The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-30
now GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER II Continued

PerndDS, IN HIS IlIlCl IlIOot
thoughts, he was pleased to be a
tall, manufactured, clean-ribbed
sort of person, but if so the feeling
never reached the surface to mani
fest itself annoyingly to less IA
vored individuals.
He and BERTHE Lou thought they
had everyone at the Lakeside Ho-
tel fooled about their new status.
But that was only because they
were too self-contained to see the
smiles that followed them every
where-the revealing, yearning
wistful, envious but goodwill smiles.
They had everything. Throbbing
youth, rousing health, love OF life,
and love.
BERTHE Lou even forgot Lila at
times. There was that hour on the
messy bank, far back in the hills,
under a clun1p of silver birches
where they had lunch and drank
from the spring beside the brook.
BERTHE LOUIS eyes we're like sum-
mer stars. Rod took her face in
his hands, ooh, BERTHE LOU" he
said.
Her head came to rest on his
shoulder and Rod held her like
some precious possession he feared
to lose.
Why, he didn't know it was go
ing to be like this! He was actu-
ally blinking tears. Sappy! But he
didn't care.
He hadn't known what he was
jeering at-why, a fellow who
wouldn't fall off the sheer wagon
at a time like this was dead.
He turned BERTHE LOUIS face up
to his and saw that her eyes, too,
were full of tears. They both
smiled. Whose girl are you now,
BERTHE Lou Bryer?" he said.
with only one man in the world
you ought to know"
BERTHE Lou Dryer, you're in Lowell"
"Well, the jokes on you, too" she
laughed back at him. you're just
thrilled to death, Mrs. Buyers hus-
band"
Il know it," Rod 9returned with
mock sheepishness, "but for good
ness sake, Mrs. Dryer, don't ped
die it," u.s.
Perhaps I will D.. unless you
tell me what I want to hear. You
know your declarations have always
been vague, Roddy. You've left a
lot unsaid."
Rod released her. "Come over to
that tree. I'm going to broad
cast it,"
1t was towering pine tree. They
could smell the fresh spicy odor of
it as they stood arm in arm and
looked toward it.
"Bertie Lou, you're just a girl"
Rod said softly. IT thought you
were too advanced to want the old
stuff, but I guess maybe you won't
scott if I tell you something that
I've wanted to tell you lots of times
before"
BERTHE Lou pressed her cheek to
his coatsleeves. GO on, say it,
Roddy; I won't laugh"
Rod turned and took her hands
in his. "Bertie Lou, love you more
than anything else in the world"
They dropped the ideals of the
younger set then while they talked
of their future. Rod smoked CT
garet without offering one to Ber-
tie Lou. She didn't notice the omis-
sion.
There was something about the
woods that was out of keeping with
cigaret-smoking, wise cracking
girl. The spirit of the place had
got into their blood. It's peace and
serenity. BERTHE Lou forgot Lila.
But Rods vacation came to an
end and they left the woods behind
them. BERTHE Lou winked back a
vagrant tear as she took last back
ward look at the scene Of her recent
happiness.
Then she laughed at herself.
Why, she wasn't giving up any,
thing! She and Rod were merely
transferring their beautiful union
from one locale to another.
1t didn't work, however, for self
encouragement. She had to face
Lila now-face people.
Lila's kiss had told everyone that
she wasn't through-that and her
taking hand in the fixing up of
their new home. BERTHE Lou would
fight, but she didn't like to.
If only one could have perfect
Safety-no fears. She felt already,
not yet half way home, that some