The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-17
CHAPTER xxi

tremely fatiguing.
She would not go tearing aftel
Richard. She would not cry, or sob
or pray. She repressed a faint in
clination to laugh.
''No Mysteries" she told herself
sternly. And, being a creature Of
habit, she powdered her nose anc
Strengthened her hat.
She looked about the room, TAX
ing in every detail-much as one
looks upon the dead, to remember
forever something one will never
see again. Then she took her bag
and proceeded soberly to the ele-
Vator.
At the Ingla Terra she engaged
q room, and leaving orders not tC
be disturbed, undressed, and slipped
into the white satin nightgown that
Richard said made her look like
a vestal priestess.
She was glad that she was SO
tired-so utterly, painfully weary
There we're aches in the back OF
her knees, and it was good to
stretch between the cool sheets
Good, too, to be alone.
Completely exhausted, she slept
until late forenoon, and woke with
a guilty start, and an oppressive
feeling Of impending disaster. She
phoned for ice-cold orange juice,
and black coffee, and took a cold
shower that made her tingle.
The sun was shining, and the
streets were full of people, bound
for their siestas. Dressing hastily
she sought the sizzling Prado and
hurried to the Seville.
She saw clerks glance at her cur
iouSly, and wondered if they knew
she had left the hotel the night be-
fore. The lights were burning in
their room. Perhaps Richard had
not returned. She turned the knob
quietly.
Maybe he's asleep" she thought.
%Poor little boy!"
She tip-toed across the threshold.
Yes, ne was asleep, Sprawled
across the bed. Dressed even to
his shoes,
She rloaned.
An empty bottle lay on the floor.
RichS favorite drink-Havana rum.
His coat sprawled where he had
flung it, and an open bill fold
spilled it's contents. Cards and let
tiers Uttered the floor, and there was
paper money, sticky with the sugar
liquor Richard loved.
Absently Sybil stopped for the
coat, and shuffled the confused
papers together. 1t seemed as Il
she was always tidying after Rich
Socks and shoes and soiled linen.
He never hung anything up, or put
things away.
"Richardl" she called, bending
over him.
He did not start at the sound Of
her voice, but began to breath nois
lily. AS she turned away, shudder-
ing, her glance fell on the papers
she still held. On top was a square
white card:
Isabella Petite
Amistad & Cognac
Una triguena Abajo
Triguena? Trigueua? SYPHILIS
brows drew together thoughtfully
The papers slipped from her fingers
and fluttered to the bottle on tt
floor.
Then, without backward glance
hard on her little French heels, sh1
left the room. Ten minutes later
she was with Mabel and Jack Moore
at the Pasaje.
"THERE'S no use talking, Nab
l. Please, Jack! It doesn't make
any difference what you say. Wild
horses couldn't drag me back
There's a boat this afternoon, anc
I'm going to get it. You can come
or not, just as you choose, Nab"
"But, Sib, we haven't anything
ready How about your trunk?"
It'll send message to the man
ager. He'll take care of it al
right"
where's Rich?"
Asleep"
''Does he know you're going?"
"He doesn't care what I do"
"Oh, Sib darling, II you run away
there'll be hundreds and hundreds
Of miles between you. Jack, CAM
you reason with her?"
SYPHILIS mouth hardened, and hel
eyes were cold as steel.
Listen she began firmly, 81
didn't intend to tell you. I'll never
tell anyone else. Last night after
you people went, Richard was hor.
ribly abusive I left him and went
to the Ingla Terra.
"This morning I woke all brim.
ming with wifely love and idiotiC
devotion. I thought Rich might be
sick. I felt sure he would be re.
pentant. And meant to forgive
him once more, and start in al
over again. Exactly like pool
adoring fool, you see. So I hur.
ried back to the Seville, and, up tx
our room.
There lay my husband. Drunk
across the bed. An empty bottle
on the floor. And beside it a little
card. Do you remember, Nab, the
card we saw on the boat? The
purser showed it to us.
''It said una rubia' on it, and the
purser told us it meant the girl was
blond. This one said 'triguena.
I know that means brunei, because
Richard says love is matter Of
types. and you see he likes dark
worien."
'Sybil-oh, my dear!"
'Her name Is Isabella, and she
lives downstairs somewhere" Sibi
was talking rapidly-disconnectedly
now. my husband particularly
likes girls with dark eyes and olive
skin"