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

7 urn. t
That it was aching now, because of
John Manners?
She couldn't. Not with his blue
eyes looking down at her that way
All she could do was to slowly shake
her head again and watch him, go.
She stood motionless in the dim
light of the hall until the sound of
his car died away in the distance.
Then she vent out into the back
parlor where Mrs. Middleton sat,
darning Flossie's stockings, under
the lamp.
She dropped down into a chair on
the other>s side of the table and idly
watched>the bright needle running in
and out of the thin silk. Presently
her mother shipped off a thread and
looked up at her, over her glasses.
"How did Tom happen to run
away so early?" she asked. Its
not ten o'clock"
oh" Mary Rose answered, with a
long sigh, she asked me for the TWEEN
tieth time to marry him. And for
the twentieth time / told him there
was nothing doing. So he went
away, grouching."
She watched the orne Of her
mothers lips tighten. you're a
fool, Mary Rose" she said, just as
Mary Rose had known she would.
Some day one of those smart
nurses, down at the hospital, will
nick him ND. and you'll be left high
and dry"
NI hope So" said Mary Rose, cheer
fully.
In the hall the telephone rang.
"Ill bet a hat that's Tom now,
she said. Hes probably thought of
something he forgot to say a while
ago."
She was right. 1t vas Tom. And
he had thought of something else
that he wanted to say.
"I just want to get it over to you,
that I'm not kidding this time.
Rosey.' he told her solemnly. Il
meant-just what 1 said. But when
you do change your mind about me,
remember I'm right here waiting to
hear from you"
Don't be silly, Tom" Mary Rose
answered. you've told md that
same thing q dozen times before.
Don't forget that tomorrow's an
other day, and that we expect you
for Sunday supper, as usual. See
you tomorrow, Boy"
When she went back into the little
parlor her mother was rolling up
Flosssie's fragile stockings, pair by
pair.
There! I guess I've strained my
eyes enough for one night" she said.
and took off her glasses. Il think
TN just sit here and have forty
wirlAs. Wake me up when Flossie
comes. I told her to be home by
11:30-I made up my mind it vas
time 1 took her in hand-after last
nights performance"
She put her gray head back
against the chair and was asleep al
most instantly. In the light from
the lamp beside her she looked older
to Mary Rose than she ever had be-
fore. The lines that went from her
nose to the of her mouth
looked as if they had been carved
there. And vet there was something
in her face that suggested Flossie-
something about the fullness of the
lower lip, the soft roundness Of the
indecisWe chin.
81 suppose she was just as pretty
and gay as Flossie is, once upon a
time" Mary Rose thought. And
that's why she's afraid Flossie will
have the same kind of poverty
stricken life she's had"
Her mother woke with a start and
looked dazedly around the room.
DEAR, dear! 1 was having such a
terrible dream about F1ossie," she
saidl "She was standing on the
edge Of a high cliff-dear, dear
Then she was asleep again.
Mary Rose went out to the front
porch and looked up and down to
see if Flossie and Sam were in sight.
Eut not a soul was to be seen. The
street lay silent and deserted un-
der the thickly flung stars.
s How remoteN they seemed, those
distant stars! She wondered If there
really were people on some Of them.
people who were lonely as she was
lonely, whose hearts were breaking
too? But the stars kept their age
less secret. They blinked and winked
at her mockingly with their small
bright eyes.
A car turned the corner and came
tearing up the street. Before she
heard it's engine, Mary Rose knew