The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-02-01
CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

CHAPIEK fOkL X -SENEN
A FTER the parlor door had slid
IA back, Cecily had clicked the
lights on, and all the fat little
cherubs on the ceiling, twining blue
ribbons and red roses about through
soap-sudsey clouds, smirked, and
Barry loosed the dark, dusty folds
of curtain, and they fell again into
straight lines behind Cecily ana
him.
We'll" she said, last act. Cur
tain drops. Here we are taking
our call-but there isn't any APP
plause."
Don't make fun, Cecily, please
I'm. not making fun"
Il know"
Barry you do understand?
Leaving Ann was impossible enough
before-especially after this with
Frances. But now that Phil
has come back--I can't do 1T.
"They have waited eight years.
She was so good today. So happy
and unselhsh. If Ann could man
age without me and allow me to
marry. then I must manage with
out her. 1t isn't self-sacrifice. 1t
Is simply being decent. You under
stand?"
II am afraid / have to-"
But, perhaps" Barry said, after
several silent minutes, I'VE are
making tragedy where there isn't
sny--or out of a comedy. After all,
simply because things have gone
wrong this once is no reason for
this finality-this despair. l think
1t is merely the let-down for us
after our fright about Mary-Fran-
ces."
Perhaps"
"Darling-let's be sensible. We're
just the same persons that we were
this afternoon, up in the hills. We
love the same way. We aren't quit
ters-1just because our plans didn't
work out this one evening. Are
WEI"
mo"
"What is it, dear? We've been
frightened-horribly. Well, that's
over with. Just now we are both
sort Of unnamed with disappoint-
ment But that will pass, too; and
be over with"
mo"
Surely it will. And then we can
begin making other plans"
mo"
clearinghouse getting into
habit. Can't you say, Yes, once or
twice, for changer"
yes. We could begin to plan and
to wait. We could. But you have
not lived here and watched Ann
and Phil as I have for years.
y ouldn't do that to you, Barry. And
wouldn't allow you to do it to me.
"And there is your writing. 1 re-
member what you said about that
today-how the uncertainty affected
it,"
Perhaps I was trying to bluff
you, sweet"
mo, you weren't"
MO, I wasn't. But if we were
IN engaged, 1 needn't be uncer-
tain. Let's put romancing aside
and be practically and convention
ally engaged, for a short time at
least, and"
And then what?"
What do you mean, And then
what?'"
After we've been engaged for
short time, properly and conven-
tionally, then what shall we do?
We won't be able to be properly
and conventionally married, you
know"
"Of course we shall. Well plan.
Well shape circumstances instead
of allowing them to shape us. Ce-
oily, for the love of Pete-think of
it'll You don't expect me to go out
of that front door Of yours tonight
and never see you again!
"You don't expect that. You don't
want it. You can't. I'm emerging
from the fog we were both in a
while ago. What was the matter
with us, anyway?
1--WE love each other like the
devil and all. just because we
missed a date with minister to-
night, are we licked? We are not"
IT feel as if we were"
eve aren't. You're tired-bless
your heart-you're tired to death
You need to go to bed, and I'm 60
ing to leave and give you chance
to sleep and rest. I'll have to buzz
to Albany tomorrow.
But I'll drive down Saturday, and
we'll have Saturday evening and
Sunday together. I'll get my plotting
mind to work, and I'll have dozen
or so on hand for your approval
plans, ways to work this thing out"
To-day you said you wouldn't
couldn't, I mean, wait for me"