The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-16
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ROQ. ana Lila really wants 10 set
you. You haven't been acting very
friendly, must say. 1t looks like
you're jealous"
BERTHE LOUIS face famed red
That was Molly, crude. Using in
formation Lila had given her, prob
ably. BERTHE Lou resented being
played upon. But Molly, she knew
would be really angry If she refused
Don't be a SILL" she said with q
GOODNESS that did not match her ex-
preston.
"Lila's too ambitious for me to
worry about. But wouldn't break
a date with Rod to go out with
Indy himself. If you want me to
come over this Afternoon for little
while :"
"All right" Molly snapped. "But
don't be too late" Bang.
BERTHE Lou Immediately had to
do something about her feelings.
She was ruffled and elated. Sur
prised and pleased. Annoyed and
tickled to death. A very trying state
to be in, she found out.
Gained down, she decided she was
on the whole more elated than any
thing else. And the fun of seeing
Rods face when she told him about
Lila. If he didn't already know.
She had bad moment wondering
if Tom had told him and he'd been
en- f11eon m. en- ,o0,eo,,eo 49,
knew he didn't care enough about
Lila to be hurt if she married.
If he'd known he'd have surely
told her. "But of course, we weren't
exactly conf1ding in each other late
ly," she told the BERTHE Lou of the
mirror. Stupid things. Wasting
life just as though it would go on
forever"
She looked so pretty when Rod
saw here he thought she must sure
ly have found a pearl in an oyster.
Not that the pearl would have en-
HANGED her loneliness, but the
pleasant excitement would account
for her sparkle and glow.
They found small table in a
crowded, Inexpensive restaurant,
and BERTHE Lou got all settled be-
fore she would condescend to an
swer his questions. He wanted to
know, naturally, what she'd done
to make herself so beautiful.
molly called me up" she pre-
ambled. Wanted me to come to
lunch"
"Then she isn't sore at us?" Rod
inquired, with evident relief.
"She didn't say so. She had
some news for-me. Lila's marry
ing that man Loree!" 1t sounded
SO terrific, coming out suddenly
like that.
BERTHE Lou watched Rods features
take on an expression of whole
hearted surprise. She felt little
sorry for him, regretted having
thrown the news at him like It'd
bit of gossip. After all, Lila had
once been dear to him.
Betrie Lou had not been able, In
spite of her high flashes Of certainty,
to convince herself that you could
grow dead cold toward a person you
had loved. BY no stretch of the
imagination could she picture her.
self out of love with Rod.
Hate, perhaps, could replace love.
Rod, she knew, did not hate Lila.
Had she whipped old memories with
the shock OF a great surprise?
Rods voice brought her immeas-
urable relief. He laughed. Good
for Lila. She's landed her goldfish,
after all. She always said she would.
Nothing like sticking to your pur.
pose in life"
BERTHE Lou wanted very much to
ask him if he didn't care just a
little.
It would have been a great relief
to hear him admit his unconcern in
direct words. But there was no mis-
taking his sincerity.
If he had any regret because the
girl who had professed an undying
love for him was marrying another
man it appeared to be lost in
genuine indifference.
"It's dirty deal for Mr.. Loree,
she remarked feeltngly. 81 can't
can't understand why men like that
haven't sense enough to see through
a girl like Lila"
"Well, when a man goes out to buy
something he doesn't go to closed
market" Rod replied. st guess he
knows he's getting doll-eyed little
fortune hunter.
"But maybe he knows enough
about Lila to see that even if she
doesn't love him she won't love any
one else either. She couldn't" he
added with what might have been
considered sour grape flavor by
any one who didn't know how well
he spoke the truth.
"Then he will deserve just what
he GETS" BERTHE Lou said.
After lunch, and the shopping,
BERTHE Lou started for Molly's, with
a mounting curiosity about Lila's
desire to see her.
IT wonder what's on her n1ind?"
she asked herself on her way there.
Ito Be Continued.