The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-20
CHAPTER XLVI

l. know anything about him, "
BERTHE Lou answered Lila. She
hardly knew why she said what she
did, because she still believed that
Rod had been in love With Lila.
But her own haunting remark, her
shot in the dark, had brought a
slight doubt to her own mind-a
doubt that was ray of hope!
Why had Rod followed her to the
Palmer place? Would he have gone
there if Lila was the only girl who
meant anything to him? Surely he
must have cared something for her
still to follow her like that
But it was not proof of love.
Any man would have done the same
if he'd had cause to believe that his
wife was untrue to him.
Lila had said every one was talk
ing about her and Marco. Every
one" must mean herself and the
Frasers. One of them had filled
Rods mind with suspicion BERTHE
Lou was not willing to think that
Rod had passively permitted her to
go about with Marco while he be-
lieved anything wrong of them.
1t was not difficult for her to
guess that Rod had rushed blindly
out to the South Shore when his
suspicious we're aroused. And in
that frame of mind he had heard
Marco call her his future wife. No
wonder he had seen his lawyer
about a divorce!
BERTHE Lou was thinking fast
One thought seemed to start train
of them. She remembered that Rod
had not sued; had allowed her to
take the initiative. That did not
look as if all tender feelings for her
had left him.
She took courage from this to
go on with her bluff. Of course she
might be all wrong, and Lila might
possibly be laughing at her, but so
long as there was the slightest
probability that Rod really had been
trying to avoid Lila she was de-
termined to play upon it.
IF you would keep away from
him so he needn't hide even his real
name to save you from making a
fool of yourself he wouldn't be TAX
ing care of 'dinky' cottage" she
famed on.
Lila's eyes flashed angrily. BERTHE
Lou had hit too close to be sus-
pected of not knowing what she was
talking about. Rod must have told
her she had sought him. Lila
flushed guiltily before the scornful
look BERTHE Lou turned upon her.
In her mixed anger and outraged
pride she lost her superior air. ooh,
get out and go back and tell the
poor rabbit to crawl out of his hole.
I wouldn't look at him." she cried,
jumping out of bed and beginning
to tumble a negligee about her
shoulders.
"If I hadn't been through with
him when I learned what he was
doing, I'd be through now" she de-
clared defiantly. "He must be a
bigger sap than I thought he was
to forgive you after what he saw.
And he was some sap to begin with,
let me tell you"
She stopped and laughed con-
temptuously.
BERTHE Lou said nothing. She had
feeling that Lila was too angry to
know what she was saying. A good
time to learn some of the truth.
IT suppose he's told you about
the stolen necklace and bracelets"
Lila continued mockingly. BERTHE
Lou nodded, though utterly in the
dark as to this remark. She was
alert now to every chance to lead
Lila Onto make her talk.
"Well, what do you think of your
bright boy for that?" the other girl
asked, still with that contemptuous
curl on her lips. She waited now,
and BERTHE Lou had to say some
thing.
81 guess you know" she said
quietly. And then she did as Lila
had bid her. She got out. 1t was
sweet to be out. Where she could
think. Thoughts were swarming in
her head like bees in hive. First
and foremost, she must see Rod.
She would not let him linger under
his false impression Of her.
She felt far less bitter toward
him now. Yes, he had been in
fatuated-she called it that now
with Lila, but at least his infatua
ton had not been deep enough to
lead him into deserving her for
MLila's sake.
- And there was Lila's reference to
some stolen jewels. Why should she
think that Rod had told her about
them? Had Lila any reason to be-
1ieve that she was in Rods conf
dence now? That would look as II
Rod had let her think so.
Oh, if she could just keep or
thinking happy thoughts like that
one. But others would intrude. She
couldn't help wondering if Rod had
used her to discourage Lila. Pos
sibly he had claimed that they were
reconciled. No, that wouldn't agree
with some of the things Lila had
said.
Especially things like Rods blam-
ing her-Bertie Lou-for his failure
in the business world. How could
he? That must be more of Lila's
work. She would have that out
with Rod, no matter what else they
settled!
BERTHE Lou remembered the
sacrifices she'd made in Rods in