The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-24

OCCdoAOL1d44y 1lC SCI1O 1lOWSIS d1lU
box of candied fruits to Mrs.
Thorne, who was pleased that he
remembered her preference.
Munching sugared pineapple or
sUcculent pear she would contem-
plate Sybil gloomily over her sweet
and remark, as usual, that she
could go further and fare worse.
Once after that Craig took Sybil
to a road house. 1t was the first
time she had done anything gay
for weeks. She wore a dress of
lilac chiffon and pinned a great
bunch of silk violets on her Shout
der. She wore top coat of soft
mauve and a little felt hat that
matched.
Almost all men, she reflected,
liked orchid and purple and all the
royal shades between. Craig had
often told her violet was his favorite
color. She slipped a lc~ string
Of amethySts about her neck and
fastened cleaning quartz, fashioned
like grapes, in her ears.
Across the candle-lit table Craig
bent toward her deSirously. 1t was
nice and cozy, sitting across from
each other like that.
1mpulsively she reached for his
hand, and brushed it lightly across
her lips. He smiled quietly and
pinched her cheek; then gravely
lighting a cigaret, studied her re-
motely through clouds of smoke.
Rather nice, isn't it?" he re-
marked idly.
Mice? Oh, Craig, it's wonderful
being together, I mean" she as
sured him. II haven't enjoyed any.
thing SO for ages"
Through dinner he remained dis
family affable and all the blessed
little intimacies of long ego were
like painful memories.
Sybil poured his coffee and when
he had taken it from her her fin
gers closed softly about his wrist.
Then, swiftly, he sought her eyes
and held them until she bent, con-
fused, to finger her beads.
Craig" She whispered softly.
do you still want 10 marry me.
Craig?"
He took her hands then, and held
them with both of his.
"You know do, dear" he said.
She was tempted then to tell him
everything.
would you marry me-" she
asked, eff you knew I'd been a very
bad girl?"
He smiled and inclined his head
gravely as one humoring a child.
eyes m" he told her seriously.
''If you knew I'd been-oh, some
thing dreadful-married, perhaps9"
Then he laughed, and mussing
his napkin nightly, threw it in
great heap on the center of the
table.
Come on" he invited heartily.
"let's dance! And lay off this mar
riage stuff, will you, Sybil? Pound
ing away on a sore spots no good,
you know"
"But I meant it," she cried.
eyes, you did," he muttered.
you've got about as much intention
of marrying me as nothing at all. So
let's stop talking about it. Do your
theorizing with some other guy, be-
cause it doesn't get anywhere with
me, Syb.."
Shall we dancer" she asked him
stiffly.
He held her closely and looked
grimly down on the little mauve
hat that nestled on his shoulder.
Her eyes, beneath its brirn, were wet
with tears.
But Of course he could not know
that, nor guess when a big salty
drop splashed on her violets
And that was the end, for while,
Of their romance.
A UTUMN followed on the heels
IN of Indian summer; and Novem-
Der was cold and drear and gray.
Dead leaves whirled in dusty spi-
rails and penetrating dampness
made Sybil shiver as she set out
one afternoon to call on Mabel at
WeSter House.
Jack was home again and Mabel
had her ring now. Not the con-
ventional engagement ring at all
but delicate platinum circlet,
set with sapphires. With it she
would wear her wedding ring, like
a guard.
And later Jack would give her
a twin band, set with pearls. Sap
Observation-Disclosures was