The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-03-02
NOW GO on WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER EIGHT

T AUGHING, red-hared Casey,
l. chubby. happy Betsy. and
curly-headed Bonnie. And there
was Judy and her twin brother who
had bene abandoned on the hos
pital doorstep a year before; frall
little Winnie whose white face was
illuminated with smile when
any one came near Nine other
little waits whose sObs were loud
and long; laughter, gurgling and
happy.
lingo avoided the waving hands
and feet when she was working
in the nursery with Tillie. Once
she fingered for a moment and
watched Mrs. Sykes take round,
rosy baby from the tub, dry it
and slip it into a gown.
1T all comes with practice, Jes-
sica." she smiled as she iulled the
child to slumber with maternal
pats. you'll do it, too. some day"
lingo turned away abruptly.
"Jessica will never be a baby
nurse" Mrs. sykes conhded to Dr.
Laird later in his Office. She's
clean and quiet, but she won't
touch a baby.
But my, my, isn't she pretty?
Her eyes are dark, velvet pansies
but they are so sad. She won't
talk to us at meals and she never
smiles. A young girl like her
should be laughing and happy"
Mrs. Sykes presumed upon long
association with DR.. Laird to be
confidential.
Just be patient, Mrs. Sykes.
She has not had much experience
with babies yet and if she is clean
and quiet and pretty, what more
can we ask?"
That night on Jingo's desk there
was a new book on the care and
health of children of which DR..
Laird, himself, was the author.
lingo had smiled as she spun the
pages beneath her finger, then
pushed it aside She picked up the
quilted pen and drew pad of paper
to her.
Dear Harry" she wrote. Il think
of you all the time for love you
1 know you love me. I am lonely
and 1 want you but" She threw
the sheet of paper in the waste
basket. Then she wrote very slowly:
Windows and gardens-sunshlne.
A week slipped by. Twice she had
seen Whitley drive his truck into the
hospital grounds and unload build
ing materials which were to go into
the construction of the new hospi-
tai wing. She plunged into her du-
ties wholeheartedly to close out the
loneliness and despair.
Each morning when she arose,
she whispered: I'll see Whitley if
he comes today. l want Harry-he
must know where 1 am. Dad told
me to be straight-with Harry. He
loves me-"
The second week passed. then the
third. There we're no stained floors,
no dust under the nursery beds, for
Tillie did her work we'll these days.
XNHEN supper was over and the
w final duties completed, lingo
would slip away to the white room
on the third floor and sit at the
open window looking out toward
the part of the city she had always
known as home: where she had
lived with her father until that
tragic day two years before when
she had stood beside a narrow hos
pital bed, his hand in hers.
Dads going to leave you, honey.
They got meat last. But what is
going to become-of my girl? Har-
ryl Harry, you will take care OF
Jingo-you1l be good TO lingo"
And Tom Carter had smiled as
death came.
Its Dey and all the big guns be-
hind this!" Harry Barnes had
whispered between clenched teeth |
They said they were going to clean
up this town. They have followed /
Carter since that robbery"
From the shelter of his arms, jim
go had turned to the little group |
about them, waiting. watching with
sympathetic eyes. There was big,
blond Whitley. long an associate Of
her father; the Whitley who was
coming to the hospital each day with
materials for the new wing John
Dey was to build. And Vera Bailey
hard, red Tipped, her hair bleached |
to a corn yellow.
"Tu never forget this-never," she
whispered hoarsely. They'll pay for
taking my dad from me. They had !
no reason to kill him and I'll
never forget. He told me the other
day they would get him some cay |
maybe He was always lodging" |
Harry's arms had held her close.
Let me take you home. lingo. And |
don't forget I'll be standing by, al |
ways. Your dad knew I'd take care