The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-08-14


Rose" she said. shaking her head
Il remember that piece about him
in the paper, and it said the wedding
was going to take place in June
So this girl can't be the one he s
going to marry! She wouldn't be
footing off to Europe for a year II
she was, would she?'
Mary Rose shrugged her slender
shoulders. That's what I'm wonder.
ing" she said
She didn't have to wonder for very
long. For when Mrs. Fitzroy came
trailing back into the room a few
minutes afterward she was fairly
agog with news.
Il think that engagement off,
she exclaimed. leaning back among
the cushions of the long brocaded
chair where she always sat. IT
asked her about her wedding In
June and she said she S postponed it
until fall! That doesn't sound much
like wedding bells to met
Nor to me. either." agreed Mrs.
Middleton. "These new.style girls
with their Red Crosses and their
clubs and their charity work and
their cigarets!' She shook her head
over them, despairingly.
They'd be lot better off with a
husband and houseful of children
she added, instead of tralpsing off
to the ends of the earth on some
wild-goose chase or other. They
don't know what they WANT
Mrs. Fitzroy was silent for a mo-
ment. Then she looked straight at
Mary Rose. whose eyes were turned
away and staring into the fire.
Il guess this girl-this Miss HING
knows what she wants" she said
quietly. II think the man in the
case doesn't want her-and she.
found 1t out"'
Within her breast Mary Roses
heart gave a wild leap Of Joy and
she felt the hot color rising to her
face. She leaned over and began
to poke at the fire to hide 1t.
After tea when Mrs. Middleton
was upstairs putting On her hat to
go home Toms mother brought up
the subject Of Doris engagement
again.
You're glad It's broken, aren't
you?" she asked fatty. and laid her
hands on the girls shoulders. while
she looked deep into the grave blue
eyes that Mary Rose raised to hers.
Why should I be glad?" The
fresh young lips were trembling.
Mrs. FftZroy threw up her blonde
head and Mary Rose found herself
thinking foolishly how much she
looked like Queen Marie Of Rou.
mania.
MY dear" she said, you can
fool them all, but you can't fool me,
You never cared about Tom in the
way he wanted you to. Months and
months ago. when we first started to
play bridge together, this little Miss
HING told me you were dead in love
with Mr.. Manners! I knew you only
married Tom because you knew he
was dying" Her voice rose high
and bitter.
Il did mott" Mary Rose denied It
holly. Il married him because /
wanted him to be happy when he
was dying! I married him because I
loved him the way I might have
loved a brother II I'd had one. And
II he'd lived, he'd never have known
that I didn't love him the way a
wife loves her husband. ia made
up my mind to that!' . .-
The older woman looked at her for
a moment longer and then let her
go.
II believe you," she said slowly.
Forgive me for what I said. I'm
almost out Of my mind, I guess.
these days. I can't get over losing
my boy"'
And Mary Rose forgave her with
all her heart. But she never went to
the Fitzroys' house again. She felt
as If she had no right to be in tt
and why she felt that way. she
didn't know.
That night as she was getting
ready to go to bed Mary Rose sud
denly stopped struggling with the
dress that she was trying to un'
hook.
Caught by her own reflection in
the glass, she leaned across the
dresser and peered at her face.
She looked more like herself to-
night that she had in weeks and
weeks and weeks. The eager. dan
cling light had come back into her
eyes, and the corners Of her lips
were turned up in their old smiling
way. She looked happy. She looked
prettier- than Doris HING had-and
she kenw it!
Sometimes I'm pretty-as pretty
as Flossie herself she thought.