The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-25
NOW co or WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

MRS. EVERETT had come up
IV1 stairs to put Irene's room in
order. She sighed over the task as
She put the satin mules away in
the closet and hung up the crun-
pied negligee that had been left
on a chair.
Maybe she hadn't Desn as strict
with Irene about the care Of her
room as she should have been, but
Irene was such pretty little thing.
II had been hard to scold her.
She was carrying the damp tow
els-left from the hair drying to
hang them in the bathroom when
Beryl called to her. Gracious, was
it time for her medicine already
But Beryl was not thinking Of
medicine. She noticed as her moth
er came into the room that Mrs.
Everett looked tired and worn be-
meath the makeup she had hastily
applied when Irene told her to "do
something to herself" shortly be-
fore Prentiss came, adding with the
brutal frankness Of undisciplined
youth: "You look like something
the cat dragged in"
sit down a minute" Bcryl said,
nctioning toward the chair at her
bedside.
Mrs. Everett shook her head. ''It's
time TO start dinner" she said
YEARLY. What is it you want?"
why" Berry, tried to speak calm
~, but her voice would show a bit
eagerness, II just wanted to ask
If Tommy is coming to dinner?"
mo, he isn't, thank goodness, .
her mother replied. "This is his
night to relieve the operator at the
theater. I'm 50 near played out I
don't know what I'd do if had
company to cook for"
"You can give me some milk with
a raw egg in It," Beryl said. That's
all 7 want" AS matter Of fact
she was feeling hungry--having
eaten little or nothing all day, but
she hadn't the energy for helping
her mother and did not feel like
asking for special dinner.
The regular fare, she knew, would
be beefsteak and potatoes and it
did not appeal to her appetite.
"All right" her mother agreed
listlessly. "Is it time for your medi-
cine now?"
mot yet" Beryl said. Don't
bother about it. III take it"
HER mother departed then and
j L Beryl was left alone to wonder
If she were pleased or not because
Tommy wasn't coming to dinner.
She wouldn't have seen him if he
had come unless she'd risked over
taxing her strength to go down.
stairs, and that she did not want
TO do the night before her radio
hour.
But it would have meant great
deal to have him in the same house
under the same roof--now when
Irene was away.
Still if he came tonight the prob
ability was he would learn that
1ICA1E IIdQ BGCL1 OuO WlOkl ) 4CAAOAoo
Gaylord-night still be out with
him, in fact. Poor Tornrny--how
much would Irene hurt him!
Had she gone with Prentiss be-
cause she knew Tommy wasn't
coming back that night, or would
she have gone anyway?
What was she after with Prentiss
Gaylord-just good tine-or would
she throw Tommy over for him if
Prentiss wanted her?
AS Beryl asked herself these
questions, flood of rebellion
against the situation swept over her.
For a moment she could have cried
out, "I hate them ALL"
Here was her happiness in the
hands of a selfish, greedy girl who
never thought of any one but her
self, and Beryl was utterly helples:
to do anything about it but haz-
ard guesses and make conjectures
Her happineSS-yeS. For Tommy