The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-02
CHAPTER XXXIV

it."
CHAPTER XXXIV
"T'LL run along" offered Mabel
l. tactfully. II really mustn't
keep that man waiting. Valerie
isn't sick is she, Mrs. Weston?"
"Oh, no-it's not that" Dolly
floundered. "It's much worse than
being sick"
What is it, Dolly?" asked sybil.
Don't mind Nab"
"Oh, it's perfectly dreadful! My
dear, you could have knocked me
over with a featehr. I'm simply
stricken. I'll never get over it as
long as I live"
dolly! What is it?"
'Look!" Mrs. Weston delved into
a pocket of her big coon coat, and
extended a letCe: triumphantly. Her
eyes were sparkling, and her color
burned high
II was on my way to Dot Faxon's
bridge this afternoon, when this
came. The letter carrier arrived
just as I was leaving. And when I
opened it,. My dear! I'm speech
less"
The handwriting was Valerie's,
and the post mark, New Haven.
She's been visiting the Ramseys,"
Explained Dolly, in an aside to
Mabel
Sybil was reading the letter 81
emily.
"Well?" she queried, and slipping
\ he pages into the envelope, handed
hem back to Dolly.
Mrs. Weston flushed angrily.
WELL" she retorted "Anybody'd
ink you didn't care"
lI Ion't believe I do"
CYBIL'S voice was even
~ Valerie, you see, has such a
flair for the dramatic. 1t would
really be a shame to spoil her act.
believe, if you don't mind, I'll wire
her congratulations and tell her to
run right along"
Dolly collapsed on the umbrella
stand.
well, of all the hardboiled Wom-
en!" She turned appealing to Ma
bel. did you ever hear Of such a
thing in all your life?"
Mabel was blandly indifferent.
II don't know. What's it all
about?"
" Mrs. Weston shrugged. They we're
too much for her-Valerie enigmatic
sister-in-law and this blase social
worker.
You're perfect idiots!" she told
them shrilly.
With infuriating calm Mabel pat
ted her on the back.
Don't get excited, Mrs. Weston, p"
she admonished in her best profess
sional manner. Whats the dirt,
Sib?"
"Oh, Val has found herself a
lover. And she's written Dolly that
she's going to elope with him."
And I come and tell you, be-
cause I thing I ought-and you
treat me like a burglar!"
Historically Dolly turned on
them. "As Valerie's best friend 1
come to you-to ask you to save
her from herself. You-her hus-
bands sister,! You You :"
Dolly's emotional vocabulary was
inadequate.
Haven't you any hearth she de-
manded. Haven't you any pride?
If you don't care about Valerie,
think Of Tad"
II am" interrupted Sybil dryly.
"Think of your mother! And the
newspapers! And the scandal"
Dolly warmed to her subject.
"You could knock me over with
a feather. I'm simply stricken. I'll
never get over it. Poor Val-she's
in with a fast crowd. That gang
from New Haven.
"You knew it. Everybody does.
It's Tad's fault, anyway. What can
man expect when he doesn't pay
attention to a girl? You know how
it is, yourself"
CHE was concilitary now.
- 1T always say we women ought
to stick together. You may be sore
with Val, and all that. But you
can't let her do this, Sib. If she
and Tad can't hit it off, let them get
a divorce.
There's nothing wrong about that.
But if Val elopes with this man, she
might as well cut off her right hand.
az know Val. She's a great little
excitement eater, but she couldn't
get along without people around
lots of them. She's no one-man
nlodel-not by long shot. Social
ostracism would hurt her worse than
amputation.
AZ tell you, Sib, it would be sui
cidal for Val to do this thing. Shed
be eating her heart out in a
month. You know how people would
turn their backs on her she
wouldn't have a friend left. And
that would kill Val. know it
would"
"Well," sybil was grim. "That
would help"
ooh, Sib," Mabel interrupted
sagely, latter all, Val and Tad are
about as compatible as a stray dog
and an alley cat. You can't blame
the poor little fool for clutching