The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-08-16
A ELE AMOR EARLY

tested Molly. I'm telling you the
truth"
Durbin grinned happily.
IT'S good stuff anyhow he APP
proved. Give it to the reporters
They'll eat it up"
Molly looked frightened.
That's right. Therell be more
reporters around. On, Lord!"
i've an ideal" proclaimed Mr..
Durbin jubilantly. We'll give a
benefit matinee. and We'll turn the
theater over to the clubwomen. That
viii mean we'll have their indorSe-
ment. And the censors won't have
leg to stand on, if the mothers of
young girls approve our show.
Then we'll have an invitation
performance for clergymen. You
can give them a little spiel from the
stage, Molly"
Count me out" instructed Molly.
I've had all I can sand now"
We'll. leave it to me-" compro-
missed Durbin. I've a clever little
press agent, and I'll let her manage
it all.
Maybe the papers will start an
argument pro and con. Solicit the
opinion of clubWomen. Educators.
Reformers. 1t doesn't make any diff
ference whether they pan us or not.
We get the advertising anyhow, and
it's publicity that money can't buy. -
The little producer smiler hap
PLY.
You're a luck girl, Molly" he pro
nounced. only you don't know it. u
Lucky" she thought, with the
cenSors calling me nameS-and
Jack down front with woman"
She smiled politely. and admitted
that maybe he was right. Only she
couldn't see it, not for minute.
n n n
TINE next day, anxious to avoid
l. reporters, Molly hurried back to
Boston.
Little Rita. she discovered, ha6
already tWined herself around her
heart. Each day Molly had tele-
phoned from New York, for the JOY
OF hearing that baby voice.
Hello, Mama" Rita would say.
"Oh, hello. darling, How are
you?"
Use all wight" Such flut-
terry, sweet little voice. with inflec-
tons like the thrilling of a bird!
The child Of her own accord,
called Molly mama" At first Molly
thought she ought not allow it. 1t
seemed like robbing Rita of some
thing that belonged to her. But,
after all, you can't rob dead
woman. Besides, Rita wouldn't
mind. She wanted-really wanted
her child to belong to Molly. It
was little woodland it was BE-
ginning to mean more to Molly than
any sound in the world.
Her first night home she per-
mitted Rita to stay up late. For a
special treat, they had their eve
ming meal together in the drawing
room. Rita had cambria tea. and
there was ice cream for dessert.
Later Bob dropped in. He greeted
his daughter affectionately, and
seemed surprised at finding Molly
there.
Il thought you'd have to stay
over in New York" he remarked,
with all that rumpus about your
play"
"Oh, no." she said. Mr.. Durbin
can take care of that. I didn't want
to be mixed up in il"
Mixed up!" he exclaimed. You
wrote the thing. didn't you?"
But you didn't think I wanted
to stand around, and let them throw
dirt at mel"
Bob smiled disagreeably.
Don't pull that stuff on me-" he
admoniShed. You may be a simon
pure maiden to all the yokelS in
SnodgraSS. but you're a darn smart
young woman to me. That 'dirt's'
going to make you pretty penny
isn't it,"
I suppose So" she conceded.
We'll? That doesn't make you
sore, does it?"
1t was on the tip of her tongue
to retort that she would need several
pretty pennies to raise his daughter.
But that would be stupid and point
less. If they quarreled. Bob might
take the child away. And that. she
felt. would break her heart.
II was not until little Rita had
kissed them goodnight, and gone to
her fairy-tale bed. that Elsie
Smiths name entered the converse
ton.
CHAPTER XXI
DY the way" began Bob awk-
ID wardly. you remember Miss
smith Nfnllu9v -