The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-10
CHAPTER xxx Continued.

CHAPTER xxx Continued.
She laughed gaily.
You're silly old darling" she
told him.
He chose the most perfect BIOS
som from his armful and gave it to
her.
your darling indebtedness is
like this flower" he said. mo
browsing bee has bruised it, little
heart. Nor gypsy wind caresSed its
charms"
Ashtoreth buried her nose IN the
orchids chalice. She wondered if
he really meant it.
Hollis was looking at her so rev.
erently that she was profoundly
touched. Daring untouchedness"
:. well. it was a sweet thought.
you say the incest things" she
approved. 81 believe I'll miss an
other boat, SO that you can go on
saying them"
She darted quick glance at him,
to see the effect of her suggestion.
If only he would urge her to stay!
With a little more time-a little
more Starlight little more of be-
ing so maddeningly close to each
Other-then Ashtoreth believed she
could wiring from him the declara-
ton for which she longed.
II II
DUT Hollis shook his head.
ID Heaven" he said, has let
me dream for a whole week. Now
it is time to wake"
But why wake?" she cried. 1--WE
pay for our dreams in waking out
of them. Why can't we go on
dreaming?"
He smiled ruefully.
Life" he told her gently, isn't
like that. Dreams are only inter-
ludes."
We'll, it's been lovely" she sighed.
BIT it's going to be perfectly hide
Gus, trying to put it all behind me.
To go on being a Stenographer.
And live in a pokey little fiat.
And take dictation, and pound
typewriter all day. And go to bed
all night. And never see the stars
except over the top of the build
ings."
Poor working girll' he tainted.
with nothing ahead but life"
Life!" she scorned. What's
life when you spend it the way I
have to-"
oh, you'll find your stars" he
consoled her. And love, in other
gardens. You're very young, you
know, Orchid, and very beautiful"
He put his hand on her head in
fatherly fashion. And then kissed
her and felt the sting of tears on
his bewildered lips.
Why, orchid" he cried.
IT'S nothing" she insisted, and
brushed her eyes hastily. Il get
so sorry for myself sometimes -
that's all"
"Sorryl" he echoed. why, you
adorable little simpleton, don't you
know that you ought to go around
singing paeans of JOY, just because
you're alive, with all life stretching
like great adventure, ahead of
you"
There's no adventure she told
him, Gin being poor"
We'll, there's lot more than in
being rich" he maintained. Being
rich now is an awful bore. When you
can have everything you want, you
know. you don't want things"
"And have you everything you
want?" she asked.
TIE looked at her quietly.
4 4 Everything" he said, that
money can buy"
D. 'I suppose" she unused, money
has absolute purchasing power. With
money you can buy power, position,
leisure, enjoyment. Love, even"
She was treading on dangerous
ground, and she knew it.
Yes" she repeated slowly. "a
man could buy perfect love, i'm
agine"
She sat on a little hillock, and
drew her knees up under her chin.
"Sit down." she invited, land tell
me what a cold-blooded hard-boiled
wicked woman I am
Il would" he said, eff I thought
you meant it. But I know you're
altogether too ideaistic to believe
that sort of thing, Love, Orchid, is
the one commodity that cannot be
bartered and sold"
She looked across the mountains
to the ocean, shimmering in glorious
haze.
ooh. I know" she cried. I'm a
perfect little BEAST But you don't