The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-16
CHAPTER FORTY-sEVEN

THERE had been CONSERVATION
l. among the tenants at Peters
Florida grove when Ann arrived
from the nearest railroad station
alone.
"when's Mr.. Peter comin'?" Lena
asked.
Not for some time" Ann told
her. Il haven't been we'll and only
came here to rest for few weeks.
After while, when Elm stronger,
I'm going" her voice faltered, go
| ing away"
Something's wrong" Lena said
| obviously to Sam. 1T don't seem
natural, her traipsin' way down here
without him."
1T amt" Sam agreed.
Il thought things we're kind of
queer sometimes when they was
here. Seems like they thought an
awful lot of each other, but we're
kinda Uneasy about shown it."
Lena knew her "spicions" were
correct when Ann called to her one
morning. When Lena came out on
the porch, Ann asked, Does Sam
ever write to Mr.. Peter?"
yes, Miss Ann. When things
don't go SO good, and when they
does"
please ask him not to write for
several weeks-until 1 leave. Or, if
he does, ask him not to mention
that I am here"
1T breaks your heart to see her
sittin' there so pale-like and I'M
happy" Lena said to Sam. Mark
my words, they've been fghtin
about something and he's too onery
to give in"
ut amt likely Mr.. Peter would
be onery," Sam said Loyalty.
1T amt as likely Miss Ann would
be. l WISH" Sarah said sentiment
tally, they would stop this foolish
ness and make up. WaStin' a lot of
time being miserable when they
could be happy. That's what they're
doin'."
The trouble between Miss Ann
and Mr.. Peter was discussed freely
at Sans home. And Maries sister
Corita, who had been brought to
assist about the house and sleep
there at night, had more tales
which added to the general uneasi-
ness.
! Corita told of hearing Ann sob
bling at night. IF he don't come
soon, maybe she not be here" Co
rita said in her quaint foreign
speech.
"Why?" Juan queried.
Because she's very sick"
Juan brooded over that. Ann had
completely won his heart. He lol-
lowed her about, his big, dark eyes
fixed upon her adoringly.
All of his tricks had failed to
divert her. He had plunged into
the lake, making alligator trails. He
had told Ann about the Seminoles
who had lived here once, making
arrowheads from the flint at the
bottom of the lake. He showed her
the new hooking birds nest in the
trellis, and pointed out another nest
in the tree near her room. But he
was not satisfied with the pale little
smile Ann gave him.
So one night he painstakingly,
laboriously, Constructed a message
to Peter. Lena found him hard at
his task and after a quick glance
around to see that Sam was not
about had whispered, Nov, why
didn't I think of that! Here, child,
let me have that card. I'll put the
address on myself
THERE was something Peter had
l. to do. A telephone call he
must make. And then he would
write the end to that particular
chapter forever.
A telephone call to Valera.
Earlier in the day he had been
looking through some old checks
and had come upon the one he had
given Valeria. He had noticed it
particularly because it revealed it
mad been cashed on a day that
stood out in his memory-the day
Ann had left him. Remembering
that, he wondered why Valeria had
kept the check so long. Suddenly
he was startled by the thought that
it might have some significance.
Sarah had said, us there any,
thing you could have done that
Ann might have misunderstood"
He had CROPPED about in his mind,
but had found nothing.
But Ann might have misunder-
stood about this check if she had
heard about it. 1t was a silly
thought, but there it was.
And there the thing was-the
whole terrible, selfish plot that had
taken such a toll of happiness
after talk with Anne's nurse had
thrown light on his theory.
Miss Brock, asked if there were
anything specific in connection
with her distrust of Miss Bennett
that day, had answered, Il should
have told you at first, but thought
you might think I was spying. Miss
Bennett went back to the room and
said she had left something.
saw your wife hand her letter.
a slip of paper it might have been.
Then 1 went back to the kitchen.
When I saw Mrs. Kendall again
she had some kind of nervous re-
action"
Peter got in his big gray car and
headed for Valeria's apartment.
Somebody called out to him as he
spun around the corner, Say, young
fellow, you're in hurry to go to
the notice station. aren't YOu?"