The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-06-30
ozA l..!!.,!! I5RIDE

said Miss Smythe crisply. SO many
years she had been ground down by
Mrs. Stafford and all that time she
had known how Mrs. Stafford
cheated Miss Ella, OF whom Miss
Smythe was fond. She had looked
forward to this moment with the
keenest pleasure, but now - she
could not forget the way Elinor had
smiled at her and said, I'm glad,
Miss Smythe, that Aunt Ella re-
membered you so we'll You de-
served it more than any one else"
BARRETT went home and paced
II the living room. He ran
nervous hands through his hair,
across his brow. Twenty millions
Of dollars or more-his from the
old lady-and the Thropes close to
starving. He still could hear Bessie
sobbing. And unless he took it the
money would go to that absurd
cause-a vicious causel
How could that child be different
than she was with that woman for
mother and drunkard father?
Lord-if he could only forget Bessie
Thorpe's sobs And for some way in
which he could make it up to them
all
Elinor Stafford had looked pitiably
white at the burial grounw. He had
thought for moment that she was
going to faint, and had forgotten his
anger to think only of her need for
a steadier arm than her father
could offer her. She had been
decent - more than decent - to
speak to him as she had.
Barrett wished he could stop
seeing Elinor as she stood, look
ing at the yawning grave. She had
stared at it as frightened child
would. Watching her. he had longed
to pick her up, hold her close and
comfort her.
Lord, can't do i'll" he said, half
groaning He was thinking of TAX
ing the fortune that had been left
him, a fortune he could never feel
to be his.
He must give it back to them in
some way. But how? How?
Elinor had given him one glance
filled with reproach. Why had she
looked at him thus, he wondered.
Why couldn't he stop thinking about
her?
IN a Park avenue apartment Ida
was screaming "You-you! You
did it," She was pointing at Elinor.
Bentwell was drinking from a
glass that trembled in his hand.
Elinor looked from one to the other.
She began to laugh a little, and
then she began to cry.
Bessie Thrope sobbed convulsively,
going back to Brooklyn. Jim Thrope,
small, under-weight, prematurely
gray kept her arm pressed against
his side.
Never mind" he said as they
waited in the subway for their train.
We'll managed"
Bessie's fat, sagged face had been
swollen by the tears she had shed
and it was convulsed by tears that
were yet to be shed.
II never counted on much"
she confided, and again she sobbed.
but l never thought it would be
this way, JIM"
Neither did l." he answered
drearily.
The train shot into the station.
Humans poured from it.
She slipped her hand into Jim's.
She managed to whisper, Anyway,
we have the boys-and each other!"
He nodded, eyes misted.
CHE never had seen the shabbi-
~ ness of the Brooklyn home more
clearly than she did a little later
when they arrived there. The lin
oleum on the floor of the small,
dark entry had been worn through.
The edge by the sill was warped,
broken, curling
Aunt Ella hadn't understood that.
She had not been able to realize
that boys couldn't help tumbling
about occasionally, wearing things
out. You couldn't nag them all the
time and have a home!
Ito Be Continued)