The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-05-12

froWn, she consigned the ripe
golden fruit to blue enamel
kettle, setting it over a low fame.
What's that ole hell-cat want?"
CHE looked up, her hand at her
- heart, to see her young son. at
tired now in bathing suit and dirty
white Stacks signaling her from the
doorway.
Marx you scared me. Don't
talk that way"
well, she is that, isn't she? Al
ways shopping into somebody's bust
ness.
Mrs ODare shook her head re-
provingly at him
I'm going down to the river with
the kids Nom Be back about 6.
He gave her a peck on the cheek,
and she heard him Whistling down
the path Then she turned her
attention TO the cooling drink she
had promised her visitor Lemons
were brought from the ice box, and
presently from green glasses a tink-
ling tune sounded.
MY, that tastes good"
Laura Briggs put her head back,
signing gustily. There were two
parentheses etched at either side
of her thin-lipped mouth. Her black
hair was drawn back from a face
which must, in its time, have been
lovely, but which now bore the
marks of Illness and discomfort.
you oughn't to 90 walking in
the sun like that said the gentle
voice of the woman in blue ging-
ham. ITS bad for you"
Il know I know" Laura Briggs
was impatient, But it's Rissy-I
had to get the stuff for a dress she
wants to wear Friday night, and
she's at me all the time Will
couldn't drive me. He had to go up
TO the city"
She paused, and her listener
waited for the declaration which
was sure to come. Laura Briggs
never came to call unless she de-
sired to unburden herself.
How're all your folks?" the caller
wanted to know.
Mrs. O'Dare put back strand
of curling hair before she answered
She was a pretty little woman, an
elder replica of Monica. They're
fine" she assured Laura Briggs
HoW's Rizzy?"
But lit was plain the other had
not come to discuss her daughter
Mark, reflected his mother, had
been right. Laura had something
on her mind. Well, whatever it was,
she would hear it soon. She rocked
to and fro. waiting.
What's this we hear about Bill
getting married." demanded the
newcomer with an arch smile
You're such a deep one, we never
hear the real news from YOU"
The woman in the rocker showed
no sign that the blow struck home.
Her expression was still admirably
placid. undisturbed.
We'll you know Bill" she said
lightly. He's always had a lot Of
girls-but he's never really been
do your
Il
MRS. BRIGGS shifted disdain-
1V1 fully. OF course, she said,
she didn't mean Gertrude. No, it
was the other, that blond from the
Sweete Shoppe. Didn't Bills moth
er know Bills girl?
I've met-such a lot of them"
protested Mrs. ODare, pretending
to brush away a cobwet, avoiding
the sharp eyes of the other woman.
II can't remember them ALL"
Somehow" said Laura Briggs
acidly, L don't believe Bills ever
brought her to the house. You see,
she paused to give her arrow its
full flight, you see, this ones mar
ried."
"M-married" Edith ODare STAN
mered over this. Then she was
angry. She had always tried to see
the best in Laura Briggs, had stood
up for her when everybody else was
furious at her, but this was really
too much. Her Bill-and a married
woman!
Coldly she said, I think you must
be mistaken I'm sure you must"
She rose to her feet, a small,
flashing guardian of her home. an
angry hen brooding over her ma
Hinged chicks. She waited with
drawn and bit diSdainful, for her
caller to make her adieuX
This Laura Briggs did rather
badly. She was chagrined at the
effect her news had made What
she had expected, she could not say.
Tears. perhaps. Harsh words for
Grant son, curiosity about the
charmer, the blond siren. None of
these would Mrs. ODare accord her.
Crestfallen. she withdrew
Left alone, the little mother
stormed inwardly. Not that she
believed there was a word of truth
in the fantastic story, she assured
herself angrily.
And yet-and yet Bill had been
spending a great amount of time
away from home these days His
absences had been unexplained
Gertrude Hampstead had been very
cool to Mrs. ODare whenever they
met; had, in fact, looked the other
way, pretending not to see.
Bill-her boy-involved with a
married womanl She groaned, Sud
denly she felt little sick and faint
The heat of the day. the work she
had been doing. and the blow she
lust received, combined to defeat
her.
She was leaning against the door
frame, looking white and i'll, when
Kay breezed in.