The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-24

almost endurabIe n the receding
sunlight. It was easier TO be pi1ilo-
sophie about the heat wave when
one was shortly moving to the
country.
She looked at all the bright, clean
little shops almost fondly as she
passed them. The cheap, effective
little dresses in shop windows. Pur-
pie and yellow and scarlet sports
things. Hats which were so nearly
like the creations of Agnes and
Descat and Suzanne Talbot. The
specious jewelry and shapely, gilt
tering, small shoes.
All seemed a promise Of better
days TO come. Cas- stopped at
butcher shop near home and bought
three lamb chops. Two for Lane,
that growing girl. She humrned as
she unlocked the door Of the apart
ment.
There was a note on the table. It
said, LANE has gone to dinner with
me and some friends. Back about
TO-" 1t was signed Molly Cronin.
The spark died in Cas- Barrett's
heart. She sat down, tired, like an
old, old woman. Lame out with
Molly and her crowds She didn't
like it. Molly did well enough as
neighbor, but for Lane to accept
her as an intimate hurt Cass
cruelty.
Molly with her hennaed hair and
scarlet fingertips, her laissez-faire.
Some friends" Cass sauddered at
this phrase, remembering the men
who usually passed her on the
stairs looking for Molly's fat.
Bookmakers in checked suits with
huge, synthetic stones in their neck
ties. Hard-looking individuals,
wearing green hats.
"How could Liane!" Cass muir
INJURED to herself Poor child, it
was easy to see why she had gone.
Lame had no friends in New York.
Molly probably has offered q good
time as bait, dancing, delicious food.
TASS set drearily about the bust
~ ness of cooking her chop. She
put the other two in the ice box
for the next day. All the spice had
gone out of her own good news
now. She ate, washed up, and be-
gan to get ready to return to the
theater How strange and silent the
fiat seemed without the child!
She was putting on her hat when
the doorbell rang. Three long peals.
CasS answered and stood there
shaking as a boy in uniform handed
her a note. It read:
Dear Mother: Please come at
once to - oath street. I need you,
LANE"
.Cass thought her heart would
burst before she reached the sub
way station. Five steps down, turn,
seven steps more. All, there was
train just pounding in! Somehow
she got the nickel into the slot,
somehow she crowded through the
turnstile. And now she was pray
ing-ah, COD, help me to get there!
Help me to get there in time!
All the dreadful things she had
ever heard Of, all the tragic news
paper stories of tragic happenings
involving young girls, came into
her poor, tortured mind. The other
passengers saw only a young-old
woman in a plain blue dress,
woman who twisted her handker-
chief until it tore.
Now Cas- was in the street, run
ming, running. ooh, God, why does
my heart pound sol Ny little grip
1t was a shabby brownstone house
in front of which she presently
stood, house as like as possible to
others in that row. There had been,
she could see, some confusion, now
being cleared away. A small knot
of loiterers. In boys mouth, the
word ambulance"
Her knees sagged. She said, tim
orously, to the officer at the door:
Tin Mrs. Barrett. 7 had a mes
sage from my daughter, to come to
this address"
A worn face studied her keenly,
somehow kindly. yell find her
back there" said this officer, point
ing his big thumb toward the in
terror Of the house. Cass went in.
She had never been in such a place.
Ito Be COntinued)