The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1926-10-06

ION saltwater uncle.
Sidney stopped short
ooh you lucky girl! l can just
picture you in San Francisco You
belong there if ever a girl did. Color,
personality I'm so glad"
Her generous pleasure touched
Sonia.
That's sweet of you to say that,
Sidney. You know I've always been
restless here. Haven't seemed to
belong and all that. You don't
know what it will mean to me to
live in a place like San Francisco"
you'll love it. It's the most won
derful city! I've visited my cousins
there lots Of times. Perhaps I'll
see you there. Wouldn't that be
fun?"
"Will you look me up?"
II surely wilk Sonia, this isn't a
secret?"
Sonia's first instinct was for
silence, but the thought If Sidney
telling the girls at the spread that
night appealed to her. She would
give them something new to talk
about.
Father doesn't know about it
yet" she answered. HE won't
want me to go. But we're going
to have it out with him tonight.
Don Stillwater's coming over"
don Saltwater
Sidney's brown eyes opened wide.
|
Sonia thought dinner would
never end. She pushed her plate
away, untouched. A cup of tea, and
she was through. She was too ex-
cited to eat
Naturally Sam Marsh noticed it..
whats the matter tonight,
honey? You aren't eating anything"
mot hungry, Dad. That's all"
"What have you been doing to-
day." he asked, suspiciously.
She lifted a serene face.
II spent the day with Vera. She
wasn't feeling we'll"
The memory of her day with Vera
was Already in the dim past. Poor
Vera! With her babies and her I'M
appreciative husband! Thank God it
was not her!
She could scarcely wait for her
father to pick up his paper SO that
she might start cleaning up. Mrs.
Marsh went back to her sewing
machine while Sonia cledred the
table and washed the dishes. Her
mother looked excited, too. Two
spots Of red burned in her sallow
cheeks.
BY o'clock the living room was
in order. Sonia gathered a huge
bunch of red roses for the dining
table. She changed her bingham
dress for soft green wolfe. At
$50 o'clock the telephone rang. 1t
was Joe Carter.
Sonia, are bou going to the
spread tonight?"
mo, have another engagement.
Why?"
II justf thought I'd like to go
around there and walk home with
you, that's ALL"
"Well, I'm not going. I'm sorry,
joe"
There was a pause, then he asked,
humbly, Are you still mad at me,
Sonia?"
Mad" at him? She had forgot
ten that Joe Carter existed. Yet she
remembered now she had told him
she hated him the week bfore.
Sonia laughed.
mo, I'm not mad any more"
r
real soon?"
Some night before she went to San
Francisco!
Eyes, Joe. Call me up again."
The sweetness in her voice dripped
like honey through the telephone.
"Oh," she thought. but I can af-
ford to be sweet now"
Her father looked up from his
paper frowning.
WAS that Joe Carter?"
eyes, father"
well, I don't want to see him
hanging around here any more. He's
given people enough to talk about
where you're concerned"
Yes, father"
AS II that mattered now!
At 8 o'clock Don Saltwater
knocked /at the Marsh door. Mrs.
Marsh dropped her sewing, but
picked it up again. Sonia. her heart
in her throat, opened the door. Her
father rose, surprised but courteous.
Don spent no time evading the is
sue.
II have only half an hour" he
said. II ran away from guests at
home. I came to tell you, Mr.
Marsh, that my uncle, in San Fran
cisco, has found a place for Sonia
in the bookkeeping department. OF
his real estate office"
Sonia's father grew old before her
eyes. The flesh sagged on his
cheeks. His eyes faded.
He turned to his daughter, re-
proachfully.
you've gone ahead with your
plans in spite of what I said to you,
Sonia?"
A lump rose in her throat at his
beaten tone. She could have defied
his rage. But his trembling lips
were like hands clutching at her
heart.
"Oh, Dad, it isn't that 7 don't love
you, but I have to get away from
this town. I hate 1t. It's killing
me-"
Sonia" Don said, calmly, Sup
pose you run out in the yard for
awahile. I'd like to talk this over
with your mother and father"
She was only too glad to obey.
Her eyes were singing with the
tears she was too proud to shed.
What DR.. saltwater told her par
ents she never new. Although