The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-08-29
CHAPTER vi


CRAIG lifted Sybil to the ground
~ Pull yourself together, dar-
ling he counSeled. DIR, Parker
hasn't come out yet. Perhaps il
was only another consultation. Here
let me carry you
He took her in his arms and she
chung to him, sobbing, like child
And I wasn't home, Craig
left hin1-and he died. And
wasn't there. Oh-oh, Craig!"
He felt her tears on his cheek
and the convulsive sobs that racked
her body.
There, there, baby" He Graded
her tenderly. 1--WE won't go in
honey, until you're feeling better
just try to stop that crying. You'll
make yourself sick, baby"
He leaned against the garden wall
still holding her to him, so that she
seemed to get comfort from his
quiet, strong body. In few min
uteS she grew still, and only her
limbs trembled, and her breath came
in sobbing tremors.
"I'll call to him." she said. IF
Daddy were alive, wouldn't call.
1t might startle him. But you can't
wake the dead, Craig"
Her voice rang shrill and sweet.
"Oh, Daddy! Daddy!"
His name was on her lips, when
she tainted. Craig carried her in,
ard they laid her on the broad win
dow seat in the hall, and called
DR.. Parker.
He came from the death chamber
with his little bag and his stetlo-
scope.
It's her heart" he said, and
prepared hypodermic, while Tad
rushed for brandy, and Mrs. Thorne
wrung her hands wretchedly, and
called on God to witness her grief.
First my huSband-and now my
daughter Oh. God. God
1t was Craig who took her away,
and coaxed her, presently, to take
drink of brandy herself. Tad was
sobbing like a baby.
Then Sybil opened her eyes. And,
lucidly, she spoke strange words,
clear as tinkling bells.
"You thought I tainted she said,
"but I died instead, ana talked with
Daddy. He said :"
"Oh, merciful God!"
Mrs. Thorne shriekeo Var terror.
"Sybil! Sybil! TdwardF Come
back to me -
She crunpled at their feet-such
a piteous little gray thing. Her gray
hair in loosened wisps about her
face, all old and gray.
And her dress of drab, gray stuff
clinging in unlovely fashion to her
poor thin body.
Irrevelantly Craig thought of
ashes. Ashes of desire, of youth, and
beauty. Nothing left of them, but
little old woman, anguishing.
VALERIE was coming home for
Y the wedding.
Il suppose she wrote, chat it
wouldn't be the thing to have big
wedding now. I'm absolutely heart
broken about it-about your father
I mean. Did he suffer much? I
suppose 1 can wear by wedding
dress just the same. You see I've
everything all bought, Tad. Mother
thinks it would be quite unneces-
sary to change our planes COM
pletely. Though, of course, we SYM
pathize so much with your poor
mother.
was it an awful shock? He's
been failing for so long, I suppose
you sort of knew. But, then, it's
dreadfully hard to realize. 1 re-
member when my Aunt Emma died
1t was like that. Such a shock,
though we really ought to have been
prepared. DID your poor father
know? It's so complicated alter
ward if they don't have time to
make a will. When Uncle Robert
died, there was such lot of truoble.
Aunt Mary brought suit, and the
lawyers got it all. Every cent. But,
my goodness, of course there won't
be any trouble in your family.
"I suppose you'll all get a third.
! always thought it was awfully
unfair for the widow to have two
thirds. And then, if there's daugh-
ter. she seems to get all that's left.
But Sybil wouldn't be like that, of
course. She would want you to have
your share, know. She's so broad
minded, and then she works, 600.
Business women love to be self
supporting, I've noticed. wonder
If you'd love me any more. Tad, if I
knew more about business. I'm aw-
fully dumb about figures and things.
Mother says I never did realize the
value of money, and Daddy says
you'd think it grew on bushes the
way I spend it. But then, that's the
way they brought me up. I tell Dad
dy he has only himself to blame.
I'm just crazy to see you, Tad
There are millions of men over
here-lots of rich Americans-but
I've never seen anyone half as
handsome as my Tad. How is
Sybil? I hope she's better now
Brain fever sounds so horrible. But
perhaps that was only false
alarm. And don't forget to tell me
how your mother is. You don't sup
pose she'd feel badly do you, Tad
if wore veil?
Probably Sybil won't want to be
a bridesmaid, but I thought 1 might
have a maid of honor, anyhow. A
wedding without any attendants is
so mournful, somehow. And I think
we ought to try to keep smiling
even if our hearts are broken, don't
you, Tad? /"
T~AD did not intend that his
Il mother and Sybil should see
Valerie's letter. 1t was on his plate
- d;,,Vao,. fi,,oo