The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-06-23
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVEN ZEN
TT was reasoning that advanced
her only slightly on the road to
decision; nevertheless it convinced
her that Eleanor had not run away
through sheer callousness. If she
could convince herself that Carey's
wife simply had decided to go off
with her lover and let the world go
hang, then there would be no need
for argument.
But suppose some unforeseen cir
cumstance forbade Eleanor to tele-
phone? Cynthia couldn't imagine
what circumstance would prevent
Eleanor from getting in touch with
her substitute.
But this morning Cynthia could
not possibly nave imagined any cir
cumstance that would have caused
Eleanor to leave her husband, and
Cynthia to join Dean. Perhaps
something equally bizarre had arisen
to force Eleanor to act as she was
acting.
FARTHER in her thoughts, decide
Whether Eleanor had deliberately
lift her in the lurch. She shook
her head. If she had been bound
to Eleanor, so that she had been
compelled to do things the memory
of which would make her blush for
the treSt of her life, then the bond
was mutual.
ELEANOR would not desert her
Could she, then, desert Eleanor be-
cause the latter's need seemed even
greater than it had been at first?
HelpleSsly she again shook her
head. Because the mad and wicked
adventure promised to run into days
instead of hours, could she aban-
Adon it? She walked to the mirror
ind stared at herself.
The glass reflected a person who
lad had no existence yesterday, q
arson who had given herself to the
Inns of another wonan'S hus-
ND, who had met the fervor of a
degroom with an ardency that
kched his own.
was a strange person at whom
athia looked. There was a firm
less to the mouth that she never
had seen there before. Was this
Vthe firmneSS of one who would dc
Vrong and do it with elaboration
n was it the firmneSs of one who
ould do right no matter what the
pressure?
GHE turned away from the mir
~ ror; a sudden sick sensation at
tackled her. What was the use of
wondering if she were good or bad?
I ShJ knew and no longer would
deny to herself the knowledge that
sheNwas going to drift on the tide
of events. She would return to
Carey. She would save Eleanor.
Bitterly, she asked herself, who
would save Cynthia? She knew
that she would save herself.
But at what hurt to Dean and at
what anguish to herself. who would
rather die than injure Eleanor's
husbandl
She stood up and looked around
the room: shabby as it is. there
were little daintinesses that spoke
OF herself. She said goodby to
that self which had inhabited this
room and somehow. made it seem
unsordid.
She had left it this afternoon bent
on a mission which, after all,
wicked though it might have been,
was in the nature of a lark. Now
she was turning a deceit that might
have proved harmless into some
thing fraught with possible agony
and dishonor to three people. -Four,
for besides herself and Eleanor and
Dean, there was Mr.. SAWYER, who
had wanted to be called Daddy Tom
and whose heart would break If he
ever learned the truth of today
events.
Today's events? Tomorrow's!
But she wouldn't look ahead a
moment, much less a day. She had
made her great decision; she would
60 through with this Improvisation
until Eleanor released her from
any obligation to do so.
She descended, once again by the
stairs, lest her apparel attract the
police Of the elevator boy, to the
phby. On the way down she smiled
her precaution. The boy had
ken her upstairs; she had Reen
excited for caution then.
POSSIBLY he, like the clerk pc