The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-07-26

droop of her lids over the sapphire
eyes, was eth.taking in it's lowell.
ness. No money in the world could
have bought the splendid, extrava
CANT beauty that had been given to
little Flossie Middleton.
"And yet she doesn't know what
to do with it," thought Mary Rose
"She makes herself cheap, by letting
men fiirt with her-or by flirting
with them first"
The very thought of F'lossie going
into another office frightened Mary
Rose. At the Dexter Company she
had been able to keep her eye on
her, at least some of the time.
"Flossie, why don't you get mar.
ried to SAM" she asked suddenly.
Flossie thougthfully screwed out
the light from her cigaret against
the wallpaper at the side of her bed
"That, my dear" she said, deli.
berately. as none of your business, -
The door of the room opened and
Mrs. Middleton came in with the
breakfast fray.
Too tired to go to work after
the party?" she asked, as she set the
tray down on Flossie's bed. IT heard
you come in but ! was TOO sleepy to
get up. It must have been around
o'clock. though.
1T was" Flossie said. calmly
biting into roll
when 1 was a girl young folks
parties were always over by IL at
the very latest" Mrs. Middleton
went on. And that was plenty late
enough"
She stopped short and began to
sniff the air delicately with her
nostrils. "Clgaret smoke!' she ex-
claimed, and put her nose down into
Flossies bright hair. t"You just
reek of 1t, Flossie Middleton! That s
from being around that good-for-
nothing Sam Jessup! He always
has one of the nasty things hanging
out of his MOUTH
Yes. mother, I know" Flossie
said meekly. and wirfked at Mary
Rose, who was putting on her hat.
Hes just running his health with
the TASTY weedr'
"Oh, say, do something for me.
Rosey." she called when her sister
was halfway down the stairs. Come
here and I'll tell you what it Isl"
Mary Rose came back and stood
in the doorway.
Go and get my salary from the
cashier at the office, will your" she
asked. And bring it home with
you. He often gives me my money
ahead of time, you know"
Mary Rose got the money from
Turner the old cashier at the Dex-
ter Company, late that afternoon.
AS she turned away from the cage
she bumped into a tall girl who had
and was on her way to the stairs.
ooh, I'm sorry" she began and
stopped. For the tall girl was Doris
HING, all in black broadcloth, with
a bouquet of gardenias pinned on
her breast, and the look that she
gave Mary Rose was whitening.
"She needn't be jealous of me. I'm
sure" she said to herself a second
later. as she went out into the au.
tumn twilight and turned toward
home.
For John Manners hardly noticed
Mary Rose these days. He gave her
dictation in a monotonous voice
such as he might have used when
speaking into a dictaphone. He
looked at her in the impersonal way
that he might have looked at a time
clock.
It was hard for her to realize that
there ever had been a time when he
had called her MARY Rose" and
had told her that he loved her and
always would love her. That time
seemed like a dream dim and unreal
"Flossie always says that you
can't believe what any man says
when he's in love-" she thought
And maybe Flossie's right"
Flossie was not at home when she
walked into the kitchen of the little
brown house at 6 o'clock.
oilC WClib OuL JDOul ilOul as
without telling me where she was
going" Mrs. Middleton said. IT heard
the front door slam and when I went
to look out of the window 1 saw hel
going down the street. She was
carrying something.
Mary Rose made no answer, and
presently her mother spoke again
Ibid she tell you she'd quit her jot
at the works?" she asked, and the
girl saw that there were lines Of
worry across her mothers broad
low forehead. my. I'm sorry she
did that l always thought she was
so safe when she was there with
you to look after her" She sighed
deeply.
At Flossie had not come in, an6
the two women sat down to eat with
out her.
II suppose she's somewhere with
Sam Jessup," Mrs. Middleton decid.
ed, looking up at the clock. He
was here most of the afternoon, in
stead of being at the office, trying
to earn his salary-I declare, / don t
often dislike people, but can't stand
that SAM He's so MAINLY pan1bVr'