The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-11-01
W. w GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER III

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@ lana recognized his voice
lH1 even before he informed hel
l. that it was Arthur Vane.
"Of course, you're busy this eve
ming. But supposing I come over &c
call on your mother?"
Diana was surprised that she
could reply so gaily. "Oh, do!
Mother will be so glad"
She returned to the porch, doubt
full of his reception!
arthur Vane is coming over
Mother"
There was only pleasures in her
mothers round eyes.
"That's nice. Ask Lucy to Tx
some punch &efore she goes. There
is grape juice and a can OF pine
apple. And, Diana, don't you think
you should change your dress?"
"I don't see why
st like your blue better"
"Well, what's the difference. He
isn't coming to see me, particu-
larly."
Elizabeth smiled, but her voice
was firm.
"I'd rather you changed, dear. Do
it for mother, please"
In her own room again, Diana
was grumbling, That's rich! She
wants me to look my BEST for him.
I must be alluring, but beware,
Arthur! Touch me not! Well, I
won't do it. I'm going to be abso-
lutely Indifferent"
In spite of her resolution, she met
him warmly. He was so different
from the boys at home. Before ne
had been on the porch five minutes
they had dropped personalities and
he was telling her things about
which she had always wondered.
About life as it was lived in a big
city. The wheels within wheels"
The cats that yowled in back areas;
Diana hadn't supposed San Fran
cisco had cats)-the heated argu-
ments at 7 a. m. between a noisy
scavenger and victim of insomnia,
who leaned out of the second story,
in his "nightie," Arthur said. A
woman crying on a bench in Golden
Gate Park, while her companion
read; a group of would-be intellec-
tuals, who called themselves mo
rons," lived in Shacks and prided
themselves on cleverly turned
phrases and some not so clever.
The simplicity, the beauty, the
naivete of San Francisco. The
mystery, the cruelty, like a sheathed
claw! A taxi, which tore through
the night, while a woman screamed.
"She probably was drunk" Ar
thur added, noting the look of fasci-
mated terror in his listeners eyes.
Diana wondered what her mother
was thinking. She rather expected
her to reprove their guest for this
seemingly unexpurgated version OF
his beloved city. But Elizabeth was
smiling.
very Interestingly" she said
vaguely. you'll excuse me, won't
you, Arthur? I haven't been feel
ing well. Come again, dear boy
Will you be here long?"
about two weeks, Mrs. Farwell.'
"Well, we shall be happy to have
as much of your time as you can
spare"
After she had gone the two
younger people sat silently listen
ing to the summer humming of in
sects in the grass. 1t seemed
strangely quiet in the little town
Very far away from all the beckon-
ing mysteries of Arthur's life.
"Why did you come back?" Diana
asked, suddenly. st shouldn't think
you'd care to ever see this place
again."
my dear girl, this is my home
town. I lived here for 20 years
My mother is buried here"
Diana said, wistfully, ''But it must
be wonderful to live in a place like
San Francisco. I should think you
would be the happiest person in the
world"
She added, ST wonder if Vivian is
| there"
| 1t was the first time she had
spoken her sisters name in four
years. Saying it made her seem
to come to life. Arthur must have
understood the longing in her voice
for he asked, gently, Don't you
know where she is, Diana?"
mo! Mother never speaks oil
her"
His answer made her heart stand
still.
"She is in San Francisco. I saw
her in theater there not long
ago."