The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-08-04

CHAPTER LII
A shadow of very real fear crossed
Mary Roses face, darkening 1t.
"Oh, but you won't let her come
back to work, will your" she asked.
Her voice and here eyes, still wet
with tears, begged Dexter not to
give Flossie her old job, again.
rShe doesn't need to work, now that
she's married. Fifty dollars a week
is more than enough for a young
couple to get along on, isn't it?".
Dexter nodded. Eyes, and Sans
making more than that, anyway. l
gave him a raise for a weddings
present." he added with the proud
air of an elderly Boy Scout who has
done his daily good deed. II can't
make out why she wants to come
back. She never did like to work
Here, read her letter"
He thrust it into Mary Roses
hands.
my dear Mr.. Dexter" Flossie had
written in her childish, flyaway
hand II have decided to come back
to work for you, So you can ex-
pect me to be on the job next Mon
day morning as usual, Yours sin
cerely, F'losie M. Jessup."
Cool as. a cucumber about it,
isn't she7" Dexter asked, when
Mary Rose raised her eyes from the
letter. Steps out of a job when
she feels like it, and thinks she
can step right back into it. But
she can't. You tell her so for me,
will you? I don't want her to come
down here, coaxing me for it,
either"
Mary Rose knew that he was
afraid that Flossie would do that
very thing-and that if she did come
coaxing for her job, she would get
it back. For Dexter probably still
had soft spot in his heart for her
not very soft. perhaps, but reason.
ably tender. His next words proved
it.
ASK here what she's like for the
new little home, will your" he asked,
as Mary Rose turned toward the
stairs. "I'd thought of a silver cof-
fee service. Or do you think she'd
rather have silver dresser set
brushes and things? Something for
herself?"
II think you'd better give her the,
coffee service."s she told him, with
gentle reproof.
Didn't he have any sense, she
asked herself as she went down the
iron stairs of the building for the
last time and out into the autumn
sunshine?
Didn't he know that it wasn't
proper for any man but a woman's
husband to give her toilet things
for her bedroom?
"Of course, he must know ity' she
answered herself angrily. ANY
body knows that! But he just wants
to give Flossie something for her
self alone. He's still mushy about
herr
And she made up her mind. furi-
ously that F'lossie never would go
back to work for dexter, except
over her own dead body! She was
so very furious that she forgot to
think about John Manners for at
least twenty minutes.
But when she stopped in at the
florists shop for chrysanthemums
for the house decorations the
thought of him came again. aching
ly, into her mind. For among the
ferns in the greenhouse tinkled a
tiny fountain, almost hidden among
the soft green leaves.
The sound of it brought to Mary
Rose the memory of the night last
summer when she had driven out
into the country and had sat in a
leafy lane and listened to a brook
babble peacefully to itself some
where in the shadows.
Il suppose therell always be
something to remind me Of him."
she said to herself, "as long as I
i've"
Out Of doors the sun was shining
in sky that was like Chinese blue
enamel and the falling leaves
seemed to dance brightly on the air
as they t1oated toward the cutters.
How can everything look so
happy, when I'm so filed with this
achey feeling?'' she wondered.
AS she started up New York ST,
carrying her flowers, Toms car
drove up beside her. and his voice
startled her: "Yoo-hool Mary Rose!
yump inr'
She shook her head. EMO, I've a
headache, and want minute or
two more in the air. Besides that,