The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-09-14
CHAPTER Xxx

CYBIL bit the tip of her per
- holder, and drew her brows to-
gether. Then, dipping the pen reso-
lutely, she began to write rapidly
Dear Richard"
For a moment she considered the
salutation. Then, drawing her pen
brusquely through it, tossed it aside
and took another sheet.
But presently she wrote again
"Dear Richard" and after it, as
though suddenly determined
scrawled rapid words, one after the
other as if they flowed of their own
accord from suddenly voluble pen
Dear Richard,
There are some things a worl-
an cannot stand-not even II she
loves the man who hurts her. And
I am beginning to wonder, Rich,
If ever did love you.
The scene in the foyer tonight
was horrible. I had rather die
than spend another night with
you-like this. Two weeks-and
every other night of them hell.
I am going to Mabel now. I
SUPPOSE when you wake up, and
. sober off, you will try to find me.
I hope that We will be on the way
home by then.
If we cannot get passage IN
mediately, I can only beg that
YOU will leave me alone. wish
these weeks might be like a closed
chapter in book one could lay
away-and try to forget.
Please, Rich-if you love me
be kind. Nab will keep our Sc
cret, if only you'll let it be Sc
cret. Good-oy.
She blotted it without reading it..
Locked the trunk, and put the key
IN her bag.
I'll send for it," she decided, Gin
the morning"
Deliberately she powdered her
nose, and touched her cheeks and
lips with rouge. Stopped for a
moment to spray black narcissus
from her little enameled atomizer,
and buffed her nails vigorously,
while she surveyed her recumbent
husband. There were so many
things about him she had learned
to dislike,
Drunk or SOBER" she reflected
dismally.
But it was liquor that made him
altogether impossible. At first he
became stupidity sleepy. Then, when
she reused him, he grew amorous.
And that was worse. Oh, much
worse!
She shuddered as he exhalted a
noisy breath. Turning her back
squarely, she walked from the room
without backward glance.
Il
RNABEL and Mr.. Moore, at their
Vl favorite cafe, were slipping
aperitifs when Sybil found them.
We'll, well!'' doomed Moore, there
comes the bride!" and his large,
sunburned hand devoured hers
warmly.
He was a big man with merry
blue eyes and a pink bald spot.
When Sybil heard he had played
football at Harvard in 1907 she re-
f1ected that college athletics twenty
years after commencement all look
alike.
Hello, people" she greeted them
serenely. MAY have a cocktail,
too?"
"Why, sure. Delighted" Moore
beamed. "Two's company and
three's a crowd, if it was anybody
but you. But sit right down. We've
great news for YOU
Mabel was smiling self-con-
sciously.
you'd never guess, would you,
Sib?" she bantered. "The way
Jacks grinning like a Cheshire cat.
Sit down, Jack. We're getting mar
ried Sib. That makes it un2ili-
nous. You and me BOTH
She laughed triurnphantly. isn't
he precious, Sib? I don't care if he
is bald, and trif1e aldermanic
He's his Mabels blessed sweetie!"
mabel Blake, have you been
drinking?"
mo, honey, I'm only delirious
with JOY" There were tears In
MabeTs eyes. Honest" she choked
81 never was so happy in all my
life"
"I'm pretty glad myself" Choir
tied Moore, moist and joyous
"She's a great little girl, Nab is
Sybil rallied desperately. "You
bet she is, Jack!" she cried. "Anc
I hope with all my heart you'll be
happy as the day is long"
GAS happy" cried Moore, "as you
two are!" and he called for cock
tails, to drink toast e.
where's Rich?" asked Mabel.
"Over at the hotel-lying down.
"He's not sick, is hep"
''Well, he didn't look very vel
when 1 left him.
"Sib," she said, Rich is drinking
too much. You osightn't to lei
him."
'Let him! Anybody'd think I fec
them to him You know perfectly
well, Mabel Blake, that I've done
nothing but beg and scold ever since
we were married. Let him!' AS if
could stop him!
But I'm through now. I've left
him. I've fed him aspirin all Tn
going to. I've bathed his head ter
million times. And taken off hi
shoes every night I've been with
him. I've famed him till my arm
ached. live undressed him. Anc
put him to bed And stood for hi:
drunken lovemaking."
She ran the back of her hanC
fiercely across her mouth, and shud'
dered, wIinpering = "Now Tn