The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-08-12
The names in This story are purely
ferring to any particular person. pece
CHAPTER Tx

The names in his story are purely
ferring to any particular person. pSce
CHAPTER Tx
The rest of that black winter night
always stood out in Mary Rose Mid
dleton's mind like weird and ter
rible dream. A hideous nightmare.
The wild bowling of the wind out
side was part FIT, and the beating
of the savage storm against the
windows Of the hallway where she
sat. So was the sickening medicinal
smell of the hospital.
She remembered afterward how
Ito, the Fitzroys' Japanese chauffeur
had come up to speak to her, grin
ming to hide his grief. Fifteen years
before it had been he who had taught
young Tom to drive.
bad night-very rainy" heNsaid.
II think poor Mr.. Tonne skid into
other car. Man in other car not
hurt-poor Mr.. Toms neck broken!
You see poor Mr.. Toms car all
smashed down at corner of your
street, eh?"
and 1t was not until then that
Mary Rose realized that one of the
wrecked cars she had passed on her
way was the one in which she and
Tom had raced with the wind so
many. many times!
Slow tears rolled down her white
cheeks, as she remembered how he
had looked behind the driving wheel
of that car. She could see him now,
his red hair blown straight back,
and his blue eyes narrowed as he
guided the stink wheel" over the
roads of the open country, with
her at his side.
Strong and laughing and brave
with youth he had been-that was
so crushed and broken, now. She
got up and tiptoed into the room
where he lay.
I'VE aren't giving him any more
morphine for a while" Miss Sims
whispered to her. 1.-THE ministerll
be here, soon. DIR. Toms father
seems to think it'll make-him happy
to know you're married to him.
don't know-I don 't-'believe much in
these deathbed marriages, myself. "
The door opened and Tom father
came in.
Don't you want your mother here
with you, Mary Rose?' he asked,
putting his arm around her
But Mary Rose shook her head.
Poor little mother-she thought
there had been enough sorrow and
heartbreak in her life without add
ing this unhappy memory to it. This
marriage Of Mary Rose to her old
playfellow and friend on his death
bed.
She looked down at the gray face
on the pillows, and saw that Tom
had opened his eyes a little. once
more, and was watching her with
great peace land contentment in
them. She laid her hand. with it's
bright ring, lightly on the bandages
that bound his forehead.
And suddenly something that he
had said TO her, long ago flashed
across her brain, like lightning across
darkness-"So Sometimes I know when
things are going to happen to me,
and know this-that you and I
are going to be married, sometimes,
sure as DEATH"
Sure as death! And so they were
going to be married-sure as death!
To Mary Rose 1t seemed as if
death were waiting, somewhere out
in the darkness, somewhere outside
where the wind ratified the windows
and doors like an impatient hand
She shivered.
At four o'clock the minister came
to marry them-Dr. Broderick. Of
st. Thomas church, where Tom had
gone to Sunday School, and where
as a. young boy, he had sung in the
choir.
Toms mother had collapsed and
was in a drugged sleep in the room
across the hall But his father and
Miss Sims, in their white linen
clothes, stood side BY side before
the dresser where two tall candles
flickered.
To Mary Rose they seemed like
figures in a dream--this dreadful
dream that went on and on
Nothing seemed real to her but
the familiar and beautiful words of
: the marriage service. She had read
them over so many times that she
knew them by heart.
Dear beloved--we are gathered
together here in the sight of Cod
to join together this man and this
woman"
- And at the sound Of them, Mary
Roses hear seemed to swell with I'M
bearable pain. Her throat ached
with the effort to keep down the
lump that rose in it. andNher eyes
smarted with tears that she did not
dare to shed.
She knew that Toms eyes were on
her. and that she must not let him
Make this Test F