The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-08-10
lIoI2IN(zE,<Ss S
ny S5z7 f g SHA 5sEvee ~ by Anne dustin

l have a ScrapbO0k 1ull OF you anC
your social triumphs and-and your
wedding"
His voice dragged on the word, as
if it hurt him, and his mobile mouth
twisted downward with pain. God!
How I hated that man they made
you marry! Auctioned off for a
title-you!"
"Stop! You mustn't say anything
elSe!" Vee-Vee cried, hardly know
ing why she stopped him. If she
let him talk on she would discover
who it was that they all mistook her
for; the mystery would be solved.
And, OF course, she wanted it to
be solved-But did she? If she said
to him, at last, because she could not
let him deceive himself any longer,
II am just an ordinary Stenog-
rapher. I have never been married.
You have seen me only once before
in your life and you didn't pay me
the tribute of second glance, be-
cause I was a homely, bespectacled,
old-fashioned girl.
my name is really Vera Victoria
Cameron. There is no romance and
mystery about me. I am not the
girl you have loved for five years."
it would be over, over!
It'll stop, but I won't say I'm
sorry" Schuyler Smythe said stub
bornly. Il had to tell you. I'll
leave Minnetonka tomorrow if you
tell me to, but you can't send me so
far away that I will stop loving you.
Shall I go?"
Il think we're both crazy, I for
listening to you and you for telling
me such an impossible story" Wee
Wee said almost severely. II came
here to escape myself, everything,
not TOTO" Her voice broke, as
if she were about to burst into
tears.
But the real reason was that she
could not go on with the first de-
liberate lie she had ever told. Every
moment she was putting frank con-
fession farther out of reach
Shall I go, take myself away
where I can't remind you of the
past?" Schuyler demanded tensely,
his eyes burning into hers, his
mouth twisting with pain.
Vee-Vee drew in a sharp breath,
laughed shakily. TT have no past,
Schuyler Smythe. Only the present
and the future"
"You darling, you adorable
thing!" he eXulted huskily, his
hands going so quickly to her
shoulders that she did not have
time to evade them. His face was
almost touching hers, is breath
hot and eager upon her face.
"No, no! Not-yet!" Vee-Vee
gasped, throwing her head back
ward so that her pretty hat was
crushed against the seat of the car.
Remember, Schuyler Smythe, I
haven't been-carrying-your pic
trlre-for five years." 1t was beast
ly of her voice to betray her like
that, to come in little gusty gasps
over her parted lips.
"Tll wait!" he decided, wrench
ing himself away from her, his
hands going back to the steering
wheel. eff only that little gossip
of a Mrs. Bannister doesn't let the
cat out of the bag, get word to New
York that you are here"
What would happen?"
They'd come for you, of course!
You know that! They say he's
looking for you, VOWS to get you
back. But you won't sell yourself
into that slavery again, will your"
he demanded f1ercely.
mo" Vee-Vee answered quite
truthfully. "I'll never go back to-
him."
Suddenly the game seemed thrill
ing in it's dangerousness. Wouldn't
the girls at the office gasp if they
could see her now?
IT think i'd like my tea," Vee-Vee
said demurely.
would you, you darling?" Schuy-
Ter Smythe laughed, his voice ring
ing out exultantly. "Then you shall
have 1t, and anything else in Gods
world that I can give you.
"Do you think you know a lot
about being loved and wooed, my
princess? Well, I'll prove to you
that you don't! I'm going to WOO you
you as you've never been wooed be-
fore!"
Out of the great cornucopia Of
wisdom which her Aunt Flora hac
heaped up for her to use in this
game of husband-getting a pear
rolled out now, ratified around ir
Vee-Vee's mind, until she seizec
upon it: Make him think you are
unattainable, that you have had sc
many sweethearts, so many propo-