The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-05
SONIA p. a s:s.. ; ;t

have dinner with him that evening
but Bertie's threat took the thrill out
of the thought.
After the dinner and a long ride
with Crane, they returned to the
apartment. He suddenly took her in
his arms and kissed her. She was
shaken, dizzy with happiness.
DO you love me Sonia?" he
breathed.
II love you so much" she answered,
that all my life that has been with
out you has been wasted"
After he was gone, Sonia went to
bed and lay there tingling with emo
ton. She remembered Maxine's
words of the previous Sunday.
"A girl is a fool to care about any
man."
But that was because she was
feeling low" decided Sonia. I'm not
the weak kind who is afraid to love.
I'll take my chances. Why should 1
hold back and protest girlish reluc-
lance? Sink or swim-in this as in
everything else. I love him and I'm
not afraid"
The following Sunday Franklin
and Sonia drove to Pirates Cove and
stayed all day.
Il suppose" he said gloomily on
the way back" that we will never be
so happy again"
When Sonia asked him to explain
his pessimistic remark he said,
1T isn't pessimistic. It's Gods
truth. Few things in the world are
perfect. And the relations of men
and women seem particularly subject
to disaster"
Months after Sonia remembered
his warning.
The next day Crane came to the
office and on seeing Walter Hender.
son talking to Sonia left Immediately
without speaking to her. This hurt
Sonia.
That night Henderson called on
Sonia at the apartment unexpected
ly and departed angrily when she
was Indifferent to his advances.
When Sonia told Maxine about it
Maxine again told her about Frank
lin Cranes designations and stated
that Henderson was worth two of
Crane. Very angry at this, Sonia
would not listen to Maxine's pleading.
A Maiden and
Her Hero
All through the autumn Sonia was
dazzled by the glamour of her first
romance. Life did not exist, save as
it was related to Franklin. She
shopped with him in her mind, read
stories with him as the gallant hero,
swept and dusted the apartment
for the moment that he would ar
rive. Even at work or lunching with
the girls he sat beside her shaping
her opinions and coloring her desires.
And in all that time his appearance
at the office was as regular as her
own.
Sonia, thriving on happiness, could
feel herself growing sweeter and
more reasonable. Love was devel-
oping unselfishness in her. She
began to have real affection for
Maxine. Her mother wrote asking
If she could not arrange to come
home for Christmas.
After finding out that Franklin
was going to spend Christmas with
his mother in Los Angeles, Sonia
decided to go home. She began to
be conscious then of a secret long
ing to see her mother.
The day before she left Jed Thomas
called her into his office and asked
her to convey his best wishes to
her mother and father. This grea tly
puzzled Sonia and Maxine, for
Thomas had never paid that much
attention to any other girl in the
office.
That night while Sonia was wait
ing for Franklin at the apartment
Henderson called and gave her a.
beautiful emerald ring for a Christ
mas present. Sonia wanted to keep
it. as she had always dreamed of
emerald rings on her white hands,
but, thinking Of Franklin. she re.
fused it.
While they were arguing the mat
ter Franklin arrived. He was very
angry at finding Henderson there,
quarreled with Sonia and angrily
left. About an hour later he re-
turned and begged forgiveness, say
ing that jealousy had caused him to
act in such a manner. He then gave
Sonia a wrist watch for a Christ.
mas present.
A Proposal
From Henderson
While Sonia was at home Christ
mas Walter Henderson came to
Stockton to see her. He asked
Sonia to marry him. She refused
Her positive denial did not seem
to discomfort him. He asked her
to give the matter as much con-
sideration as she would a business
proposition. She promised to do So
Henderson accompanied Sonia to
church, where she was very proud
of him. Let them see the sort of
a man that came from San Fran
cisco to find her. He was distin-
guished looking even there, ana
doubly so in Stockton. After the
services he left with the promise