The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-12-11
CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN
NTITHIN month every one
w had ceased to speculate about
Dana and Ronald Moore. They were
engaged-or soon would be. Every.
bouy said so; the constant atten.
tons he shoWered upon her PROVED
lt. Dana had won the town catch
and that was that!
There was talk among the olde.
women about Mrs. Cameron'y
matchmaking proclivities. Ambi-
tious mothers relinquish a coveted
goal none too gracefully.
Mrs. Weatherford, who livet
across from the Camerons, discussed
the situation with her friend, Mrs
Prescott, sitting on the porch of The
Weatherford home. Ronnie's road
ster had been parked before thu
Cameron front door earlier in tht
afternoon but now it had disap-
peared,
It's like turning the clock back.
Mrs. Weatherford said. Agatha
Cameron used the very same
tactics to push the childs mother
into a loVeless marriage when she
was eating her heart out for young
Westbrook. I always thought Agatha
deserved everything she got in the
way Of unhappiness for that affair
Wen, nobody would guess her
granddaughter is being pushed"
Mrs. Prescott shifted. T've heard
that when she found out he was
the richest hoy i'm town she got out
that old rattletrap car of theirs
and staged a breakdown right in
front of his home. A friend of
mine saw her!"
"GrandmOthers and granddaugh-
tiers today both want the same thing
money" Mrs. Weatherford said
adding hastily, That is, some OF
them do I've always said the hap
piness Of my girls is all that matters
to me-"
Grandmother Cameron was driv-
ing home as this conversation took
place. She had gone out into the
country for eggs. -Four dozen OF
them, boxed, were hidden beneath
an old rug in the back of the car
\ Eggs were cheaper, bought that way
1t was one of the petty economies
Granmother Cameron loathed. but
had practiced for years. She hac
never really became accustomed tc
being poor. Not even during the de-
preston. When friends Haunted
their economies and talked brazenly
about shopping for cheaper things
br not shopping at all, she had kept
up a pretense of ample funds. She
had always hidden the eggs.
THE drive carried her past a
IL large, deserted building on the
outskirts of town Once it had
been the most fashionable girls
school in the state. Above the en-
trance a CHI, III great letters, were
carved the words, THAT Our
Daughters Shall Be as Cornerstones
Polished After the Similitude of a
Palace"
And girls had been polished, their
manners f1aWless in those days
Many times in the past her carriage
EloNi Will leu IJdSO llllS lit
lawn had been alive then with
graceful young figures, Mrs. Cam
eron could always single out one
girl with rich, brown hair. Some OF
her classmates had limited that
Sana'S mother washed her hair ir
y champagne to get that beautiful
vivid sheen.
Mrs. Cameron pulled the old cal
sharply to one side as a powerful
built roadster driven at what She
was sure was a horribly reckless
speed, bore down upon her, flash
ing ahead. The driver was Ron
ME Moore. He lifted his hat ir
the gallant way she liked, and she
flushed with pleasure. Not al
young men were so courteous tC
older persons as Ronnie was. Some
of them nodded, without lifting
their hats. Some of them didn't
wear hats at all.
There was Scott Stanley, for in
stance. Home with a doctors de-
gree, the honor man of his class.
Yet you'd very likely see him hat
less, with his hair rumpIed, and
apparently not bothered by it at
all.
Ronnie, Mrs Cameron had noted
with relief. was alone. She would
have felt happier if Dana had beer
in the car with him, but since Dana
wasn't, it was nice that no one else
Occupied the seat of the smart, GUS
tQn-built roadster.
"Everythlng'S going as it should. ;
Mrs. Cameron unused with Satisfac-
ton. ELLEN and I are old. 1t doesn't
make any difference about us. We've
muddled along on the rent money
from those little shotgun houses anc
that old store all these years. But
] want something better for those
girls
With Dana married to a rich hus-
band, things would very likely
work out for Nancy, too.
abe late sun had gone under q
{ ld and raindropS were beginning
t natter down on the car. Mrs. Cam
\ e n looked up. 1t would be one OF
those hard, driving summer rains
A regular cloudburst. And after a
While, 1t would taper off and sum-
mer calm would be restored.
q
CHE had driven the car into the
~ garage and was inside the house
before the downpour came Hel
dress was slightly damp from drops
scattering down as she had crossed
FROM the garage to the house. Sarah
demanded that her mistress take q
hct bath and change at once tc
ward off chill And a hot toddy
wouldn't hurt you none," Sarah
added.
The rain was beating against the
windows, rafting them Justify
when the telephone rang. Mrs
Cameron heard her sisters gentle
voice answering. and thought irri-
tably. why does she have to speak
so low7 AS though she's afraid Of