The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-09-11
1.-The VANITY CASE %
A Tale of-Mystery and Love
By CAROLYN WELLS

want to avoid the subject, but If l
am to help you. and Lord knows you
need help, I'll have to ask you some
pretty blunt questions.
You may" Bunny said, but her
voice had taken on cold formality,
almost as if she spoke to an official
detective.
"Oh, Tod groaned, don't speak
to me that way, or / can't talk at
ALL"
The girl laughed outright
Go on with your blunt questions"
she commanded, but the laughter
seemed to linger in her information.
Tod plucked up a morsel of cour-
age. Surely a murderer could not
laugh like that!
when did you first see Mrs
Heath after she was iead?" he asked
ooh, 1 can't tell you that She
gasped as if in Mortified surprise.
and started to rise from her> chair.
"No. sit still Don't tell me any
thing you don't choose to, but do
oh, Bunny do confide in me! You
must have help--I will help you
Dear Heart, tell me all--all about
it."
live nothing to tell" and now
she spoke really coldly. and with an
accent of displeasure. II thought
detectives found out the truth from
clews and things, not from asking
people questions"
Both methods are used" and now
Teddy was stern and grave. 80
you wont help me to help your"
Il can't-oh, I can't-dont ask
me a-about it, DON'T"
Her little hands twisted them
selves .nerveusly together and one
foot beat a tattoo on the porch
floor.
well, tell me THIS" Buck felt he
mightn't get a better chance and he
must find out some things. did
you go downstairs and come up
again late that night? After you had
gone to your room for the night, L
mean"
"Why-no,-of course, 1 didn't.
Why should II"
But the maid said she saw you"
do you take her word in prefer.
ence to miner"
No, I do not. However, Inman
also says he saw you"
Larry said THAR she sounded
grieved rather than angry. "Well,
then it's his word against mine,
isn't it?" III
Bravado had come to her aid. Her
air was almost saucy, her tone al
most gay.
Buck was annoyed. How could
she treat such serious matter so
flippantly.
Bunny, dear. he said, at can't
let yoa go ON any further, there Is
something else i must tell you.
love you, darling, and I want you to
learn to love me. = want you to
promise that when this awful affair
is all over you will let me try to
win your heart. try to make you
see how | adore and worship you,
and try to win your love in return.
How about it, little sweetheart"
The fact that no )repulse had met
his overtures made Toddy's heart
leap high with joy, and he caught
the girl to him.
But she drew away, her hands
gently pushing off his eager arms.
Don't" she whispered, at least
not now,-not yet. You don't know.
oh, Teddy, dear, you don't
know"
You're going to tell me all don't
know" he caught her futtering
hands and held them close YOU'RE
going to let ME be your father con.
fessor and your guide, philosopher
and friend, as well as your slave and
adorer and-and, my darling, four
future husband"
She sighed, and for a moment he
thought she was going to surrender
her sweet self to his embrace, then
she turned away from him, and
with tears in her voice she said:
mo, please don't touch me. II
oh. don't know what to say or do.
And you can't help meat least,
now now! I must go through with
it! I have to,-oh, I have tor
Yes, dear, but I'll go through
with it, too. I'll be with you-every
step Of the way. You can depend on
me,-oh, Bunny, you can depend on
me-"
"I we'll believe that,-but, no, I
must go alone-alone."
And with that she left him and
walked slowly back and into the
house.
Ito BE Continued.)