The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1930-02-03

y
Knight coaxed. Come on. Tony.
Sit up and tell me all about it."
He had completely forgotten
Andy Craig, who was waiting down.
stairs to see If Tony would go with
him to an entertainment. Knights
only concern now was his daughter.
It took considerable wheedling
before she succumbed. First the
girls fingers curled around one of
her fathers hands and she chung to
it trustingly.
Then she turned her head and
he saw that the brown eyes were
swollen with weeping and the cheeks
tear stained. Finally Arthur Knight
gathered his daughter into his arms,
rested her head against his shoulder,
Stroked and patted her as he had
years and years before when child
ish tragedies had befallen.
TONY had ceased crying now.
a. She rubbed her eyes with a
wisp of rose chiffon supposed to be
a handkerchief. She hid her face
against her fathers arm and then
she looked up at him.
ooh, I'm so mis-erable!" choked
Tony Knight.
But you mustn't be. You
mustn't bel"
The girls words seemed to I'M
leash themselves all of a sudden.
They came indistinctly, half-Sobbed,
half-Spoken.
II can't help it daddy!' she
walled. Il can't help it. Oh, I've
been lying here in the dark want
ing to d-die and end everything.
1 d-don't want to go on living any
longer.
"You-you're so good to me, daddy
and I've been so cross and hateful
and everything's gone wrongl I'm
so ashamed of all the dreadful
things I've done and NOBODY loves
me or anything. Nobody cares any
thing about me"
Hush Tony! You mustn't say
things like that. Why, you know
that love you-love you with all
my heart! And your brother loves
you'll So does Judith. We all love
you and want you to forget all the
things that are past and gone"
But she could not be comforted
so easily.
"You hate mel" Tony insisted.
You hate me because I've been a
bad, wicked girl and I deserve it
and don't want to go on living!"
Words seemed to be useless. BY
way of varying his argument
knights lifted the girlish face,
placed a kiss on each eyelid and
one more dntended for the check
somewhere on a very shiny nose.
You don't mean a word of that,
he said Softely. "You know you
don't. Come on now-put some cold
water on your eyes and smooth
your hair and then We'll sit and
talk a while"
Obediently Tony arose and with
drew on the gathering, ridiculous,
satin footwear.
1t was ten minutes before she was
back. Evidently the shock Of what
the mirror showed had been enough
to insure repairs. She came in5o
the room with her hair still hang
ing, but combed and tied back with
a pink ribbon.
The checks which had been tear
marked were smooth and powdered.
Her lips, still wiStful. we're tinted a
violent fame. From the floating
chiffon draperies there eXuded a
poignant, haunting fragrance.
do look better now?" she asked.
Much better. Very sweet, in
deed! Tony, do you know had
completely forgotten what it was
I came up to talk to you about"
The girl gave him shrewd.
searching glance. Then her pose
Of innocence returned. She shook
her head.
knight smiled.
We'll. the fact is there's young
man downstairs and he's been
waiting all this time TO know If
you'd go in town with him TO see
some show or other"
who is it?" Tony asked sweetly.
Andy Craig?"
Her father was surprised.
How'd you know it was Andy?"
"Oh, because he telephoned this
morning and asked if he could
come. Then he telephoned later,
toto Judith. I listened until I
found out Wf2 the call was for"
A RTHUR lANIGHT made no an
"A swer. Presently he spoke ~-ith
gayety which strove not to seem
strained. s
wei. shall 50 down and tell