The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-04-17

ger, her fingers clamped like wise
on Sally's wrist.
"Oh, pleased" Sally moaned,
writhing with a pain of which she
was scarcely conscious, so great was
her fear and bewilderment at this
unexpected charge.
"Sally certainly didn't go with
him." Pop Bybee interposed rea-
sonably.
'"Sure she didn't" his wife
shrilled with angry triumph. "She
couldn't! She was buried under the
tent! If it hadn't been for the
storm she wouldn't be here now,
working on your sympathies with
them dying-calf eyes of hers"
Better let me handle this,
honey" Pop Bybee interrupted
again, this time more firmly. Turn
the child loose. Amt bit of use
breaking her arm. Now, folks, I
might as we'll tell you all just
what happened, and then try to
get to the bottom of this matter.
When the worst of the storm was
over Mrs. Bybee left the show train
to look for me, to see if I was hurt
or if she could do anything for any,
one who was. She hadn't been out
of the stateroom all evening till
then-not since she'd put some
money into the safe right after
supper. She found the boy Dave
starting out TO look for Sally, and
she ordered him to stay on the
train to keep an eye on it, in case
trampS or crooks tried to board it.
There wasn't anybody else on the
train. That right, Mother?"
He turned to Mrs. Bybee, who
nodded angrily.
"She told him she'd look after
Sally, but he'd have to stand guard
on the train. She didn't say any
thing to him about the safe-iust
told him to patrol the train while
she was gone. The safe is under
a seat in our stateroom, and far
as we knew, nobody knew where it
was, except Sally here, who hap
pened to come into the stateroom
when my wife was counting a
days receipts"
Please, Mr.. Bybee," Sally inter
rupted, memory struggling with the
panic in her brain. Some one else
did know Nita knew! When I
left the stateroom that last day in
Stanton I saw Nita disappearing
into the womenS dressing room,
and thought she'd been listening.
She"
Hold on a minutel" Bybee cut
in sternly. How do you know
she'd been listening? Any proof"
Yes, sir!" Sally cried eagerly.
Mrs. Bybee had been telling me
that she'd found out that Ford
isn't my real name, that the woman
always thought was my mother
wasn't really my mother at all. She
said she guessed THAT my mother
was ashamed I'd ever been born.
And that same day Mia called me
a-a-bad name that means" She
could not go on. Sobs began to
shake her small body again and her
face was scarlet with shame.
That's right" Gus, the barker
edged toward Bybee through the
crowd. st found Sally lighting in
to Nita for calling her that name.
And Mia didn't deny she'd done it.
Reckon that proves she was caves
dropping, all right And if she was
listening in, she was probably peep
ing in, too, or heard Mrs. Bybee
talking about the safe. Was the
door open, ma'am?"
IT don't know!" Mrs. Bybee
snapped. eyes, it may have been.
It was awful hot. And I didn't
know anybody was on the train"
ut was open little way" Sally
cried. IT remember distinctly. Be
cause worried about whether Mia
had overheard what Mrs. Bybee
had been telling me. And there's
something else-something that
happened that night, when David
and were walking" Memory of
that blessed hour in the moonlight
brought tears to her eyes, but she
dashed them away with the wrist
which bore the marks of Mrs. By
bees rage.
what was it, Sally? Pop Bybee
asked gently. Cali we want is to get
at the truth of this thing Don't be
afraid to speak up"
II hate being a tattle-tale," Sally
whimpered 81 never told on any
one before in all my life! But David
and I were sitting under a tree, not
talking, when we suddenly heard
Nita's voice. She couldn't see us
for the tree, but we peeped around
the trunk of it and we saw Nita and