The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-30

Yes. I see." Faith said slowly, as
If waking from a nightmare. You
figured that If Mr.. Cluny Tilted you,
Bob would have to marry you. or be
branded as a cad by his uncle and
his family. Was that it?" She drew
her hands out of Cherry's clasp with
one sharp tug.
There you have it, Bob Hatha-
way sprang to his feet and strobe to
the huddle of Cherry with blazing
hatred in his eyes. That's the pre-
cious little scheme she cooked up,
and that's where we stand now. can
you blame me for behaving like a
lunatic, Faith? No matter how the
mess is fixed up. I'm the goat!'
But what did you say to Mrs.
Albright" Faith asked with pain
full slowness, If she were still half
unconscious in the clutches of
nightmare.
Il don't know what / said"' Bob's
hand again ravaged his thick mop of
chestnut curls. Something insane
about Cherry's being a great little
kidder, and that it was Uncle Ralph
she was aged to, not me. Stun
bled all over myself. trying to think
faster than I talked. Said some
thing about her showing me how
she'd accepted Uncle Ralph-acting
it out to convince me that the old
duffer could really make love. Not
that Cousin Alice believed a word
] said She just stood there and
looked at me, as if she thought I'd
gone crazy. and I knew had! Then
she sailed out, looking as If she
meant to keep right on sailing until
she anchored in Uncle Ralph's house,
to tell him the whole tale. And I'll
bet that's what she's doing. this very
minuter'
We'll" Faith drew a long, shud-
dering breath and stared up into his
face until the color slowly drained
out of it, leaving it pinched and
white "Well-you seem to have got
ten yourself out of it already. rather
neatly" Her voice was edged with
bitterness.
Faith the man bent and put his
hands on her shoulders, gripping
them hard. "I may have Numbered
like a fool, but what in the name Of
Heaven could you expect me to do
accept Alice Allbright's congratula.
tions, let myself be forced into an
engagement with a girl / don't love
and who is already engaged to my
own uncle?
Think Of someone besides Cherry
for a minute, Faith. I'm not asking
you to think of me-I've found out
tonight that I'll never rank any
where near Cherry in your heart
his voice broke, and the grip on her
shoulders hurt her. but he went on
Immediately. Think of Uncle Ralph!
He deserves better of Cherry than
she was plotting to hand out to
him. Imagine it! An old man, who
had made a formal and honorable
proposal to a girl and to her parents,
being Tilted by a silly little flapper
in disgraceful, public way like that
God knows why he wants her, but If
he does. why, that's his funeral.
"And if he doesn't. after she tells
him what happened tonight, or after
Cousin Alice gives him her version
of the affair, why. It's up to him to
break the engagement. But I'm not
going to be a party to any double-
crossing scheme like Cherry tried 70
pull tonight. And If that makes you
hate me so that you never want to
see. me again. why-Pm more sorry
than you can know. but can't help
itr'
Without warning. he dropped to
the seat of the davenport beside her.
laid her head. with its wide-open,
staring, tragic brown eyes, against
his shoulder and murmured, in
voice so tender that for the moment