The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-09-12
Rachel
-Mack,
g 1898 NEA Service. Inc.

afford to have any one recognize
his picture, should it be published
in the interest Of his capture. No
better push on to Worthwhile Bet
ter put himself in the old womans
hands.
The old house is like a fort" he
thought. 1 could dig in there and
stay indefinitely"
A car was coming to a halt beside
him. Breaks ground tires skidded
and tom the window of a cleaning
coupe a tanned hatless young man
leaned out and called pleasantly.
Can help you?"
Thanks, no." John Smith replied
in a gruff voice, not his own. His
hat was pulled low over his eyes. He
partially concealed his mouth and
chin by manipulating his cigaret
Win his uninjured hand 1T was a
blowout Then he added. lying. 81
was going the other way. Car
turned completely around"
What you know about that"
exclaimed the young man, with
surprised interest. We'll, you're lucky
you didn't crash that tree"
Yeah, replied John Smith. He
was narrowly cycling the noncha-
liant, clear-cut young man whose
gaze Was so direct and who wanted
to be helpful.
He wondered why the young man
looked vaguely familiar to him.
After all. he, John Smith" hadn't
been in this vicinity for 10 years.
And 10 years ago that young chap
must have been only IA or Is years
old.
The young man lifted his hand in
salute, shifted gears and drove on.
Toward Worthwhile. An advertis-
ing cover on his spare tire said INC
Neill Pumps Make Hard Water
Unnecessary"
FOHN SMITH lifted an eyebrow
~ So that was it. The Mcneil
boy, grown UP. He was glad he'd
kept his own face covered. The
interview caused him to recon-
slider his plans. 1t was possible
even probable, that the Mcneil
family still lived next door to the
old Hunter place. This boy might
recognize him after the roadside
meeting. Certainly he would .recog-
/ nize the injured car.
! John Smith decided to abandon
the car and continue on foot until
overtaken by bus. The bus would
carry him to Worthwhile. Here he
would alight at some busy intersec-
ton, and from there would saunter,
perhaps under cover of falling
darkness, to the old house.
John Mcneil, already forgetful
of the incident just past, skillfully
lighted his pipe without reducing
speed. He'd signed up the dealer
he wanted in Akron-the third such
achievement in month - and
things looked bright for Mcneil
Pumps The factory would soon be
running full time again, if this sort
of thing kept up.
Dad would be proud as all get
out, if he could see me carrying
on" he thought contentedly. It
guess I'm going to be fair to mid
din salesman after all"
Then, persistently, through these
pleasant mediations required the
image of the wirey, thin-faced
slouching figure on the running
board back there.
"Where've I seen that guy be-
fore?" he asked himself. The uues-
ton was unanswerable. He thought
he had dismissed it, but the sub
conscious mind never dismisses the
unsolved. Back, back through the
years went the trail of his subcon-
scious thoughts while his conscious
mind took up a happier theme.
"Elainel" he said aloud. and
laughed in the wind. "Lord!" he
said, Il believe I'd rather have her
for my wife than any girl on
earth!"
He imagined her in his arms. in
his house, in his life. Belonging in
those places. Happy to be there.
His pulses pounded harder and his
eyes narrowed in determination.
I'm going to let myself CO." he
decided. I'm going to make love
to her I'm going to try to win
her. Some bunch tells me I couldr'
Then he thought of his mother
whom he loved and whose opinions
he respected He could imagine
her saying in her sane, gentle way,
IAN unsuitable match, joint 1t
would end in trouble. Maybe di-
vorce-"
But I want her anyway" John
Mcneil thought unreasonably. And
that was how he knew that he