The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-03

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OF all the Internal places to lose
a collar button, under a bathtub on
legs was the worst!
He'd very nearly called to BERTHE
Lou to help him dig it out. But
she was dressed too. Down he went
on his hands and knees and got
dirt on his cuff reaching under the
tub. That necessitated change.
AND Lila, he knew, would not be
pleased If he were late. She was
giving a dinner to an important
man, a foreign banker whom Cyrus
was DESTROYS of honoring.
Rod barely arrived ahead of the
guest of honor Lila was inclined
to be peevish because he hadn't
come early, but she had little chance
to scold. And Rods frank admira-
ton appeased her.
Lila had done her best. Her hair
was bound with a jeweled f1ligree
band in such a way as to make her
bob look like a stately coifTeur.
And her complexion was perfectly
dazzling. She had used a lavender
powder which turned her skin to
marvellous tone under the artifi-
cial light.
Her full, round lips budded like
scarlet flower beneath the stars
in her eyes. Stars that we're lighted
for Rod.
Cyrus had presented her with
some new jewels. But Rod noticed
that she was wearing the copies of
those that had been stolen, as we'll.
A superb sapphire and diamond
ornament hung on a slender chain
around her neck and reposed on
the blue-veined whitenesS of her
breast.
Having decided that a man of the
world such as Cyrus described
Monsieur Clavier to be would APP
preciate an original French gown,
Lila had bought the lowest cut one
she could find.
Unfortunately, while Monsieur
recognized it as French, he smiled
inwardly at the naivete of the
American woman Of good society
Mho buys dresses designed for the
French deni-monde.
But he allowed no hint of his
amusement to show in his manner.
lila accepted with delight his kiss
upon her hand, glancing at Rod
over Monsieur's bowed head to call
his attention to the Frenchman's
courtly manner. She hoped Rod
would see that she liked it. He did,
and ScoWled.
However, Lila made him happy
very shortly. She must go in to
dinner with Monsieur Clavier, but
she put Rod on her other side. And
she graciously gave him as much at
tentiion as her guest of honor re-
ceived.
1t was not kindness that prompted
her to do this. She really did not
know that if another man had sat
in 5he seat she gave him he'd have
burned with jealousy, and that it
was exquisite torture to him to be
near her.
She wanted him close to please
herself. Though at times she
fairly hated him because he
wouldn't see, or admit that he saw
she did not know which way it
was-that she was inviting him te
make love to her.
He was Offering more resistance
than she had expected. At times
she told herself that he could not
be won.
But she would not give up.
Bringing Rod to her feet had be-
come an obsesSion. She had de-
veloped rancorous hatred of Ber-
tie Lou-a hatred that drove her
on.
To let Rod go without his hav-
ing declared his passion would be
to hand the victor's crown to a girl
who despised her. That BERTHE Lou
did deSpise her she knew by the
way Rod was permitted to go his
own way without interference.
1t was as though BERTHE Lou had
said to her: IF he wants you 1
don't want him; but let's see you
get him"
1t would have salved her pride
considerably if Rod had told her
how hard he tried to keep away
from her; how many times he
swore never to see her again, but
how he was always lured back to
feast his eyes on her dazzling
beauty, stalking his honor on his
power to resist his desire for her,
to keep himself in hand and bear
his longing in silence.
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