The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-22
CHAPTER v.
A Dead Finger Points

wore a blue Smock-ner pauge VI
the dilettante," as she called it. INC
self-respecting artist would be
caught dead in one," she always
said.
She leaned forward and kissed
Lila.
"Be careful you don't get painted
she laughed. I'm mess, and you
look like the latest think from
Paris"
Lila removed her wrap and re-
Vealed herself in one of her prettiest
trousseau frocks.
"I didn't sleep a wink" she re-
marked, as she drew off her gloves
"and I thought Herbert would
never leave this morning. I think
nv manner aroused his suspicious
Yesterday he was keen about getting
to the Office, but this morning.
She shrugged. "Where is the fatal
letter."
Dorothy unlocked a CABINET ana
drew forth long envelope bearing
the official letterhead OF the war
Denartment. Lila tore it open with
trembling fingers.
"Oh!" she gasped, after a mo-
ment. "How awful! They're turn
ing his insurance over to meas
his fiancee. I never knew he'd left
it to me-"
Jack Farquahar's?" Dorothy came
to look over her shoulder.
Lila bit her lip.
what am I going to do?"
"You don't want to accept it?"
Heavens, no! I'd feel like a
thief"
"And he had no relatives?"
"None that he ever mentioned.
You see. we knew each other such
a short time. And I wouldn't eX-
actly care to start an investigation
1t might prove a-er-boomerang.
Dorothy nodded absently.
r
"Why not accept the money-ten
thousand, isn't it?-and turn it over
to one Of the funds for disabled vet
erans," she suggested.
Lila stared at her adniringly.
"How quickly you think of a way
out. It's the very thing, of course .
She rose and went quickly to
Dorothy's desk.
"I'll write the letter now, if may
use your stationery"
She scrubbed rapidly with the
plumed pen on Dorothy's pretty
gray paper, With it's silver embossed
street number.
"There!" she said, using the blot
ter with satisfaction. IF the money
comes here, you'll have to pretend
to be me and sign for it. And then
-" she stopped suddenly, struck by
a thought. you'll have to make
the donation, too, Dot. 1t mustn't
come from me-"
Dorothy laid down her brushes
pretty brows contracted a frown.
at can't do that"
"But don't you see that it is i'm
possible for me to appear IN the
thing?" urged Lila. Everybody
knows T haven't ten thousand dol
lars to give to charity. Dads al
WAYS kept me frightfully short, be-
cause I'm so extravaganza, and it's
too early for Herbert to have given
me so much"
"Why not send it in as an anony-
nous contribution in memory OF
Jack Farquahar,' or something like
that?" suggested the resourcefu
Dorothy.
"Splendid!" Lila eyes sparkled
ST must run now. I've promised tt
meet Herbert downtown for lunch
Dorothy laughed.
Cant you two love-birds be part
ed for more than three hours?"
eve wouldn't be parted for one
hour, if 1 cauld help it," declared
Lila unblushingly. "Oh, I'm gone
all right, Dot"
ct should say you are!" sighed
Dorothy. "It seems strange" she
checked herself suddenly.
Lila raised her brows.
'You were going to say that il
seems strange that 1 could forget
one man SO completely and fall Sc
frantically in love with another
weren't your"
DOROTHY nodded, little smile
J , playing around her prett!
mouth.
st rather liked your Jack Far
quahar, you know, even though
never saw him. What was he like
Lila? I don't mean in looks. You
show me his photo-but the mar
himself"
Lila shrugged carelssly.
81 hardly know. I'm afraid it wa
only his loo<s I was thinking about
I was such q romantic little fool
oh, he was fascinating enough
one of the savage, ruthless sort, you
know. A man of that type is fright
fully difficult, especially as hus
band, I should think. Thanh
Heaven, Herbert's not like that!"
But Jack sounds so interesting
"He was interesting" Lila said, a
she drew on her gloves. "He swep
me off my feet. We'd known eacI
other only week when he proposed
to me-"
Were you very sad when he wen
aTay2"