The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-11-04

, playmate to rornp with for time,
but, of course, not to be taken seri-
ously.
Mercy in her relations with Andy
never lost sight of her fixed goal,
the putting behind forever of the
sordid poverty of her childhood.
She shrewdly perceived she could
not advance much further with her
notebook and typewriter and she
quickly came to the conclusion that
the easy way out was marriage of
money, with love if possible, with
out it if necessary.
Andy loomed as means to this
end. He was young, handsome, and
likeable-and wealthy. Deliberately
she spread the net of her charms
for his ENHANCEMENT.
But while herding Andy to the
net, Mercy overlooked no opportu-
nifty of enjoying life as she wanted
to enjoy it. She accepted the at
tentionS of other men-if they we're
of the tribe who did not keep too
tight a grip on their pocketbooks.
This, she found to her delight, eX-
cited Andy's possessive instinct and
drew him closer TO her.
She developed all the articles
of the coquette; she learned how to
adapt herself to the moods Of men,
to play up to their vanities and to
simulate sympathy in their real or
fancied wrongs.
In Rome, she was a Roman: If
the occasion demanded petting,
drinking or smoking, she petted,
drank or smoked, if more decorus
conduct was on the boards, she
played the part.
Mercy did not like Homer Men
ton, her employer, save as a pro-
wider of bread and butter, but she
did not refuse the cake if he Of
fered it.
She accepted his attention with
her fingers crossed, not only as a
policy of insurance on her employ
ment, but also because their occa-
Sional out-of- Office hours compan-
ionShip usually meant contact with
Andy.
She soon discovered that Andy
moved in two widely different
circles, the rather questionable one
with which she and Mentone were
identified-a fast wild-living set in
which no hard and fast social lines
were drawn-and the more con-
ventional group composed of Andy'S
relatives and friends.
She was intensely jealous of this
better group and resented Andys
very apparent desire to exclude her
from it. But she bided her time;
if she could win him to marriage,
that obstacle would be surmounted;
if she failed oh. we'll, the
ocean was full of other fish!
THE RivertonS lived in a secon-
Il floor fiat above a storeroom on
an Irvington side street.
The dinner dishes had been
cleared away and Mercy was in her
tiny bedroom when the clamorous
honking of an, automobile horn re-
sounded in the street.
"Oh, suffering saintSl" she cried,
I'll bet that's Andy, and I'm only
half dressed" she opened the door
and called out, TON, Andy's out
side. Go down and tell him to wait
a minute. but don't invite him up
here to this sloppy fat"
Jaw. go tell him yourself" came
the answer. II amt your meSSen-
ger boy and anyway that sheik gives
ME a pain
Tom. you ought to be ashamed
Of yourself" sharply reprimanded
his mother. You go right down
and tell Mr.. Masters Mercy will not
keep him waiting long and dc t
forget to be polite to him, either
You ought to be proud your sisters
got such nice young man"
Nice young man. huh!" Tom said
contemptuous, but he numbered
down the narrow stairway to do
her bidding. When he returned a
few moments later, he went directly
to Mercy's room.
Say, sis. you don't want to go
out with that hunka cheese" he
called through the half-open door,
that ginnys all lit up"
Hes not! You say that because
you don't like him and to get pa
down on him. You just keep out
of my affairsi"
Jaw, 1 know him." Tom retorted,
land I know when a mans drunk.
know more than that. too" he
continued loudly. II know he's
nothing but piegirl chaser. I don't
work round the garage where he
keeps his car with my eyes shut.
You amt the only chicken on his
string"
Toni Toni" his mother admon-
ished, coming into the hall and
clutchlng his arm. He'll hear you;
the windows opeul"