The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-10
CHAPTER TwENTY-FoUR


TWO utterly miserable people
Il faced each other down the
length of the great Jacobean din
ner-table that night T.. that night
which should have held particular
happiness for both of them.
Each was resolved heroically to
keep troubles from the other, but
their woe-begone faces would have
told the tale, even if the loquacious
Della had not.
You're looking a little peaked"
Jupiter ventured. Better come
along to Bermuda with me next
week"
Mary raised stricken eyes at the
word Bermuda"
I'm all right" she murmured,
politely.
Jupiter cleared his throat explo-
sively, and set his melon aside I'M
tasted.
Don't know as this is the time
to speak of it but talked to Ruy-
ther about that matter this morn
ing" His voice was still hoarse
with emotion. Its all settled.
Makes you my heir.
Bruce will be taken care Of
enough for a man that lives the
rattle Drained life he does. But
none O. them French hussies will
get my money! I've got no son,
but by God, there's no law that
says 1 can't have a daughter!"
AS the whole import of this sud-
den announcement made itself
clear to her, Mary threw out her
hands involuntarily.
ooh, mol" she cried. "You mustn't
do that! You MUSTN'T"
'Eh? Why not?" Apparently he
had never dreamed that his offer
could be refused. His stare of
amazement was almost a glare.
Not in many years had any one
crossed him in any major respect;
he was utterly taken back.
THAT isn't fair to Bruce!" Even
Il as she was protesting the in
justice of such arrangement, Mary's
hear began to pound dizzily. To
be the Jupiter heireSs!
She could only dimly apprehend
as yet what it would mean to be
mistress of so many millions, to
have the world to play in, to be free
forever of the poverty that had put
her at the mercy of the Cornelia
Tabors of the world these last few
years.
To be free to choose Dirk for a
husband as he had chosen her, and
not to feel like a beggar-maid who
always must be humbly grateful to
her King Cophetua!
To receive the unwilling Difference
of Emily Ann Ruyther, who, like
most snobs, usually found it difficult
to be uncivil to great deal of
money.
Mary felt as if she had been
taken up into high place and
shown the kingdoms of the world.
Had she really the strength to re-
fuse them?
The old man was growing apo
plectically in his throat, moving the
silver about agitatedly. When ne
had Gained himself, he said:
Wen say no more about Bruce.
have the two greatest griefs to
bear that can come to a NANNY
wife and my son are dead" He
was almost weeping.
=
EEAR for him, in his present
Il highly emotional state, tied the
girls tongue. 1t seemed foolish to
try to convince him by the usual
platitudes, that this violent roper
cussion was only natural, that a
little familiarity between father and
son would smooth away the sharp
edges of their differences, bring
them back together again.
She forsook the subject of Bruce
for the time being.
Very WELL" she said quietly. IF
you're sure you want to do that.
You've always been kind to me, but
this SeemS-too much, somehow.
I've never done anything to deserve
so much. I've no right to it, really.
II YOU change your mind"