The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-03-24

Pat jumped out first. Jim left the
car where it was and went up to the
door with Gypsy.
AS they entered the house they
heard voices coming from the living
room.
jim took quick glance and
ducked back again. aye godsl" he
groaned, More gabbing!"
They we're women's voices and FL
len Wallace's rose above the others.
"Oh, Jim, 7 don't want to meet
any more people nowl" Gypsy
whispered. Wont it be all right If
I go upstairs"
"Sure-go alongl "II face the
mob-tel 'em you've got head
ache"
Gypsy smiled gratefully and ran
up the stairs. Her husband hest
tated a moment, then disappeared
into the library. TROUBLED" he
mumbled as he went.
In front Of the living room fire.
place three middle-aged women sat
with chairs drawn close together.
Ellen Wallace was in the center of
the group.
But Ellen,' her neighbor on the
right was saying, what on earth
are we going to do?"
"NTOW there's no use taking it
4 ' that way, Sophronia!" Ellen
Wallace said sharply. tits no worse
for you than for the rest Of us.
Besides, if there was anything to
do I'd have done it."
Sophronia Nicholson Strengthened.
She was like small, older replica
of Ellen, dressed in black instead
Of gray. She wore her hair in the
same high knot and when she
talked she emphasized her words
exactly as Ellen did.
The two were sisters. Sophronia,
five years older, was the widow of
the late Charles Nicholson. Both
her son and her daughter were
away at school. Mrs. Nicholson
lived alone and was a leading fig
ure in the ladies' aid and church
sewing circle. She had been knit
ting, but at her sisters words she
put down the needles.
DO you mean to tell me, Ellen
Wallace" she demanded, that
you'd stand aside and see your own
brothers son ruin his life?"
Lucia Wallace, third of the trio,
broke in with That's exactly the
way I feel about It'll Surely there's
something"
Lucia was younger than the
others. She had been a Wilbur be-
fore her marriage to Ben Wallace.
cousin Of Jim. The Wilburs lacked
money, but their social rank was
unquestioned.
Il tell you there's nothing to be
DONE Ellen insisted staunchly.
They're married and that's all
there is to it"
How're you so sure that they're
married? With woman like that
you can't tell anything about It'll"
"Sophronia-" Ellen eyed her sis
ter sternly, IT don't know where
this girl came from. I don't know
anything about what she's done or
been or why Jim married her. But
I do know Jim Wallace is a gentle
man. Oh, yes, they're married."
But haven't you been able to
find out anything?" Lucia asked.
1--WE found out that she doesn't
want to talk about herself. Always
has a way of turning questions of
so she doesn't give you an answer.
You'll see when you talk to her. I
tried questioning Jim, but I'm sorry
to say that for the present I am no
longer in his confidence"
"TXTELL, all this is getting us no
w where at ALL" Mrs. Nichol-
son had taken up her knitting
again and the needles clicked sharp
ly. What L want to know is what
we're to tell people.
There's a meeting Of the sewing
circle tomorrow and every one there
is going to ask about this mar
riage. What they'll want to know
and what I want to find out my
self-is why did Jim break off
with Marcia Loring?"
and I've told you dozen times
I don't know" Ellen said empha-
tically. CAS- for what we're to say
about the matter, well, I think !
know how to handle that.
When said there was nothing to
be done about what's happened
meant there's nothing to be done
just now. There's only one way to
bring jim Wallace back to his
senses"
The three heads bent forward and
the voices lowered. Now and then
one Of the three nodded affirmative
~. They sat there until long
shadows darkened the room.
It was after o'clock when Gypsy
heard the front door close and,
looking down from her upstairs
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