The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-06-27

loves. And love was the absorbing
topic of her dreams. What about
men? Did Chickie find them thrill
ing? What did she answer when
they proposed? Was Chickie en-
gagged? Would she rather her hus-
band be terribly handsome or home
ly and rich?
One day they were sitting in a
corner OF the garden. Grape vines
curtained them. It was about
o'clock. The tea things were wheeled
aside.
Barbara had received letter early
in the afternoon. She become absent
and wistfUl. Now she gave little
tweek to Chickie's sleeve and sighed.
Helena, you never tell me what
you truly think. do you? I mean of
life. What you think of life :"
Chiclde smiled: ooh, no-you mean
what I think of love-"
"Well-please tell me honestly
how many men have proposed to
your"
mot very maryland 1 don't be-
lieve a single one had the ring in
his pocket. In the future 1 intend
to demand this as a preliminary to
all proposals"
"There-.thats the way you do!
Every time / bring up interesting
things, you get ridiculous! I know
girls who have had twenty-five pro-
posals in one summer"
did you over hear them, Bar
bara?"
"No-but they say so. They're
terribly popular: Lee goes wild when
say I'd like that. He SAYS it's
cheap and that a real girl wouldn't
be so vain. He says it's con-
temptible thing to lead a man along
and that a girl should be ashamed
to arouse an emotion she doesn't
intend to accept. What do you
Think"
That he's right. But sometimes
girl can't be blamed, it seems. You
can't always prevent people caring
about you"
II suppose you've sometimes even
found it annoying? Oh, I'd adore
would think: Isn't she wonderful
Let me kiss her toe! But I've not
had many affairs at all. Every time
start nice filtration, Lee snubs
me. I can't stand that. He says it's
the way Edith began"
Edith was an older sister. 26, and
married. Both Barbara and her
brother bristled with antagonism
when they spoke of her. She was
vixen; an empty thing; always
butting in. They wished she'd go
and live by herself. When they were
little and needed a mother, she
hadn't ever bothered. But now she
was always pushing her face into
things. Trying to run them! Edith
and her husband were in the East.
They were returning because Of
Barbara's accident. This made the
girl quite furious.
Wait till she gets here. She'll
just begin spelling everything But
anyhow-you were going to tell me
what you think of real love. Is it
beautiful"
Barbara blushed and poked the
edges Of her letter down between the
pages of a book.
Yes" Chickie answered. "They
say it is. I have a friend, and she
says that she would suffer any pain
to have known love- 1T is so
glorious. But I think 1t must be
the cruelest thing in the world to
own one So"
Does 1t own one? 1t does-doesn't
it?"
They looked at each other, Chick
les face was white. They didn't
hear the vines parted. Lee Whitman
stood before them. He smiled. He
dropped down on a stool at Bar
bara's feet.
60 on" he said. eagerly. I'm
here to stay. I heard. Go on"
Neither of them spoke. Chickie
felt his eyes moving from her
clasped hand to her face. He said
1T shouldn't be cruel, though, even
though it does own one. One should
be glad to be owned, shouldn't they,
Miss Bryce?'
81 don't know" She was afraid
that he had seen her mind.
But he added. with his eyes touch
n ch0 he
tiful than cruel"
That night as Chickie came from
Barbara's room whitman met her in
the hall. "Have you seen the foun-
tain in the moonlight, Miss Bryce?"
Eyes"
Then you know it is worth see
ing again. Come for a walk?"
She smiled, but shook her head. at
must write some letters. My father
will be worried if he doesn't hear"
III give you an hour to write
you letters"
I'm not that quick"
please want to talk"
Wont tomorrow do, Mr.. Will
MANI"
His face paled. "Oh-all right,
then" But he stood moment sur
veying her. He breathed quickly as
though he were angry. Chickie felt
the blood surge warmly to her face.
She shivered.
But the next morning, taking the
two of them for a drive. he was
exuberant and careless. She found
out that Barbara had phoned for
him to come. She thought: IT must
seem ridiculous to him. I should
have taken the walk He's not inter-
ested in me-"
That afternoon Barbara had call