The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-11
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
TINE waitress brought the coffee
i and set it before the two girls.
Coffee in green cups on a silver
tray.
But you mustn't take it that
way" Jappy said anxiously. You
mustn't! Why, Jerry Wyman isn't
worth your little finger. Please,
Sheila-w
I'm all right" SheiIa said. But
her face was pale, her lips trem-
bling. "I'm-I'm perfectly all
right, Jappy." Her hands, beneath
the tables edge, were gripped to-
gether. That seemed to help her
steady herself.
Drink your coffee!' Jappy urged.
81 didn't mean to shock you like
that. Only-Well he is married!
And he was engaged to that other
girl all the time. The one you
saw him with at the night club.
That's why he didn't introduce you.
Don't you see? A man would
have been glad to introduce his sis
ter to the featured dancer in a
place like that, but not the girl he
was going to marry. He couldn't do
that very WELL
mol suppose not. Under the
circumstances"
Jappy's quick look was a question
unspoken. Sheila laughed bitterly
Il wasn't engaged to him. No.
But he had talked about marriage.
We both talked about it. Oh, how
melodramatic that sounds!
But he had and, Jappy, 1 be-
lieved him. I thought-well, that
he was different from the other men
! know
Jappy nodded wisely. "Sure.
know. It's because of this idea OF
yours about leaving the stage. You
thought Jerry Wyman was different
because he came from a small town
and worked in factory.
Then when you knew he had
money you still were sure he wasn't
like the rich men in New York.
But. Sheila, there are plenty of 9TH
ers. Better men than jerry Wy
man!
why. for half the devotion Dick
Stanley has ShoWered your way, I'd
dance the length of Broadway with
hand springs thrown I'M"
But, Jappy, love Jerry"
Hes not worth i'll"
They finished their coffee in ST
lence. then rose, paid the check
and went out on the street. 1t was
the same street. familiar, noisy
cluttered with little shops, old houses
with grimy stone fronts that had
at one time housed the city's social
elite.
Taxis, trucks, private cars milling
in the street. The curb was crowded
with hurrying men and women
laundry boys, messengers with hands
in pockets, whistling. The world
was just as it had been, but for
Sheila how different!
CHE walked slowly, her eyes
" blurred with tears.
There isn't anything you can dc
about it" offered Jappy uneasily
at wouldn't have told you, but I was
afraid some one else would. The
bunch were talking about it at
Frances Barton'S.
Frances used to live in Spencer
She knew Jerry Wyman when she
was a kid. She thought you had
been getting a rotten deal
The hot color flooded Sheila's
cheeks. SO the bunch" had been
talking about her feeling for Jerry!
Sheila herself had not discussed it
except with Jappy and Title
Samper.
Tillie. in love with Jim Blaine
had been an interested listener
Girls in love have to talk about the
objects of their devotion. Many an
evening, curled up on her bed
Sheila had confided to Tillie.
She had told her about the col
or of Jerry's hair how blue his eyes
were, how smburned he was and
how becoming was that tanned
skin.
But she had never repeated tc
Tillie the precious things Jerry had
said-words which now she knew
had meant less than nothing to
him.
Jappy went on trying to make
things easier. Listen, honey,
she said. You weren't Jerry'S
kind. Oh, I know that you belong
to one Of the best families in the
theater.
You're aristocracy of the stage
and all that. But IN a town like
Spencer, people wouldn't under
stand about that. They think every
girl on the stage wears too much
paint and is no better than she
should be. Can't you see how
Jerry'S parents would feel about his
marrying dancer?
Jerry isn't to blame for every
thing, dear He's been raised that
way. There's a big difference to
him between a girl who lives at
home with her parents and is pro-
V
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