The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-12-11
By III. l.. Gates
CHAPTER XXXIII

IN W I1GN LILO uoAAAAoSu h5~AS
IWI doomed at her table Joanna
looked up, curiously. When
she recognized the unmasked face
she started. The relieved greeting
she would have given any one close
Ito her, who might provide intimate
companionship through the rest of
such an exciting adventure, trembled
4 for an instant at her tongue. But
something in Brandon's face numbed
her lips.
She rose to her feet, hand up, over
her breast, with faint recoil.
y The fear that she had never
shaken off, crashed down upon gher
in a tumult--the uniformed, unutter-
\ able fear that came to her when he
first touched her fingers at the table
across from Eggleston in the bank
when she had written her first check
against her mysterious money.
"You here?' she breathed. IT
didn't know-have you been-?"
II have only arrived" he said, his
words suave but irritatingly ironic.
I am happy to find you-alone"
Joanna knew, from his tone and
his manner, that climax portended.
A climax of some sort; something as.
ISOLATED with the night, with her.
with whatever Brandon had stood for
in his relationship to her since that
day in the bank a.
Out on the dance floor, and at the
tables near, she saw men and women
looking at them curiously; at her,
the Golden Girl whom everyone rec
ognized and for who many eyebrows
had been raised when she came in
with the bedraggled troop that had
! been ushered back to club house by
the brigands. Looking at her and
Brandon whom they also knew. Her
chin went up little, and she
braced herself inwardly.
II am alone only by chance" she
said coolly. IT was here with Kenil-
worth. He has been -
3'I know" he broke in. Some
mountain bandits have taken charge
OF him and returned you here-so
that every one may know that for
your relaxations you choose a So
ciety and a surrounding that are
to say the least, daring" -
"That, Of course, is what pleases
you to know. Why have you come?
feel that you are here-because
OF me-" +
I am" he said, shortly. II am
here to tell you, at last, that the
play is over. AS you have put your
mask aside for the rest of the night,
so your interesting little masquerade
must be dropped. You came up here,
imagine, to color an amour. In
stead, you are about to discover
what you're made off,
She sank back into her chair. Her
face blanched. Her brain ached with
the knowledge of an animal that in
some mysterious fashion it has been
caught in a trap. Before he spoke
again she laughed, a short unmu-
steal laugh, as If she were amused by
the foolishness of her feeling. the
utterly righteousness about it.
The laugh died abruptly and she
watched the man who still stood
looking down at her unsmiling, I'M
gracious, inconsiderate.
II haye a great deal to say to
YOU" Brandon declared. He paused
moment and then continued
There is a room-a small upper
room, just off the balcony. If you
do not object, may we talk-in that
room?"
Tn HE got to her feet silently
IC and, when he had bowed his
~ acknowledgment Of her as
sent, walked with him to the, cir
cular stairway that led to the mez-
canine. At the door of the private
banquet room he stood aside that
she might enter ahead of him. A
waiter met him at the. door.
1--WE shall not be served, bran
don said to the man, 'but, as I shall
leave the door open, perhaps you
will stand near to discourage loiter-
ing on the balcony"
Joanna faced him when he
stepped across the threshold.
Don't spend your wits in Skin
mishing," she challenged him. What
is it?''
He ignored her challenge for a
moment while he lighted a cigaret,
first offering her his platinum case.
When he had evened his light to his
satisfaction he went to the fireplace
and dropped the burnt match into it.
For apbther moment he pulled calm
ly. Then he turned to- face the girl,
who leaned back against the table
in the center of the room.
would you mind" he asked, soft
ly, deliberately, telling me what is
your general impression Of me? Not
an analysis OF. my character, please
but an expression of the quality OF
your regard for me?"
She replied without hesitation. 81
have always distrusted you, but ]
have never been convinced that
was justified. If I hadn't feared you,
I'd have liked you. AS it is I am
afraid 1 despise you, at times, be-
cause know you, are dishonest-dis.
honest with me, and with Yvonne
who loves you. Is that the answer
you want?"
mot exactly, but it will serve.
Suppose 1 should ask you to become
my wife?
'You used to tell me that you
might do that, some day. I've al
ways had an answer ready. I'd
never marry you because I could
never love you. If I could love you
I wouldn't marry you because. by
all the laws of decency, you belong
to Yvonne whom you allowed to love
you before you decided to laugh at
her for her pretension that she