The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-09-30
CLJI[T Vol LIPS
WIAIlDA I oil pDONHAAN Author Of "NAD MARRIAGE


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oh, Christ" Norma buried her head
in her hands. "Oh, it was all so
terrible. / thought thought it
was gone and past and I could for
get the way you said"
1T is past and you must forget
about i'll"
But how can I now when Mark
knows?"
Chris got to her feet and crossed
the floor inpatiently, Norma" she
said, you've got to have talk with
Mark. you've got to tell him your
side Of things!"
DAYS slipped and no opportunity
IL came for that talk. The first
weeks Of February dragged by and
no news of Mark Travers reached
Marlboro. Norma and Chris had.
two sessions with Jim Daniels, the
lawyer.
Do4A4CAO cObCA 4ACOSAOAlo OA1I
promised to make Investigations. He
wrote some letters. He seemed OPP
timistic when he talked to Norma.
Privately he informed Chris that
the case could not be reopened. The
divorce had been granted. Beyond
the shadow Of doubt, legal tech
nicalities had been observed. IN
fortunate. That was the way Jim
Daniels dismissed the affair.
Chris kept all this from the
younger girl. She told Norma that
Daniels was hopeful, but the matter
required time. Chris kept up the
farce during those early weeks be-
cause she was worried.
There were nights when she could
not sleep, worrying about Norma.
Too many times she had heard her
say, "I don't want to live without
Mark I don't want to live if he
doesn't love me-!
THRIS found excuses for inviting
- Norma to the apartment. AS
much of the time as possible, she
spent with her. If she could not
be with her for an evening, she
tried to see that some one else was.
DR.. Williughby said everything
depended on Norma'S mental out
look. She must keep up her gen.
eral health, be cheerful and opti-
mistic.
The doctor was very insistent on
these points. He repeated them
each time Norma came to his Office.
Norma disregarded every yarn
ing. She had retired again behind
that barrier Of reserve which even
Chris could not circumvent. Cheer
full and optimistic she certainly was
not.
Norma was inhabiting world of
her own. Not a pleasant world.
She did her work mechanically,
said very little and seemed to grow
paler daily. Nervous mannerisms
she never had shown before became
apparent. Nothing interested her.
One day during the last week of
February something happened
which Chris regarded as blessing.
Dorothy Phillips received a wire
from her sister in" California. There
was vacancy in the Office in which
the sister worked. If Dorothy could
come at once, the job would be
hers.
Within three days Chris was
alone in the apartment, Dorothy's
trunk packed and gone and Dorothy
herself on a west-bound train.
Three days more and Norma's
dresses hung in the vacated
closet space. Norma had not been
eager to move, but Chris had ex-
planned it as a favor to herself. She
could not keep up the rent alone,
she said.
If Norma would not come, she
would have to give up the apart
ment.
nor while things appeared to
Il go better after that. Less strain
for Chris in trying to see that Nor
ma was occupied. No need for
constantly manufacturing excuses to
include the other girl in her plans.
1t was easier to see that Norma
had substantial meals.
There we're days when Chris told
herself Norma was happier, but
they were sure to be followed by
periods of depression. They never
talked about the future, and as
time passed, Norma said less and
less about Mark.
A photograph in the Press one
evening informed them that Mr.. and
Mrs. F. M. Travers had returned
from a six weeks stay in Florida.
Chris read the paragraph aloud and
Norma glanced at the picture, but
she made no comment.
Brad Hart, whom Chris questioned
frequently, could furnish no news of
Mark Travers. He was still in
France, from all that could be
learned.
Gradually March dragged to a
close. 1t had come in like lion
and went out the same way with a
terrific snowstorm. The bad weather
continued and Norma developed an
annoying cold.
Then one day Chris telephoned
Bob Farrell and arranged to meet
him at dinner. Over the restau-
rant table Chris said anxiously:
You've got to help me, Bob. Some
thing must be done!"
(T0 Ra ConfinuadA