The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-08-29
QUILT Vol q LIPS
By AIDA NII RpOOKMAN Author Of MAD MARRIAGE

{ ready so that at the last minute
the chops could be broiled.
Cooking an entire dinner on
two-burner gas stove was a matter
for expert timing. Norma was not
sure Of herself in such matters as
Chris was.
She coulu manage each task by
itself, but jumbling them together
confused her.
She began with the least conse-
quential-flowers for the table.
All the way from a cut-rate florist
shop down town she had carried
a 25-cent bunch of blue asters.
Mark, seeing a basket of such
blossoms in shop window a few
nights before, had declared that
no flowers on earth could equal
/ the glorious azure of Normas eyes.
The asters, he said, only showed
how foolish it was for them to try.
Thereby in the secret treasure place
of Norma's heart blue asters had
become enshrined.
TINE flowers went into cold water
Il in squat pottery vase. Norma
Tipped the cover from the. gate-leg
table and opened it out to its full
size.
She discovered that Helga's dust
ing had, as usual, been done in
slap-dash fashion. There was no
time to go over the whole room, but
the more glazing omissions must
be remedied.
Another bother! There wasn't a
dust cloth to be found in the bag
where such things were supposed to
be kept. Why did everything al
ways so wrong when any one was
in a hurry? n
Each minute that flew by in
creased the girls nervousness.
Norma was so anxious tonights
dinner should be a success!
She wanted the food to be de-
licious, the whole affair to be the
gayest, happiest little party she and
Chris had ever given.
What could be keeping Chris so
long? Perhaps she had started now,
would there be any minute. Oh,
of course she must have started.
Norma looked at her watch. Five
minutes past 6. Luckily, Mark had
been invited for o'clock. Norma
told herself that if she would only
be calm, take things quietly, there
would be time enough.
She'd do the vegetables, then set
the table and try to steal few
miuteS to freshen up after the long
day in the Office. At least dash
cold water on her face and then
some powder.
The old blue chiffon which had
seen two summers wear was all
right by lamplight. The dress was
made with short sleeves and seemed
"partified."
Firmly Norma held a potato in
her left hand, bringing the sharp
pairing knife forward in a vindic-
tive slash.
The knife slipped and with a lit
tie cry Norma saw wavering line
of crimson stain her fingers. 1t
wasn't deep cut-just another five
minutes of delay hunting for gauze
and adhesive tape.
Well" though the girl philo-
sophically, ''the foods here. I don't
know when it will be ready or
whether We'll be able to eat it at
all unless Chris shows up pretty
soon, but at least it's here!"
She bound up the cut finger, re-
turned to the screened off Kitchen"
and took up the pairing knife again.
The bandage made her clumsy,
but she finished peeling the pota-
toes and covered them with water.
She was washing lettuce when the
downstairs bell buzzed sharply.
Who in the world could that be?
Not Mark Mott was a good
three-quarters of an hour before he
was due. Chris wouldn't ring. Nor
ma was puzzled blankly. Before
she had time to answer the bell
rang a second time.
The girl ran across the room, into
the hall, and peered downstairs
over the bannister.
Some one to see you, Miss
Kent!" The voice of Mrs. Haw-
thorne, the custodian, rose shrilly
from the entrance hall.
"Ill-Ill come down." the girl
agreed. 1t seemed the quickest way
to be rid of the interruption.
y Il Il
CHE reached the first floor. Mrs.
~ Hawthorne had disappeared,
but through the half opened door