The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-12-17

A mn saw them leave the ball
IA room. Her face flushed. It
was an instant later that she saw
Tony making his way toward her
through the crowd.
Her heart turned over Tony
here! Probably he would. make a
scene.
Tony was saying politely, Il be-
lieve this is our dance, Ann"
Not caring who had the dance,
eager to get away with him before
something terrible happened, Ann
answered, Eyes, it is"
In the conservatory Valera was
saying, please don't stay angry
with me, Peter. It's more than ]
can bear. I've been punished
enough, haven't I? I'm human,
and it is killing me to see Ann in
the place which really belongs to
me-"
Peter said, shocked, Waterfall"
"Oh, yes, I know what you're
thinking-that brought all this on
myself and that now I should be a
better sport and have more pride.
You're hard and cold, Peter"
Not hard, Valeria. But there's
no use in all this"
IF I thought she loved you I
wouldn't feel as I do. But she
doesn't love you, does she?"
Peters eyes met Valeria's. He did
not answer. No, of course Ann
didn't love him. But it was some
thing he did not have to tell Va
leria.
He was on his feet. He said curt
ly that it was time to go back be-
cause he had the next dance with
Ann.
Valeria entered the ballroom with
him silently, hating the feeling that
the first blow in the battle had been
won by Ann.
Some one claimed her for the
dance, and Peter looked around for
Ann. After a moment he saw her.
She was talking to some chap who
was holding her too closely, staring
angrily into her eyes. AIMS face
was white.
And then he saw the stranger pull
Ann up in his arms and swiftly,
impulsively, lay his cheek against
her hair. Peter took a step forward,
then stopped, astonished at his
emotion.
He had the feeling that he would
like to tear Ann from the fellows
arms. No, he wanted to knock the
man down. He stood, watching
them. Hating Tony-he had guessed
the man was Tony-with a deep,
terrible hatred. Because Tony was
holding Ann too closely. Because
her face was white and her eyes
looked dark and frightened.
While he was watching Ann and
Tony walked toward the conserva-
tory. Cocktails were being served.
Peter took one mechanically.
A girl passing, said, Funny to
see you drinking, Peter"
Peter stared at the glass in his
hand. drank the contents and set
the glass down. The stuff was Like
water. 1t didn't begin to match the
fire in his veins.
The thing to do was to get away
from here-out in the open until he
got hold of himself.
TONY had said, IF you don't
Il come some place with me, Ann,
IN kiss you here before all these
people. You wouldn't like that,
would you?"
NO" she answered steadily. 81
wouldn't"
Because she knew Tony was ca
pable of carrying out his threat, she
led the way to the conservatory. Size
had no feeling of dlsloyaity. haunt
Peter danced of with valeria and
talked with her in this quiet Sc
cluded place?
Ann and Tony sat down. His
miserable eyes held hers; his hands
crushed her cool. small ones.
I'm going mad, thinking of you
loving him." Tony said hoarsely
Ann, you can't go through with
this. You can't. I won't let you,
darling"
Ann said in a low, troubled voice.
Peter and I are just friends. He
doesn't care anything about me,
Tony. But he's been wonderfully
kind to me-"
Tony. searching her eyes said,
You're not lying? He doesn't love
you?"
He doesn't love me at all"
1t was hard to believe there could
be any one in the world so blind as
not to love Ann. But that was her
story. Tony remembered people
said that Peter Kendall had been
engaged to that baby-faced Valera
Bennett. He had only scorn and
contemDt for Peter. but ha was feel-