The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-05-03

vor of her lips; her singing: Happy
New Year, Doug-oh, happy, happy
year"
Almost midnight. They sat at the
table. An eggnog was served. Alb
ruptly and sadly this recalled Ju-
dith running up the hill, the milk
bottle in her hands. Then he told
Sandy about the meeting and that
he had asked Judith along. But she
wouldn't come, and how strange this
seemed If it was true they hadn't
quarreled.
Bright stains like red petals
bloomed on either of Sandy's cheeks.
Because if you left just because
they're crowded, they were crowded
just the same months ago"
What did Judith say?"
THAT you wanted to gos"
II had to go!" Then feverishly:
you see, my aunt is against di
vorce, just as my father is. She
would still think I had no right
no right to think of you, Dauglos.
judith wouldn't think this?"
"No-Judith Wouldn't" And
for the first time the whole evening
Sandy's spirits fell. She thought
with filter of vague despair: IF
he saw Judith take that picture of
his the way she did and thide it
away--if he saw that look in Jul
dith's face-oh, Lord, if he guessed
| that Tu6ith 1oVnd hint
Then they rode out to the Marina.
1t was raining-a fine, gray mist
that whirled in great, silvery wheels
over the waters. Sandy thought Of
the night of the housewarming,
when all the guests Were gone and
she had stolen to the big room on
the third floor.
How utterly alone she had felt
watching that pale finger of light
trace across the sky. And as she
stood there so, suddenly and shyly
like the opening Of petals. like the
| flutter Of a song, a faint stir
touched along her nerves. Arresting,
delicate. unique-the stir of life
-. notes Of music dropping on her
heart.
Then she was no longer alone.
Then she was filled with this warm,
yearning sweetness.
eyes, drawing a deep, unconscious
sigh. This happiness would not
pass. This happiness was hers. She
felt suddenly an imperious need of
assurance.
She reached one soft hand upward
and laid it against his check. Doug.
las, if the noblest and sweetest
woman in the world came and said
she loved you, would you still think
of me?"
The sweetest and dearest has
said it,"
But if someone better?" And
now both hands touched his face,
held it while her eyes searched and
pleaded: "If someone better? oh,
somebody fine like Jude?"
Her lips trembled. Then her ewes
closed, feeling the sweep .of his
arms, the laugh Of his lips against
her own: IF all the women in the
world-if the five hundred wives Of
Solomon came"
1T would still be I, Doug? I,
first? You see I've always been so
near to happiness and always Just
missed it"
He sawsthe tears trembling on her
lashes-saw the whiteness of her
lips He said between a laugh and
cry: you poor little kid, But.
YOU won't miss it this time. III
make up to you for all that, Sandy
for every last bit of it"
"I' wish you'd say that ten thou.
sand times, Douglas. You don't love
me as much as l love you. You
couldn't. No one in the world loves
as l love you
And that night, too, Sandy stood
at TIE window, her eyes filing be
cause of all that music in her heart.
Il can't help it," she mulmured:
Il can't help it! It's mine! It's ours"
She found it so easy to laugh
easier still to cry
They went on seeing each other
every day-growing nearer-grow-
ing happier until the very summit
Of joy seemed theirs.-
In the end of January Bob Nc
Neil sent a wire to Sandy; Come
down this weekend, will you? Tn
looked for complication. Don't get
too alarmed. Fear counter charges. "
Saturday Sandy was back in Santa
Barbara. She stood in the office of
Bob Mcneil
Bob handed her a letter: "See here
}little kid-dont. get so white He
says he has the goods on you.
know it's lie. But read this"
Standing there with those burning
words leaping from the pages, Sandy
felt the desolation that is death.
d.