The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-01-25
BY Vida Hurst

| She replied that she was f1attered
if not he meant to imply that she
showed such glimmerings. People
had doubted it.
They walked down the avenue APP
parently finding mutual pleasure in
the conversation. He confessed that
he was homesick. There had been
a girl in Seattle.
I'VE used to dance together a lot"
he confessed. II miss her, although
we were not engaged or anything"
Although in the matter of actual
years, he possessed more than she,
he made Sonia feel wise and gra-
cious. Perhaps he seemed to see
those qualities in her. She began to
consider his possibilities for jimmy.
When they reached the real estate
office he said, "See you again some
time" with a half.shy enthusiasm
which won her approval.
He was rather attractive and he
was not married. AT last she had
something to impart to the group
in the dressing room. But she knew
she would not tell the girls what
she had discovered. Let them find
it out for themselves. They enjoyed
their amateur sleuthing. AS
she removed her hat she saw for
the first time since she had left Don
her eyes had lost their strained look.
Twenty minutes light conversation
with a member of the opposite sex
had removed the lines from her face.
Elaine could not have said she looked
"seedy" now.
jimmy had followed her into the
dressing room.
Come here" she whispered,
want to tell you something"
They stood by the window apart
from the other girls.
II went to Bob's Office this noon
and when I came out / saw your
husband. He looked so down-hearted
l wanted to cry"
Sonia's face went white.
Now, wait a minute, that isn't
all want to say. He asked me to
come in his office for a few minutes.
Sonia, 1 know he wondered why I
had come to see Bob. Do you sup
pose he suspects anything?"
mo. Don is not suspicious"
The thought of his kind, tired face
was like a knife in her heart.
my dear" jimmy continued, what
do you suppose he wanted? is Sonia
well?' he asked. Does she seem
happier?'
Sonia swallowed the lump in her
throat. She could not speak.
IT told him that you seemed well,
and I thought maybe you were hap
pier than you had been at first. Was
that all right?"
Sonia nodded.
He was as white as a sheet. He
stood looking out of his window for
a, little while, then he said, jimmy,
want you to promise to tell me if
she needs anything.
Feeling that she could not endure
any more, Sonia turned away.
Don't be angry. If you could
have seen the way he looked. I'd
have promised him anything"
I'm not angry. It's all right. You
just don't understand, that's ALL"
IT think" jimmy said, sternly,
that you are the one who doesn't
understand. You poor, blind, little
fool"'
She turned and ran FROM the dress
ing room. Sonia continued to stand
by the window, staring at the build
ing opposite. Jinny's words had
plunged her back into despair. She
could see Don as if he stood before
her. And she thought her absence
would be relief to him. Would
bring him peace of mind.
There was no possible place she
could go to cry. One could not stand
in the dressing room and shed tears.
1t wasn't done. A girl might flop on
the faded wicker couch and cry be-
cause she had the headache. She
might indulge in a brainstorm over
the injustice of her employers. Even
conceivably weep a few romantic
tears over a hopeless love affair.
But no married woman, particularly
one supposed happily married, would
dare to cry within those four walls
Sonia swallowed her tears, powdered
her nose, and proceeded to her book
keeping.
Two days later Stephen Sessenger
made a trip to the balcony to look up
Violet's Kidding" but he stopped,
boldly enough, at Sonia's. desk to
4 murmur, "Will you go to lunch with
me, today? Please?"
On the impulse of the moment she
accepted. Wondering afterward if it
had been wise. Deciding, eventually,
that he needed her friendship. 1t was
little enough to give. He was I'M
spoiled, and rather sweetly inexper-
fenced. She would be only mother
ly' and sympathetic. A dangerous
attitude for any girl to adopt toward
any man!
They went to the hotel, where
long ago she had lunched with
Franklin. How different to sit across
from this boy and listen to his
line" Yes, he had one. There was
no chance for a fellow to meet really
nice girls in a city like San Fran
cisco. He had no social acquain-
tances and he did not care for the
girls in the Office. They were all
right. He wasn't criticising them,
you understand, but they just
weren't the type he was interested
in.