The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-17


tenance like a black rider on a dark
steed-
please sit down." she begged
I'll! not ring for anything until you
tell me what you have come to say.
I can see that it is important"
1T is most important" Bob an
swered quietly, Ito my sister"
"Ohl Eva!" Helen cried. HAS
anything happened to her?"
THAT" Bob replied, lis partly for
you to say"
Don't talk in riddles" Helen ex-
claimed; tell MEL
Her gaze fixed on Bobs and he
held it unswervingly while he hest
tated over his choice of words for
what he was going to say to her.
Finally he started off with a re-
quest.
II should like" he said, "to ask
you one thing. Your answer will
determine whether I can tell you
more about Eva"
Helen caught her breath, nodded
her head and, continued to stare at
him, as one fascinated against her
will
Bob's throat felt dry as he started
to speak. He swallowed and opened
his lips again. The words came
hcarsely and slowly.
Were you ever engaged to marry
Mr. Brent?"
Helen did not answer at once.
Rather her lips did not, but her
eyes told Bob that he had not been
! wrong.
/ She was trying to think, to find a
connection between Bob's question
and Eva. How could it concern his
sister that she had been Leonard's
betrothed?
Finding no answer, but fearful
that a shocking one would be forth
! coming, and seeking no way to evade
I it, she inclined her head in the most
reluctant affirmative that had ever
been wrung from her.
The rat!" The words, as Bob
uttered them, sounded like an ex-
plosion. Helen was so startled she
dropped the glass of water she had
reached for. spilling its contents
over the breakfast cloth.
Bob turned on his heel to go, but
Helen called after him as she
| jumped up to follow. He hesitated
and she caught his arm, digging her
nails deep into the rough tweed of
his coat sleeve.
You mustn't go without telling
me what all this has to do with
Eva" she pleaded.
Cant you guess?" he said shortly.
ooh, no, no, tell mel"
Brent has been deceiving you.
You and Eva BOTH" Bob replied.
cruelty abrupt, but too miserable
even to want to find a way to soft
en- the blow.
HELEN cried out and swayed
l. Il away from him. Bob reached
forth his arms to support her, but
she thrust his hands of and stead
led herself without help.
1T can't be true" she said weak
ly. Surely Eva must have known
Did you ever tell her?' Bob in
terjected.
Helen shook her head. mo" she
said; I don't think I did. But it's
inconce:vahle that Leonard should
have lied to her-to a girl like Eva"
"Just the type he would lie to-"
Bob declared. The kids all broken
Up. I've seen 1t for weeks, but I
didn't know just what it was"
Il must have been blind" Helen
said, as though she admitted being
guilty Of great crime. I've seen
them together and . there was
nothing. Are you sure. Bob?"
His name slipped off her lips 50
naturally she was not aware of hay
ing spoken it. But it made an in
finite appeal to Bob, uttered as if it
was in acute distress.
Eyes, I'm quite sure" he said more
gently than he had yet spoken to
her.
Helen's voice broke trifle over
her next question.
was he engaged to her, too?" she
asked.
IT suppose So" Bob admitted. Il
haven't questioned her"
VIII you go and bring her here
so can talk to her?" Helen asked.
I'D rather she didn't come" Bob
answered. struggling against his
yearning to comfort this girl who
had. directly and indirectly, brought
trouble to him and his beloved sis
1 you'd better drop Eva