The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-20

" FROM one or It's pockets she drew
| a small crumpled sheet of paper. On
1t was a typewriter message. II
still think you are loveliest thing in
the world, and if | were free would
you'll see me this afternoon at 4, at
the old meeting place.
The note was unsigned. But Mary
Rose knew that it was from Dexter
He left it. on my typewriter yes
| terday,' F'lossie told her, smoothing
out the creases of the paper.
thoughtfully.
But you didn't meet him. her
sister asked anxiously.
mo Flossie answered. I'm GO
ing to make him get down on his
knuees and crawl before he can get
back where he was with me. Then
I'll see him and find out what this
life-and death matter is"
Mary Rose shook her head. "There
isn't any life-and-death matter" she
said. He just wants to see you
again to patch things up with you,
so he can get back on the old foot
ing with you. But don't you let him
do it. Promise me"
She got that far and stopped short.
| What was the use of asking Flossie
to promise anything? She never had
been known to keep any promise
that she made.
What she would do was to prom
Use anything tell anything, to get
herself out of a tight place. Just
as she had told Mary Rose that she
would marry Sam Jessup IL only
Mary Rose wouldn' tlet him know
that she'd been running around with
Hilary Dexter.
But Mary Rose had one trump
card left and she played 1t now.
"All right, you do as you please
about it.' she said sharply. But
IL you don't marry Sam, and If you
>do start running around again with
Dexter. I'm going to tell the whole
story to SAM I'm tired of shoulder.
ing your blame, anyway!
Flossie laughed again. She was
powdering her face now, turning it
this way and thatsunder the mirror
lights and making eyes at herself
as she did it. She took out a little
box of lip paste and Redeemed her
mouth. Then she took out another
little box and began to darken her
lashes with the mascara that it con-
tanned
ITS too late totell Sam that stuff
now" she observed, as she stood
back from the glass to admire her.
self. You should have told him
about it at the time--he'd never be.
lieve you nov. So go ahead and blab
all you want to-"
Mary Rose knew that what she
said was the truth. 1t was too late
now to tell Sam or any one else that
it had been Flossie's vanity case that
Mrs. Dexter had found in her hus.
bands car.
For the whole Office had mulled
over the story so often that it had
become ancient history to them. 1t,
was a settled fact at the Dexter
Company that Mary Rose Middleton
had been "jaEzing around with Mr..
Dexter and that Mrs. Dexter had
found itNout and raised particular
Ned aobut-ftt
And Flossie, the real culprit, went
unscathed.
On the SOth of October, the Office
force of the Dexter Company was to
give Halloween party-a mas
querade.
Flossie, after long and deep
thought, had decided she would be
most fascinating if she went dressed
as ballet dancer. For weeks Mrs.
Middleton had spent most of the
spare time ruffling yards and yards
Of pale pink chiffon for the short,
puffy skirt.
What kind of a costume are YOU
going to wear. Mary Rose?" she
asked the girl two or three nights
before the party, as the two of them
sat under the lamp in the back par
! Tor.
Mary Roses lips quivered. At %
1t is hard to give up a party-espe-
cially that most interesting of all
parties, masquerade.
I'm not going" she answered
quietly I'm going over to read to
Mrs Manners that night"
1t had become an established GUS
tom for Mary Rose to read chap
ter or two of Anna Karenina" to
John Manners mother, one night
every week.
%They had almost finished the IA
nous tragedy and had made plans to-
start Thackerays vanity Fair"
ITS Johnny's favorite novel," Mrs
Manners had said to Mary Rose,
watching the girls face closely. But
it betrayed no sign of emotion
Mary Rose was learning that hard
est lesson of life-not only to hide
her feelings. but not to have them at
all! Not to feel hurt when Miss