The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-06-25

He answered the unasked ques-
ton in her eyes. Tom gave her
first aid, and then he thought he'd
better get her into her bed at home.
We're to follow as soon as you're
able to start"
Mary Rose drew herself up to a sit
ting position and pulled her little
green hat down over her eyes.
Together they piled the lunch bas-
ket, the cushions, the steamer rug
and Flossie's little ukulele-all the
"makins" of a good picnic-back
into the Wheeler.
1--WE don't seem>to have much
luck with our picnics. 1t rained last
time we had one" Sam said, as he
headed the ramshaclsle old car back
toward town. "Remember?' His
voice broke on the last word in a
kind of dry sob.
The sound filled Mary Rose with
pain and pity. It was dreadful ito
hear a man cry. It meant so much
more misery somehow than the
cry so easily. Their tears are like
April rain.
Cheer up, Sambo'' she said, with
a show of spirit. ''I7lossie won't die
Pm sure Of itr'
! He glanced at her Tin sure
she's going to- he answered. you
should have seen her when we lift
ed her into Toms car. She looked
like little corpse"
But Mary Rose shook her head.
mo" she said, "F1ossies sort of
story book person. Things happen
to her that would never happen to
you and me in a million years, and
she comes out of 'em smiling as if
nothing at all had happened to her.
Now, you remember"
She stopped and stammered. With
out thinking. she was just on the
verge Of telling Sam Jessup how
F'lossie had been taken sick a few
weeks before in the Pepper Pot road
house, and how she nearly died that
night!
Il don't know what you're talking
about" Sam answered in his down
right way. This near drowning Is
the only awful thing that's ever hap
pened to Floss, as far as I know.
What do you mean?'
The girl didn't answer him How
strange 1t was, she thought, that he
knew so little about the real Flossie
this man who would probably mar
ry her some day and live with her
until the end Of time!
"And she'll bear his children and
bring them up and cook him his
meals" she went on thinking. And
he'll never dream that once man
was in love with her who gave her
sapphire rings and vanity cases and
gold cigaret holders. He'll probably
go right ON working for that
She finished her thought aloud.
Sam, do you ever think of leaving
Mr.. Dexter?"
The boy gave her startled look.
Lord, no, Mary Rose! I'm going to
hang on to that job like the bark on
tree"' he exclaimed. why? What
made you ask? Hear anything
about me losing lt?"
| Fear came into his eyes.
The one thing Sam dreaded al
ways was losing his Job some day
when Mr.. Dexter had one of his
frequent >outbursts of temper. For
he knew that Flossie Middleton
would never marry him If he lost
his job. It was hard enough to hold
her to her promise, as things were
T. i
She lay upstairs in the white bed
that was drawn close to Mary Roses
white bed. Her face was pearl
white and she did not move muscle,
a finger or even lash sof the tight
shut eyes.
"Is she breathing?" Mary Rose
wondered. She was afraid to ask.
All around F1ossie's face was the
halo of her bright hair, and even
now her beauty made Sam Jessup's
heart miss a beat as he looked down
at her. He bent over and laid his
fingers on one Of the ivory hands
that were clasped on the covers of
the bed.
"She's warm, now" he whispered
as he raised his head. "She was so
cold back there
Tom Fitzroy turned from the win
dow. where he had been standing,
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