little pale.
Remember. you were too i'll to work
yesterday"
Reading this, Chickie's mood
dropped a few degrees from it's rapt
intensity. 1t dropped still further
when at noon, Stella Wilson, with
the selfish unconcern Of those
swathed in melancholy, insisted on
accompanying her to lunch
Stellas desperation had now mel
lowed into a fearful sentimentality.
She was no longer furious against
John Bluely, she was sorry for him.
She had discovered that reason-how
or where, she didn't mention--for
his marriage to Eva Bowman. 1t
was a reason of course, that puffed
to huge dimensions Stellas pricked
and suffering egotism.
John had not forsaken her. Never
Of his own wish would he have cho-
sen another. His spirit still was
hers. He had married Eva only be-
cause Of business complications with
~~ - 49,