The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-07-22
CHAPTER XI

CHAPTER XI
ONCE a reporter, they say. al
~ ways a reporter And to a good
newspaper woman everything is
copy. Life. and death. and love. and
hate. Obviously. then, this Inger-
soil boy was copy. Rafting good
copy. too.
Molly leaned forward eagerly.
And what" She demanded. are
you going TO do with him, Redo.
Red shrugged narrow shoulders
eloquently
Darned if I know he admitted.
There he lies-God's little gift TO
newspaper men. But YOU know,
Molly. it seems = shame TO tell the
world
I don't know why" she retorted.
III hes spilled solution Of the
Bradford murder Red. its your
civic duty to tell the world.
Maybe" ne admitted. But to
tell the truth. dear. I haven't any
of that stuff called civic pride
You're just soft-hearted." she &C
cused."
"Soft-hearted notbing!" he re-
Joined Indignantly. I'm practical,
that's all. And, Just now. I've got
an idea. Molly. A great big idea
Molly sighed. Go on, she urged.
Tell me about the Ingersoll kid, and
never mind your beautiful idea"
Red lighted another clgaret.
Molly. darling he informed her.
II love YOU and all that, but can't
YOU see there's plot for a play,
or a novel in this IngersoI kid?'
But tell met" she besought.
Red. you're simply talking your
head off I don't know what it's
all about"
No? Listen. then" Solemnly
Red began. Perry Ingersoll fell in
love with Bernice Bradford
IVES. YES" Molly nodded And
/ because she was gay and
charming, and very. very wise. this
young Ingersol found her capti-
waiting. She was different from all
the nice little girls he'd known. The
good girls. who smoke a lot and
drink a little, and pretend to be
very. very bad. BerniCe didn't have
to pretend. She was Just herself.
Beautiful. and loving. and SHINING.
SO IngersOl fell in love with her,
did he?'
We'll. he thought he did"
amended Red. and that's pretty
much the same thing. as near as
can make out. She was Just the
glitteringest thing that had ever
come into his life. And when she
gave him a little attention. he fell
like a load of bricks Did I tell
YOU he wrote poetry to her? Called
her his golden girl and all that
trash. His glamorous. Golden Girl.
Doesn't it give YOU a pain. Molly?"
No she said. L think it was
rather sweet Of him. Red. and aw-
fully pathetic
Red chuckled. Just a born little
romanticist." ne chided. And you
& newspaper woman. Molly!'
Go on" she pleaded.
We'll. as I was saying. young Per-
" IngesOll got a poetic passion for
this woman. and pretty soon he
started clarifying her. Wanted to
marry her. But Bernice knew how
to play her cards better than that.
An adOrlng kid might become use to
a girl in her profession, but what
I 81, do y n
more huSband?"
You say he knew about Bar
rowS?" questioned Molly.
oh. BauowS darn near broke
the poor sap'S heart" rejoined Red.
The kid was so jealous he couldn't
see straight That's why he was
ready to swallow Bernice'S PROPOSE
ton. hook. line and Sinker.'
What proposition"
Don't be in such a hurry" he
instructed. Amt I trying to tell
YOU? First you see. the kid was
imploring Bernice to marry him,
and she was laughing at him. Then.
when he'd given up hope. and made
up his mind she meant it, she sud-
denly turned the tables. One night
she asked Perry to marry her!
can imagine the poor boOb'S heart
busting with Joy. when Bernice
promptly took all the JOY out OF
life.
For a consideration. she says.
And then she outlined her scheme.
Nov. IngerSoll'S the sort OF chap
that would cry, and carry on like
woman. But he's a welCher at
heart. II he wasn't he'd never have
consented to her proposal. And
consent ne did.
"BerniCe knew he was infatuated
with her. and that she could twist
him right around her bejeveled
little finger. She knew. too. that
he was broke and desperately in
need of money. There seems to
have been something about gam
bling debts at the university. and
the KID was afraid OF an expose.
We'll. Bernice said she'd marry
him. and give him a few thousand
besides. If he'd be good little boy.
ana 40 exactly as she told him. And
then she confessed that BarrowS
was beginning to tire OF her. Not that
she gave a boot whether he loved
her or not. Oh. no. BerniCe wasn't
one Of your sentimental models 1
don't suppose she'd ever given
snap Of her fingers for a man in her
life. But there was a lot Of money
in the BarrOwS outflt.
You remember Barrows' aunt
was supposed to have provided the
defense fund. Well. that wasn't his
own aunt. She was his wife's aunt
And for Mrs. BarrowS' sake. the old
lady would so through anything.
Barrows' wife's people wouldn't
stand for any scandal. And Ber-