The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-07

dashed, to the older voman's. II
believe In lasting love, don't you?"
Mrs. Cleespaugh regarded her
with fondness. She said very firm
ly, Il certainly do. Not a doubt to
It,"
Neither Of the two had heard a
light step on the threshold Of the
morning room where they sat with
the accounts. A vibrant voice with
an undercurrent of mirth in it in
terrupted:
Interesting to hear two women
talking Of love in the early hours"
Lame, startled, looked full into
the deep-set eyes of Van Robard.
She gave one startled movement,
tumbling the check book and the
sheaf Of bills.
Almost they fell into the fire from
which the screen stood a little aside.
Van stopped, still smiling, to retrieve
them as Mrs. Cleespaugh, not alto
gether pleased at the interruption,
greeted him.
well, I must say" she began
rather Grossly. This is a great
surprise for all Of us"
Van, handsome in his travelling
tweeds, leaned over and kissed her
audaciously on the cheek.
NO very gracious, Eva, are your"
he inquired.
I'm delighted to see you natur-
ally" protested Mrs. Cleespaugh not
too convincingly. But why must
you walk in unannounced? Why not
use the telephone? You young peo-
pie are SO casual, so imperative"
Van appealed to Lame who, Grim
son and pale by turns, had resumed
her place at the desk.
She calls me a young person"
he Knocked. "And I'll never see 80
again. I'm deeply flattered."
But Lame refused to smile at him.
She gathered up her papers to leave.
III get back to all this after lunch
con" Mrs. Cleespaugh said more
aHaoly. Van stood at the door,
holding it wide for Lame to pass,
AS she departed he said. so low no
one else could hear:
Sweet thing, 1 had to come back
to see you"
I lane dressed for dinner that
evening in a fever of excite
ment- She had only two dinner
dresses. One was a limp pink one
cit had been ElSie's) and the other
was a demure white chiffon which,
now denuded Of the sleeves the good
sisters had deemed modest, had been
her "class day" dress.
After surveying the two distaste-
tuly, Lame chose the white. She
had a string Of artificial pearls and
since Nora had left a cluster Of red
roses in a crystal vase on the old
fashioned dressing table, she decided
10 wear a knot of these on her
shoulder.
She bathed in haste. Everything
she picked up she clumsily dropped
that night. Fingers all thumbs"
she grumbled in disgust.
She was terrifically nervous. Her
halr didn't suit her. She let down
the b~ronze-gold cloud three times
and twisted it up again before it
was done to her Satifaction.
Maybe he won't even appear at
dinner" she told herself. And. "if
mother knew, she would want me To
go away"
10 her amazement she had dis
covered at luncheon that Robard
was to be a house guest Of Mrs.
CleeSpaugh'S. Hes a distant rela-
tive OF NINE" her hostess had ex-
planned. His mother was nv sec
ono cousin. We had the same
great-grandmother. A Charming
rascal he is. So good-looking and
so unreliable"
Lame had burned to ask in what
Robard's unreliability had consisted.
but had not dared to evince So
much interest in the visitor.
Maybe he won't be here for din
ner at ALL" she reminded herself.
probably he's invited to the
Eadds'." She thought of what
Elsie had said about Van Robard
being Adele Ladd's admirer and
WINGED at the remembrance.
fFEa n C1-k--