The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-08
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witness tne dreaQ1ul nnaIe. GURUS
banishment TO his own room, howl
ing. kicking.
Perhaps, under the circum-
stances, a private school would be
better" Morgan said somberly
after his return to the table from
one such scene.
"Does-his mother wish it?' Nan
asked coldly.
YES" Morgan answered. The
flush on his thin, drawn face deep
ened. "She-Iris stopped me on the
street yesterday. She-seems very
much concerned about the boy,
thinks boarding school might be a
more-wholesome atmosphere, if
since" He foundered to a STOP
and Nan saw that the hand which
held his fork was shaking like a
sick, old mans.
Nan did not answer aloud, but
her lips twisted with that cynical,
bitter smile which came so fire.
quently now, as she finished his
sentence mentally: IF I won't
acknowledge myself beaten and
make way for her to come back"
In the meantime Iris took care
that Morgan should not forget her
beauty, the weapon which, after all,
was the deadliest in her possess
sion. Regardless Of swirling snow
or bitter winds, she appeared upon
her front porch every morning just
before time for her former husband
to quit his own house for the office.
Invariably she waved him gay
greeting. And every evening of that
first week she hit upon new pre-
text for being conspicuously in evil
dence when he returned from his
work.
The third day Of the Blackhull
trial Nan overheard Blake, the
young lawyer who served the firm on
salary, remark disgustedly to Evans,
the clerk: Guess who's suddenly
developed a violent passion for
courtroom drama? None other than
the fair Iris-the boss ex-frau, you
know. Fact! Had front-row
seat this morning and yesterday
morning. I heard she tipped that
new dumbell of a bailiff to fix it for
her. Was the boss fused? Don't
ask"
"She ought to be ridden out Of
town on a rai-coming back here
and cumming up the works just
when Nan had"
The sound of her own name, in
Evans answering growl, reused the
eavesdropper from the lethargy Of
despair which Blake's news had
brought upon her. She turned back
into her own Office and for an hour
David Blackhull, on trial for his life
and in need of every atom of help
she could give him, was completely
deprived Of her services.
TINE tedium of courtroom pro-
Il cedure must have bored Iris,
however, for on Monday she re-
sorted to more direct and dramatic
methods. Nan, accompanying her
husband to the front steps to tell
him goodby until noon, glanced
across the street and saw the slim
body of her rival staggering out Of
the door, bent under the weight Of
the heavy stepladder she was car
rying
She knew that Morgan saw. too,
for he took a quick, involuntary
step as if impelled to go to his for
ME. wife's aid. Deliberately, Nan
kept on with what she had been
saying, so that the man perforce
must wait to hear her out.
Just as she was concluding her
Notwithstanding about the Black
hull case-Iris stationed the ladder
directly beneath the globe Of the
porch light, and started to climb,
an electric bulb in one outstretched
hand. On the third step she ap-
parently lost her balance, and, with
a shrill scream, toppled to the floor.
Almost before the bulb shattered,
Morgan was on his way. Nan
watched, with curious detachment,
as she saw her husband kneel and
gather his divorced wife into his
arms; watched as he kicked the
front door wide and disappeared
into the house with his burden.
Then. very deliberately, she turned
and re-entered her own house.
Not even to allay gossip in the
neighborhood could she force her
self to cross the street and enter
that other house. If Iris was badly
hurt and needed more help than
her husband could give her, let him
telephone for a doctor or a nurse
If the tumble from the ladder had
been lust a clever bit of acting, and
Iris was not really hurt, certainly
observation-disclosures was the
last thing Iris desired.
It was half an hour before Nor
gan returned. and because it was
then almost time for court to open
he was in too great hurry to give
Nan more than few words Of ex-
PLANTATION:
She's twisted her ankle-rather
badly. I'm afraid. but she wouldn't
let me call DR.. Black 1 bathed it
in hot water, and then bandaged it
tightly with liniment. You might
send Estelle over with a luncheon
tray. dear. Curtis will be there to
DO little things for her this after
noon. Now I've got to make a
dash for the courthouse"
When he had gone. Nan Won
dered if Re had emphasized his need
for hurry to excuse his not kissing
her goodby.
Quietly. she gave the necessary
instructions to Estelle. cut short
the maids sullen protest at being
called upon to wait on that wom-
an" and left for the Office in her
own car At l o'clock, just as