The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-07-08
Perhaps it meant nothing. who

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1t was the lure of the snake for
the humming bird, she reflected.
And wanted to laugh Historically at
the idea. This man affected her
strangely, made her use phrases
that belonged only in melodrama.
Remind me to talk to you about
the Aiken house." she heard Mrs
Cleespaugh murmur to Robard as
they rose from the table.
Give went to the radio in the
corner of the study and twirled the
dialS. A raucous voice came through.
His mother shuddered.
However can we talk with that
hideous thing screeching at us?"
Give grinned at her. He found
another station and a luscious bari
tone came ripping into the quiet,
luxurious room.
Heavens, what stuff" murmured
the fastidious Mrs. Cleespaugh,
pausing in her monolog to listen.
The baritone walled the tune.
smacking his lips over the honeyed
words:
THE moon is new, but love is
old-lover come back to me-"
Lame looked into the fire. Silly
words. Foolish words they were,
full of pathos-but there was some
thing about them. It was a wall
from the heart.
Shut that wretched machine
off and ring for Ellen" demanded
Mrs. Cleespough, the autocrat. I'VE
must have some bridge"
Although Give made a show of
rebellion, presently the table was
set up and there began for Lame
an evening Of exquisite torture.
She sat opposite Van and when
he was dummy he came and leaned
impudently over her shoulder. She
could catch the scent of the gar
denia in his buttonhole, the aroma
Of his cigaret.
His coat sleeve brushed her cheek
and the button caught in her hair
There ensued one of those awkward
lnterludes during which I'm sorry''
and Stupid of me" were said more
than once, and from which Lame
emerged extraordinarily rosy.
He did that on purpose!" she
thought, half glad and half resent
tul. He was the sort of man who
simply must be noticed.
If there we're no other way. she
said to herself angrily, then he
would catch his sleeve button in
ones hair. Oh, it was cheap. It
was abominable!
But although she tried desper-
ately to hate him, she did not seem
to succeed very well. She knew
every word that he spoke, every in
Election of his deep timbred voice.
1t was a spell against which she
struggled in vain.
At 10 their hostess, glancing at
the great clock, began to rise. "r
nm an old woman" she said males
tically. "You know my habits,
Van"
The game was ended. The eve
ming, too. Lame had thought it in
terminahle, but now she cast about
IN her mind wildly for some plan
70 hold Van here. She might not
see him again-ever.
LIE stood, leaning idly against the
L Il mantel, and watched her as
she swept the cards into a neat
little pile. Give was punctiliousIv
his mother to the stair
case.
Lame was conscious of a burn
ing excitement. All evening she had
felt Vans piercing gaze upon her.
She longed now, with a sudden
fierce eagerneSs, to ask him why he
blew, now hot, now cold, In her
None of this showed in her COM
posed manner and before the words
formed in her mind the moment
passed. A coal fell in the CRATE
with a rattle and Lame pretended
to start at the sound.
This was the hour she had
dreamed of when they should meet
lace to face. And yet she seemed
to be stricken dumb. What an idiot
he must think her, standing there
She could hear Gives step in the
hall. Against her will, Lanes eyes
were drawn to Robard's.
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