The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-10-30
y0N3 By N4 NlM1lm

/ ETHEL'S efervescence had its
IL nadir, also, Mary noted with
amusement, in a sulky ill-humor
which must make friendship with
her a rackety business. Or was
she merely flattering Cornelia
cleverly?
Mary didn't know and really
didn't care. Oh, let the time go by
quickly so that she and Dirk could
go.
IT don't want him." Cornelia
sneered. She turned abruptly to
Mary.
well, when are you going to
have another murder at your
house?"
Mary was completely taken aback.
my DEAR" Cornelia ratified on,
don't apologize. I haven't had
such a good time in years"
She turned to Ethel, with a re-
sumption Of her vivacious air, but
Mary felt the sting underlying her
words.
Searched, if you can believe it,
by the best-looking policeman!
Nothing ever happens at our house
like that" She sighed. 1--WE have
to be content with marquises and
such. Synthetic thrills. Just a
hollow life of pleasure, nest ce
pas?"
She laughed, and rested her head
against the back of the chair lazily
half-closing her eyes.
n n
IN the uncomfortable silence that
l. followed, broken only by Ethel's
giggle, Dirk spoke to Cornelia for
the first and last time during the
meal.
"Cut it, Con-" he said.
Cornelia'S yelled eyes glittered
angrily for second, but she made
quick recovery. She waved a
negligent hand in his direction, and
spoke through a mouthful of ice, as
II she had just remembered some
thing.
"Oh, Dirk, don't let me forget to
give you your lighter. It's in my
car" she said lightly and f1icked
malicious eyes nj Mary'S face.
Mary felt herself flush. Did Cor
nelia just think that up, or had
Dirk really been seeing her? She
would have liked to be a little girl
again and fly at that slyly trium-
plant face and stratch it.
Instead, she lifted her water-gIass
with steady fingers and prayed that
her face did not betray the way she
felt.
"Lighter?" Dirk was saying. in
honest perplexity. "But don't own
a lighterl"
Dirk, my dear!" Cornelia pro-
tested, in a small Shrek. Il gave
it to you'll"
Dirk obviously was performing a
feat of recollection. ooh, that one!
It's been lost so long I'd forgotten I
ever had it. Thanks! Thanks a lott"
1t was Cornelia's turn to flush
now, and from the way the angry
color beat in her cheeks Mary felt
actual fear of her. She looked dam
gerous.
And when a dangerously angry
woman is coupled with several
millions of dollars, almost anything
can happen-though Mary at the
moment had no clear idea what, nor
had Cornelia, perhaps.
a FTER dinner there was no OBJ
"A portupnity for the lovers to be
alone, for Dirk suddenly was in
spired to a coltish sort of gayety
with the bubbling Ethel as play
mate. They walked imaginary
chalk lines with a basket of glazed
nuts on their carefully poised heads,
While Mrs. Ruyther pleaded for her
expensive rugs; they pummeled
each other with pillows and Jug
gled minis and wax fruits from the
Sideboard.
Mrs. Ruyther looked family gray
OF countenance as if she thought
her carefully reared son was los
ing his mind. Never again, Mary
guessed with amusement, would she
give dinner of this kind!
Cornelia played Chopin wistfully
in the music room. 1t finally be-
came apparent that no one was
coming to lean Economically on the
piano and she came out again, sulk-
lily, and sat down with her dress
high, smoking furiously.
Turning the pages of a magazine
busily she watched the GREATNESS
antics of Dirk and Ethel out of the
corner of her eye.
Il n y.
MARY simply sat. 1t was all q
4VA play to her, which did not
amuSe her much. Perhaps if she
looked sufficiently bored, Dirk would
take her home.
She never had liked her father
in-law-to-be so much as when he
said, with a humorous quirk of the
eyebrow which seemed to make
them conf1antes, "They tell me
you're not bad cribbage player?"
And brought out the board.
She was tired and sleepy enough
to drop before the girls went home.
Cornelia won out simply by sitting
on the davenport until Dirk fell
upon it in sheer exhaustion, the
madcap Ethel and her grim-faced
hostess having retired to effect re-
pairs on Ethel's shattered stockings.
(TO Be Continued