The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-26
CHAPTER XIV
lW 60 ON WIFI THE STORY


A few minutes after he left her
apartment she had occasion to tele-
phone BERTHE Lou in regard to an
engagement they had for the fol-
lowing afternoon.
In the course of the conversation
she mentioned that Rod had just
returned her jewels.
Before he reached home Rod de-
cided not to say anything about the
matter to BERTHE Lou because he
knew he could not tell half the
trutn without revealing that there
was q half he wished to conceal.
BERTHE Lou knew he had lunched
with Lila on the day he took the
necklace and bracelets to the Office,
so naturally she expected him to
BpSak of having returned them.
~ the evening wore on and Rod
offered no explanation for his late
ness in coming home BERTHE Lou
began to wonder. Oh, well, perhaps
it had slipped his mind. He seemed
to be deeply troubled about some
thing.
Whats the matter with you,
Rod?' she asked him finally. He had
declined to go out to a motion pic
ture show or to call up anyone for
i. table of bridge.
Nothing" he answered shortly
and a trife bruskly. He did not
want to be questioned. BERTHE Lou
was too keen.
He almost regretted that he had
started out to keep her in ignorance
of his trouble. But of course Lila
was right.
His desire for understanding and
sympathy was a WeaknesS-the
same emotion that prompts a
grown-up man to run to his wife
with his troubles precisely as little
boy takes his troubles to his mother.
Rod stiffened his resistance. I'm
tired" he said; worked late to-
night"
He hardly knew he had lied. Had
he been clever about it he'd have
been very careful to tell BERTHE Lou
that he was at Lila'S house.
Good liars learn to leave few
loopholes. Rod was novice. He
said the first thing that popped in
to his head.
Thought out logically it would
have amounted to a desire to &C
count for his state Of mind. All
right-tired. And a ready excuse
Nor being tired was overwork. 1t
Aras less a prevarication to him than
an alibi
But to BERTHE Lou it was a shock.
She shrank back in her chair-they
were sitting before the f1re-aS
though he had struck her.
Her face went white. Rod was
staring at the dancing flames; he
did not see the effect of his words.
In a moment or two she got up
quietly and said she thought she
would retire. Somehow, willing it
with all the proud strength of mind
she possessed, she walked steadily
out of the room.
The instant the door closed be-
hind her in the bedroom BERTHE Lou
let go. Her world had turned sud-
denly topSy turvy with CHASTITY
unreality that left her giddy and
gasping.
She rushed over to the bed and
flung herself upon it just as a great
wrenching sob tore itself loose from
her throat. The pillow smothered it
and received the flood of tears that
followed.
All that BERTHE Lou ever had Suf-
fered of Lila and all her torments
of fear came back to her now as a
crushing load of proof of Rods
perfidy.
It came to her, too, her recent
Slight pique over Lila's influence
with hin-the ease with which she
had persuaded him to change his
mind about accepting a position
with Cyrus.
BERTHE Lou raised her head and
surveyed her charming bedroom
with bitter loathing. This was the
price of Lilas victory. The sop
thrown to allay a credulous wife's
suspicious.
Rertie Lou twisted her lips sneer-
ingly over the memory of Lila's
humble plea for friendship. "And
fell for it," she scathed herself
Opened the door and let her walk
right in. Well, she left the piano
but she's got Rod lying to me-"
1t was a brave attempt to gel
back on the familiar ground Of
youths sarcasm for life; but life
or love, was too strong for her
Again she stif1ed her sobs with the
pillow, very damp pillow now.
But she'd got to stop it, she tolc
herself. Rod wouldn't sit out there
all night.
And she didn't know what sht
was going to do. She got up, turned
the pillow over and went into he.
dressing room. Rod had one of hi
own; he would not come in here.
While she tore off her pretty din
ner dress-Rod liked her in soft
dainty things and she dressed II
r ease him-she was beginning tt
link more calmly.
It was plain to her now that Lii;
had wormed her way back int,
their good will with but one objec
in view-to reach Rod. That wa
why she had induced Cyrus to EN-
ploy him, to pay him handsom
salary.
$50 we'd think her an angel,
BERTHE Lou concluded with feel