The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-11-12

Il
crisp, sarcastic voice answered the
piteous question in Faiths eyes.
Your little blue-eyed boy friend, Bob
Hathaway, in person!'
Faith shielded her eyes with a
trembling hand. Oh, it couldn't be
Bob who would stoop so low as to
blackmail a GIRL Not Bob-her Bob!
"You look pretty sick, Faith. Can't
l get you a drink of water or some
thing?" Bill Warren's voice came to
her dimly through the waves OF
nausea that poured over her.
NO" she shook her head. go
on, Cherry. What else? How did you
happen to see so much?"
81 wish l hadn't told you word"
Cherry whimpered, covering against
Bill Warren like a child seeking COM
fort. "As l was telling you, Chris
and 1 danced. until 1 was so hot
that 1 begged him to take me out
on the veranda. We noticed as we
passed by our table to get my hand
bag that Handsome Harry, the
sleuth, had disappeared. Well, we
went out on the veranda. and stood
leaning against one of those rough
log posts-not talking. just-just
looking at the moon"
She flushed under the gaze of
Faiths accusing, pain-filled brown
eyes. Faith had a sudden picture of
that scene as it must have been en-
acted.
"Yes?" she whispered. as Cherry
paused.
'Well, then some one bumped his
head right under our feet. You
know the veranda there is not quite
high enough from the ground for a
man to stand up under it. We heard
some enc say damn and I recog-
nized Bob Hathaway's voice instant
ly. So did Chris. We kept real still
for minute, then Chris vaulted over
the bannister and dropped to the
ground. 1t isn't enclosed under the
veranda, you know, and he saw Bob
and this Handsome Harry talking
together. The sleuth was giving him
piece of paper.
when Bob saw Chris he pocketed
the scrap of paper and said, Hello,
Wileyp as cool as a cucumber. Chris
answered him, and then came back
up on the veranda by way of the
steps. We beat it then, and by the
time he were a quarter of a mile
from the cabin. Handsome Harry's
flivver was rafting along behind us"
when did you join Bill?" Faith
asked in a fiat, dull voice.
ooh, don't spoil this story by beat
ing me to my climaxes," Cherry
laughed. Like a little fool, I'd told
Chris all about the anonymous let
ters' and he got it into his bean that
the only thing for us to do was to
elope tonight He's still got that
marriage license parked in his vest
pocket"
Marriage license?" Faith echoed,
staring at Cherry in bewilderment.
"On, sure, he took out a marriage
license about two months ago. over
in Marlboro County, where he's got
a cousin in the license bureau, who
promised Chris not to record it until
he gave the word. He's always
flashing it on me, like he did tonight.
He can't get it through his bean
that I'm going to marry Mr.. Cluny.
and-well, he tried the same old
stunt again. Tried to abduct me.
Stepped on the gas and lost Hand
Soma Harry I'm ahout two T,oiuutac
then burnt up the road toward Marl-
boro. Imagine it, Me trying to grab
the wheel away from him, and yell
ing my head off, not when any car
was close to us, you understand, but
just to scare him and make him be-
have. If he hadn't turned the car
over on that hairpin curve"
Turned the car over?" Faith
gasped. ooh, darling were you
hurt?"
Gee, you're riot. Faith! A wow"
Cherry chuckled. Neither of us was
hurt bit, but you ought to see the
car! I jumped and Chris slid to the
bottom of the car, out from under
the steering wheel. When I heard
him scrambling out and swearing.
knew he wasn't hurt a bit, and I
began to run down the road looked
back over my shoulder, just to make
sure, you know, and there was Chris,
walking around and around the car.
and 1 staggered on with the one big
idea-to get away from there"
"Then 1 came along" Bill Warren
grinned at Faith reassuringly. I'D
been over to the Marlboro Country
Club to a dinner dance, and as the
girl lives in Marlboro, was driving
home alone. ] thought / must be
bughouse or something when my
headlights picked up Cherry. run
ming like a two-year-old in a steeple-
chase. 1t was one time the infant
was glad to see old Bill, huh?" His
hand ruff1ed Cherry's short, red
gold curls with affectionate famil-
iarity.
You said a mouthful" Cherry
tweaked his nose impudently. And
so we are here. Now, 1 ask you
isn't that a hot story? But what do
you think Of Bob, Faith? 1t does
prove something, doesn't it?-his
pow-wowing with the sleuth under
the veranda, I mean? Aw, honey"
her voice was suddenly warmly