The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-22

VINO 1OuQQ u SbIallleQ ner vocal
chords to talk. Beryl reminded Irene
of this when she heard Prentiss
was coming.
you shouldn't have let him." she
said. you know can't talk"
In Beryl's eyes was that mock
ing light that so nettled Irene and
there was hint Of ridicule in her
voice. Irene turned away with a
toss Of her head and enough dis
erection to keep silent.
A little later Tommy dropped in
and wanted Irene to go for swim
with him. She said she had to
shampoo her hair.
All three sat on the porch for
while. Beryl was silent and quiv-
cred inWardly over the alteration
in Tommys eyes whenever they
rested on Irene.
Irene chatted lightly Of nothing,
in high spirits but noticeably out
Of tune with Tommy. In Tommy's
mind there dawned a growing ques-
ton.
DRESENTLY Irene left them-to
l. make herself beautiful for Prem
tiss, Beryl well knew. She won
dered if Irene realized that beauty
is only the trap and that love to
be held must be fed on something
more substantial.
Irene was fooling herself, too, for
she was the type who would make
herself charming only when she had
a conquest in mind.
Some day she would let herself go
and very likely become frowzy. She
was that type. She had appeared
ungroomed at the breakfast table
too often for Beryl to doubt it.
Love to be heidi" The phrase
caught in Beryl's mind. Was she
mistaken? Here was she, loving
Tommy in spite of herself. What
effort did he put forth to hold that
love? None at all.
Would there be some one to go on
loving Irene, knowing her short
comings? She knew Tommy and
she went on loving him. but Tommy
was not like Irene. He was quite the
reverse, in fact.
The more you studied Tommy, the
better you. liked him. But if YOU
scratched the surface of Irene's
character
Charitably Beryl turned her
thoughts from that track. But what
about Tommy if he married Irene
and discovered that he had made a
mistake?
Tommy seemed to think himself
alone. He sat with his head in his
hands and said nothing.
I'm just an old shoe to him."
Beryl thought bitterly forgetting
how dear are old shoes to weary
feet). But, oh, Tommy, Tommy,
how I could love you if you'd let
mep
The rush of desire, the thought,
was so intense that for a few Sec
ondS Beryl was startled. She al
most expected Tommy to look up as
though she had spoken her thoughts
aloud and he had heard.
How could she prevent Tommy
from marrying Irene? Would she
need to? There was Prentiss. But
if nothing came Of Prentiss' inter-
est had one q right to interfere in
another's life?
Fright Or no right, I'd stop this
match if I couId" Beryl thought.
It was all right to be high-minded,
altruistic, and just, but Tommy was
the man she loved. If only she
knew how to save him!
What a mother-in-law I'd
make!" she jeered at herself. 81
don't suppose I'd ever find a girl
good enough for son of mine.
Who do I think I am, anyway"
4 r that point she decided to talk
IN and stop thinking. What
dizzy, perplexing cycle life was.
You whirled round and round and
got nowhere.
When she wanted to talk, Tommy
decided to leave. Beryl saw she'd
made mistake. 1t had been so
much more than she had as a rule
his sitting there alone with her.
Why had she disturbed it? Next
time she would know better.
She watched him go down the
walk 80 the gate and her heart
sagged with the sag in his Shout
ders. Tommy was troubled. How
much did he know?
Did he know that Irene was
shampooing her hair to make a
golden snare Of it to catch another
mans heart?
She closed her eyes suddenly
against the sunlight and swallowed
hard at the lump in her throat. But
she would not start thinking again
she would not! There was so
much to fear, so much to guess at.
So much to fearl Her emotion
had frightened her throat. 1t panied