The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-11-01
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hand and she heard Barney speak
ing, Ready, Joan?'
Then faint lights in opalescent
shades bathed the stage in soft color.
A central light threw steady glow
upon the slender figure in dazzling
green.
The figure appeared TO be a sea
siren emerging from her blue bath
in mist of rose and gold and gray.
It was a scene of amazing beauty.
Then from the lips Of the young
singer came crystal clear notes, the
alluring song Of a mermaid haunted
by a glimpse of sailor lad. The
lovely bit Of song went on to its
close-to resounding applause.
The change that came over Bob
Westons face was electric. Bar
bars, sitting beside him, noticed
this nervously. The careless, indif-
ferent attitude vanished. Bob was
leaning forward in his seat, star
ing at the masked singer. Then,
as though remembering something,
he leaned back in his seat again.
"She has a lovely voice." Nix
Weston said. when Olive asked
if they could use the ballroom
suggested that the masked girl
would bring out good crowd I
had heard her sing once"
Dad, you old rounderl" Bob
said. Didn't know you went in for
night clubs"
Il ordinarily. But this girl
is different"
BARBARA spoke up then. They
ID say Barney Blake, who owns
the Jigsaw, is mad about her, she
said
You have to discount that kind
Of gossip, Bob told her.
ooh, don't be 1890! Everybody
says it's true!'
The blue velvet curtains parted
again. This time a slender girl in
white stood in the center Of the
stage. The glow from the foot
lights revealed the graceful lines of
a frock designed in a fashion of long
ago. The girls hair was done in
quaint, old-time manner and she
carried an old-fashioned bouquet.
To Barney's amazement he heard
JOan's voice raised in current
popular melody instead of the song
they had selected. The song she
was singing was on Joans encore
list, but this was the first time she
had used it.
She sang in a low, incredibly
sweet voice, Maybe if I loved you
less, maybe you would love me
more"
She was pouring out her heart in
the song. 1t was moving dramatic.
The entire audience seemed to feel
the spell. AS the song ended, wave
on wave of applause rolled back
from the vast room. Joan shook
her head when Barney nodded to
her She stood, one steadying hand
against the wall and swayed little.
''Joan!" Barney cried.
L can't go back" she told him.
"Oh, Barney, take me aWay!"
Evidently the young lady re-
fuses to be generous" Bob's father
said when Joan failed to return for
an encore Bob did not answer. He
was leaving the box Barbara tried
to stop him. "Oh, Bob" she cried.
He was gone. Out in the hall a
servant fastened toward him. Il
beg your pardon, sir. I have a
message from Mr.. Blake. He said
the young lady is not we'll and the
other performers will go on with
the program"
Tell Miss Wetherington," Bob
said CURLY.
He dashed to the side entrance
where his roadster was parked.
Another car was passing through
the gates. In another moment Bob
was in close pursuit. He had not
a doubt in the world-strange and
fantastic as the thought was-that
the masked girl was Joan!
Listening to her voice in that
last song he had been carried away
to another crowded ballroom
where a slender girl in white stood
in the center of a stage, singing.
Her dark hair was like wings
against her cheeks. Below the black
mask he noted the same soft, reso-
Lutte chin. The voice was the same,
too.
DOB remembered jim Warfeld's
IL curt reply when he had asked
about jean one evening weeks be-
fore. She's gone away" jim had
said. Somewhere, I hope, where
she'll be appreciated"
Bob was eXultant. Now he had
found her! More than that, now
he knew-as he had always known
that Joan was the one girl in the
world for him All the tormenting
doubts and bitterness had been the
result of his deep love for her.
The avenue was heavy with traf-
flc and Bob was forced to drive
slowly. AS he neared an intersec-
ton the signal light flashed. A