The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-08-17

feared. David was passing
with DR.. Emerson down the
main street. Before the drug store
were three or four wooden chairs,
occupied by the portly and the
politically inclined. A burly fellow,
with a great bull neck and a SLOUGH
hat pulled slantwise, accosted them
with menacing glance from large,
slothful eyes.
Emerson said: Hello, Larry"
The other mumbled some in
articlulate answer and spat out a
great wad of tobacco, just grazing
their feet and making both of them
step quickly.
David growled: Hell Of a way
your friends greet you!"
Emerson laughed: Small town
for you. That's Milford. Used to
be coroner; lost out in the last cleo
ton and blames me-"
"How so?"
Got himself in wrong in a girl
case some years ago. The town
went against him. He tried to get
me for signing the baby's death
certificate. He's been down and
out ever since"
David repeated carelessly:. Girl
case?" He recalled at once the
rumors he had heard and Chickie's
confused admission: Il know, DR..
Emerson Yesl Quite we'll" He
waited with an abnormal anxiety for
the details.
Yes, the baby died. No ques-
ton about It, 1 attended the girl.
1t was very unusual case"
Again David repeated: Unusual?
Aren't they all alike?"
Not this one. BY the way, the
girl came from Indianapolis. Well
connected down there. Munson
knew her and sent a lawyer to de-
fend her.
David said laboriously: Helena
Bryce?"
You know of it,"
He nodded heavily: "Yes-some-
what. She's in training at the
hospital"
|
and faced it, did she? She had the
goods. knew it. A damn shame
the whole thing was"
you attended Rer-did you see
much Of her?"
'Well-she was around here five
or six months, believe. Had every
one buffaloed. 1 never gave the
question of her marriage a second
thought. She seemed very quiet and
superior"
David interrupted harehly. THAT s
possible, isn't it? What was the
mixup over the death? Why. the
| inquest-months later?"
Then Emerson told him and think
ing that David knew far more than
he did sketched a heartening pic
ture of that blustery day in January
when Chickie came with the dead
child in her arms, the dog following
her. How white and beaten she was;
how she cried out when he said the
child was gone; how she gave money
for the burial, even for stone
above the grave.
FIR. EMERSON said: ave
I'M never forgotten it. She was
@ quite a beautiful girl Her
mother was dying. 1t was a pitiful
affair all the way through"
David turned his head: did the
man show up? Did anyone know Of
| him?"
"She wouldn't tell. They couldn't
cuff or threaten it out of her.
Wonderful the way she's stuck it
out. I heard afterwards believe
it was old Mickey told me, that it
was some young iawyer--they were
engaged; had been going around for
years. Some trouble or quarrel came
up and he dashed off to New York
and got married. I believe the sec
ond girl was wealthy"
Didn't other people know?
Didn't they stand by herr"
They didn't know. No one knew
until Milford sent down and had
her brought back here by the sher-
iff months after the whole thing
was over E"
David doubled his fists So this
was Eelena's story ~
He sat in a room Of DIR. Elmer
sons home that night and reviewed
it. He scratched up pad after pad
of Emerson's prescription blanks
then he stood at the window and
smoked.
Chiclie's face. with soft. fair hair
done low at her neck. and her slim,
delicate, white hands, were before
him. He kept seeing her eyes, so
deep and beautiful, as she turned
suddenly in a way she had, and
asked: What now, Mr.. David?"
He became bitterly uncomfortable
tossed away a cigaret, then an
other. He was conscious Of a mad
dening desire to rush down to the
city and look at her-learn If her
face was the same as when he left
If she might smile.
The picture Emerson had drawn
Of her running along in the wind,
carrying the child, laying 1t dead
on the table, grew vivid as though
he had seen it. Or as though it
were but yesterday the tragedy had
happened and he should hurry to
her, offer comfort
In the back of his mind voice
said to him: L love her" 1t
caught him with dull shock He
would not hear it. But he became
foxya,4ut xrri< l, HE 1trraef.4 NTH Ifo