The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-05-07
CHAPTER LVII
The Meeting

| L III going Will youS 1iauy 2
said, breaking the silence Of their
wait while long distance got Judge
Perkins on the wire.
Joyce looked at her unseeingly.
"I was going anyway next week, "
Gladys said a little defiantly, as
though she feared Joyce might re-
fuse. "Help me pack" this last to
| Mrs. Daring, who stood holding one
of joys hands and wishing desper-
ately that she might help in some
way.
She followed Gladys into the bed
room and put joys things back in
her bag. Gladys threw clothing
from a deep closet.
"I'll take what I can now" she
said, land you pack my trunk here
for me tonight and send it after
me. "I'Il give you the keys and you
and Mr.. Daring can stay here to-
night. I'll look after Joyce and let
you know how things come out"
Mrs. Daring nodded assent and
began to help Gladys assemble
what she needed for her trip on
the train. They heard the tele-
phone give a long ring. Then
joys voice, agitated and disap'
pointed.
''Miss Daring? This is the long-dis-
lance operator. We cannot locate
Judge Perkins at the address you
gave us. Shall we try again?"
Eyes, please. Try him anywhere
| in Cleveland that the local operator
thinks he might be. And report
back please, just as often as you
can.'
Then she sat down, watching the
telephone as though she thought
Deke himself might appear in it
momentarily.
Train time approached. The three
women sat silent and nervous. Pres
emily Mr.. Daring came in. He saw
at once that there was trouble in
the air.
"What is it?" he asked anxiously,
going to Joyce and taking her in lis
arms.
Mrs. Daring handed him the pa
per. He read the story of Deke's
injury and then asked Joyce, Are
you going to him, daughter"
Joyce nodded. Her father under
stood.
wen be praying for you" he
said. "For you and for the lad to
recover his sight"
Joyce could not help thinking for
moment of how oddly her father $
words fitted his spruce appearance.
cts time to start" she said, look
ing at her watch.
A messenger came up as they were
leaving the house. Joyce tore open
the yellow envelope.
"Story true. Why aren't you
here? Frankly"
- She scrubbed an answer and gave
it to the boy. Leaving on $40. Ar
rive in morning. Meet us. Joyce"
To Joyce that was the longest
night she had ever spent. She knew
that each turn of the wheels car
ried her nearer to Deke. But 1t
seemed, too, that some mighty hand
held them back and sent them back
and sent them crawling instead OF
speeding through the night.
Morning found her staring out OF
the window as they ran through the
level fields of Northern Ohio, Paines-
vile. Wiloughby, the station at
1O5th street, ana then the hustle to
leave the train.
Followed by Gladys, to whom she
had scarcely said a word on the en-
tire trip, she FASTENED to the gates.
Yes, there was Frankly, waiting for
her, waving frantic hand to attract
her attention. Tears rushed to joys
eyes. Good old Frankly, always
loyal.
Then they were in~ each others
arms and Joyce was saying, "How
is he? Tell me. Frankly"
He's pretty bad" Frankly said.
''His mother and father got here
last night. He's been delirious part
of the time and keeps asking for
you when he's out of his mind. I
told his mother you were coming.
Your letter. never reached him.
Judge Perkins found it at the fac.
tory the day that Deke was hurt. I
wanted him to let me read it to
! Deke, but he thought it was better
not to. Delle keeps talking about
some letter, but no one knows what
| it isl
81 know" Joyce said, turning to
! include Gladys in the party and
i making toward the entrance to the
station. ''It's a letter Catherine
Sherwin sent him, telling him a
mixed-up story about what happened
here last month. She sent me a
copy and I thought that was why
Deke hadn't written to me-"
Frankly shook hands with Gladys
'I've got my car here" she said
"Where shall take you! I'd be
! glad to have you both at my house.
"You can drop me at the Statler,
said Gladys. Sim going to scare
my best beau into fits there. I was
so excited over joys coming this
way that I didn't even send him q
telegram"
They left Gladys at the Statler and
drove on out to the hospital.
ct think you'd better see Mrs
Deacon first" Frank said. "She's
nearly wild with worry, of course
But she's awfully anxious for you tc
come"