The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-19
CHAPTER XIV

oughIy alarmed seeks the advice. of Or.
20 pa WIH 9 The Shs STORY
CHAPTER XIV
NEABEL had never felt so un-
1Y1 Portable in her life. A brick
red flush intensified her unbecom1ne
sEnburn.
A. She felt that all the blood in hel
Nace had rushed to her blisterec
nose. Even her eyes Smarted with
= painful embarrassment.
"And I'm social worker" she
reminded herself sternly, "and sup
posed to be hard boiled!"
DR.. Henderson was regarding her
curiously.
"If there is anything can do
he repeated. and smiled in an ami
able, professional sort of way.
at isn't about myself I wanted to
ask you," she stammered. tits a
friend of mine. Oh. Doctor, won't
you sit over there for a few minutes
So that [ can talk without anybody
nearing us?"
They found deck chairs while
poor Mabel murmured distractedly
"You're very good And when theg
had seated themselves she began to
talk rapidly.
ST don't know how to begin. Per-
haps I'm foolish to bother you, but
I'm so worried. You see-it's this
wav. Doctor" and she launched
into the story of SYPHILIS marriage.
Now" she concluded hopelessly
'tyou see how it is. If the poor
girls going to have baby, it's
perfectly awful, for she doesn't
mean to tell anyone that she has
been married.
"She doesn't want to have any
thing to do with that wicked man.
And besides-it would be terrible to
bring a child into the world with
a heritage like that.
Richard Eustic was drunk al
most every blessed minute. If she's
going to have a baby, everybody
will know about her marriage. And
they'd know she had run away
from her husband. Oh, it would
be so dreadful"
Mabel sighed miserably. Then a
thought, like lightning, flashed
across her mind.
Heavens above" she groaned,
at would be worse than that.
They'd never believe Sybil had been
married at all"
DR. HENDERSON twirled his
IL thumbs upon his little, round
stomach.
"And how" he asked, "did you
think could help you?"
Mabel explained. But you see
I may be making mountain out
of a mole hill. But she's perfectly
miserable. She hasn't been able to
4 eat thing since we came aboard
Do you suppose, Doctor, that she
is going to have baby?"
Thoughtfully the little physician
gazed upon the ocean.
well, now, that's very difficult
: thing to say-at this stage of the
game. There are no hard and fast
rules for the condition you contem-
plate. None at all-unfortunately
I'm any case, I should advise that
you keep your misgivings from her
Divert her mind. Get her out on
deck if you can"
would you be willing to drop
In and see her, Doctor?"
eft wouldn't do particle Of good
my dear young lady"
Il
THAT night Sybil slept fitfully
L Mabel never closed her eyes.
The dreadful uncertainty of it!
In four days they would be with
Craig and the family. Mabel
pounded her pillow ,fiercely and
moaned in silent misery.
"Of all the horrible complica-
tions!"
The next morning Sybil went to
breakfast in the salon. But it was
, the last time she essayed it. She
had luncheon and dinner brought
to her on deck, and announced her
intention that evening of having
all her meals in her deck chair.
It's really much pleasanter," she
said. tits SO stuffy in the dining
roorp"
Nfter that she spent most of her
time in the open, even sleeping one
! hot night on the boat deck and
so the days passed, lazily and
pleasantly enough, until the jour-
ney home was over.
= Il
finley we're getting in in the
Il afternoon. Sybil, in a deck
chair, nunched an apple medita-
lively.
well, Nab" she confided, GIVE
made up my mind what I'm going tc
do. I'm not going to say one single
word about Richard to anybody.
eff Craig still wants to marry me
after the shameful way I've treated
him, I'm going to wait until I'm al
together sure of myself. Then, il
I know I want to marry him-and
en1y dear, I'd be sure this time
I'll make a clean breast of every
thing. Perhaps it will kill Craig'E
love, but I guess that would be my
punishment"
"As if you hadn't had enough
nowI" interrupted Mabel.
'Life's all punishment for me-"
ooh, don't be morbid, dear. II
isn't exactly bed of roses for any
of us, you know. Makes you Won
der what it's all about, doesn't 1T
Lies so hellish-it seems as II
there ought to be something good
somewhere"