The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-04-17

CHAPTER LXXIII

CHAPTER LXXIII
Your husband brought these"
Angus Mcneil came into Sandy's
room and laid an armful of clothes
on the bed. It was very late-the
night before the funeral. Look at
them and sec IL they're all right"
Her black bengalne with the
white ermine collar and cuffs-a
three. piece suit new just before she
ran away. And the small black hat
with a bunch of white aigrettes on
the side.
"He wants you to wear them to-
morrow"
Sandy colored, her establishment
replaced Immediately with a chill.
mournful bitterness. He brought
clothes because she would be pointed
out as Ben Murllo's wife. She must
look the part.
She shook out the coat and laid
It down again carefully.
Angus Added with his watch fob.
his large eyes moving uneasily
well? Well-what shall I tell him?'
"Oh, they're quite all right. He
seems to have taken good care Of
them"
Angus shook his head vaguely
took a determined step toward the
door and paused abruptly: You're
to walk down the aisle with him.
OF course you realize this"
For an instant her fingers loitered
on the silky fur. She raised her
head. her breath bursting turned to
her father with white, quivering
face. mo. don't realize It. I'm
not going to walk down the aisle
with him. I'm going with Alice
Alice Is going with me! DO you
intend to make a scene at time like
this? You know it was your moth
er's dearest wish to have you return
to your husband &c.. her dying hope
that YOU would see the light. Your
poor mother sacrificed herself for
her children. If she could speak
now she would ask you to do this.
You can give this last tribute to her
memory"
Sandy pressed her fingers against
her cheeks, steadied herself against
the blood rising In a stirling tide.
mo; I will not walk with him"
Her fathers green eyes, now
black. lit with anger lie thrust his
hands furiously in his pockets and
glared at Sandy. Then he walked
stiftly from the room.
She heard him thudding down the
long, narrow hall 10 the room ad-
joining Alice's heard his shoes drop
heavily
She felt sick with cold, whimper.
ing chill.
Downstairs in the old salon
parlors. candles burned above the
coffin, shedding a gentle light on
Issbel's still face and folded hands.
The soft. wavy hair was huffed pref.
tlly against the satin cushion
That vague, 1eetjng smile seemed
caught on her mouth as though she
rested happily here, liking the grace
full. violet robe. liking the dignity
and peace
Would she ask ths---that Sandy
walk down the aisle with Zen Mu
r1llo? Sandy touched the lace at her
mothers neck. All. yes-Augus was
right. If Isabel could speak she
would ask It,
And she would ask II, feeling it
her right to point out the path; never
doubling that the way she saw was
the right way. Sandy must follow
It. Even from the grave Isabel
would now reach out and demand
this.
Sandy trembled How complete
was her mothers belief In her own
infallibility. And how grmly she
had enforced It. This sweet, shall.
low. retiring personality had yet
gone through life with the force Of
juggernsut riding stolidly over
Alice. over Madeline, over Sandy
And now she was gone--but ask
Ing that, even dead. their lives con.
form to her wish Close to her
were these children woven Of her
flesh To themselves they might
seem unique vidusls--utterly
new and Independent beings, chatting
at the meshes her love sought so
continually to Irvine about them.
But to her they could never be so
separated. She was the mother in
whose thought they had existed be