The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-13
CHAPTER Xiv

NFABEL slipped the ring expert
1V1 mentally on her third finger
AT the second joint it stopped
abruptly, and she transferred it to
her little finger, pressing it firmly
over the middle joint. She walked
to the lamp, and held her hand
under the parchment shade.
Seven hundred" she murmured
to herself. Seven hundred, 1t it's
worth cent. Maybe more. 1t might
have cost a thousand"
She moved her hand slowly to
catch the light.
Poor old Sib. wonder if she's
going to care about him."
She put her finger in her mouth,
and slid it back and forth. Her
finger was red and swollen. When
it was very wet, she pulled the ring
off.
She has thin fingers, whoever
she is. C. B.-now I wonder"
Once more Mabel held the ring
under her lamp shade
Its platinum all right" she
said. Poor Sib!"
She put it back in the box, and
slipped it behind the clock over
the fireplace. Then she gathered
up the cups and glasses, and car
ried them to the kitchen.
Whisking up lather of pleasant
suds, she washed the fragile things
and for the first time in her mar
ried life forgot to hold the lovely
purple goblets to the light to adj
mire their amethystine translu-
cence. Mabel was bordering deSper-
ately. Presently the little girl down.
stairs came up with Teddy. And
Mabel, wringing her glass towel
vigorously, hung it on the rack, her
decision made.
NX7HEN Sybil came in she was
wv boisterously determined.
"See here, Sib. I want to show
you something. Look! It's a ring.
A wedding ring. John Lawrence has
wedding ring. His initials are
in it,"
She thrust it defiantly at Sybil.
II know it, Nab. What's all the
excitement? He's got right to buy
q wedding ring, hasn't he?"
"Of course he has. That's just
it." Mabel was clustering. But,
you poor little nut, you don't want
to get mixed up with him. Let
him marry the girl he bought the
ring for. You've got a good man
now, and you don't know when
you're lucky.
Il told you ages ago that Roger
Caldwell was heavens little gift to
women-remember? The day we
saw Dolly Weston at Schrafft'S. You
almost met him that day. I know
a homebreaker, Sib, when I see one.
Let him marry his old G. B. And
Sib-Sib dear-go home and call up
Craig. Don't go to see this other
man tonight. Tell Craig you want
to see him. Tell hin, you'll marry
him, dear. And tell MIN tonight
before there's any jam with your
pretty hero back from the grave.
OA1J OO11lI 1dW1CIlCG IIldy have
been very wonderful when you
knew him. But ten years can make
a rake out of a knight And every
man needs anchorage. John Law
renee hasn't any. He's gone the
pace, I tell you. And you've had
trouble enough He'd only break
your heart. He has G. B. now. Let
him keep her. Please, darling, clear
out of this affair before it smothers
you. John Lawrence won't make
anything but trouble for you. Re-
member the premonition you had?
You said something dreadful was
going to happen"
Sybil laughed.
my dear, your solicitude amuses
me. Anybo6y'd think was about
16, the way you talk. Suppose your
beloved Jack disappeared some day.
And suppose, after you'd mourned
him as dead, ten years passed, and
Johnny came marching home again?
You wouldn't drop him like hot
potato, would you? Even if you
knew he had another lady in the
offing. Now be yourself, Nab. You
know darn we'll you wouldn't"
But that's not fair, Sib. You
don't love John the way love Jack
Johns new personality-the life he's
led-the girl he has-all these things
intrigue you. Your interest is
stimulated. But if you have a
romance now it's going to be a
frowsy affair-and darn anti
climatic, if you're asking me-"
Sybil plunged her hands deep in
the pockets of her beaver jacquette
I'm not" she said pointedly.
MABEL stopped to rearrange the
1V1 magazines on the table, and
Sybil saw the telI-tale flush she
sought to hide mounting on her
cheekbones. Mabel always GRIM
soned when she was angry. She
adjusted the bookends and changed
the position of book or two. When
she had recovered her composure,
she Strengthened up.
"LJten, Sib," she began, land I
don't care whether you like it or
not. stood by and saw you make
a fool of yourself over Richard
Eustis. And I kept more or less
quiet. You got yourself in a pretty
tight jam, and I helped you carry
on. we've been close enough for
me to say what I think I ought.
I've a right to expect you to listen
to me. Now you're going to take
a little straight dope-and get as
mad as you pleased-and be darned
OF course you'll do what you want
anyhow. But, for my own satisfac-
ton, I'm going to get a couple burn
ing truths off my chest"
Sybil dug compact from an in
side pocket, and powdered her nose