The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-04
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CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
IT was a perfect Sunday, one OF
i those blue and gold days only
Se~tember can beStow. Irene danced
and firted, ignoring Pete's warning
At 5, when her friend said it was
time TO 90, Irene insisted upon stay
ing.
You 60 if you like" she sug-
gested. You needn't wait for me-
L will not, Pete said GROSSLY
We came together, and we'll &c
home together"
Suit yourself, darling! 1 don't
want to go yet. I'm having a mar
velous time"
A man on each side-both gooc
looking and casual and a tiny bill
condescending - accompanied her
whatever she did A third, not sc
good looking nor so casual, tagged
at her heels. She had given hei
telephone number to all three
agreeing that it would pe fun if they
came up some time; had promised
to go to dinner, dancing and the
theater on Saturday. The fact that
she couldn't possibly keep but one
Of these engagements disturbed hel
not at all. She would do whichever
one appealed to her most when the
day arrived.
Never had she been so utterly
needless as to consequences. Yet,
she told herself, she was sick to
death of men - Of their lies and
evasiOns and smooth polite way of
invading your life and then laugh
ing at you for taking them seri-
ously. First Bart, then, in an en-
tirely different fashion, Barney had
trifled with her affection.
The only way to beat the game
was to be like Peter Evans, and
she said as much on their way back
to Pete's apartment.
I've always liked you, Pete, but
I used to think it was unbecoming
in a woman to be so cynical. I'm
just beginning to realize how wise
you really are"
Pete stared at her suspiciously.
What are you trying to do? Kid
me?"
Absolutely not. I'm trying to
tell you how much I approve of you.
What could be better proof of it
than for me to follow your exam
ple?"
Whose? Mine?" Pete cried, hor-
rified. For Gods sake, don't try
that. You'd never get away with it"
When Irene laughed, Pete said
seriously, See here, 1 don't know
What has happened to you, but it
must have been plenty to give you
an idea like that. You forget it.
Understand? You're not the type.
What you need" advised the hard
boiled one, lis a home, and hus-
band who will look out for you"
oh, is that so? Well, try to find
one"
1T can be done, Irene! Other
girls much less attractive than you
are doing it every day. You're a
mans woman! Soft, pliable, sweet.
And nothing that ever happens to
you is going to change it."
But I'm through with love- A
girl who falls in love is just putting
herself in position to be hurt"
Everything has its price" quoted
Pete. Maybe you've been jumping
at conclusions. All men aren't alike.
Just because you've run across one
or two who have happened to let
you down"
Such wisdom from Pete Of all
persons was so utterly out of char
acter that Irene, already over
wrought laughed until she cried.
To think that I should live to
hear you defending the masculine
sex"
But Pete stood his ground.
You may laugh, but deep down
in your heart you know I'm right.
You know that to the average nor
NAL woman there is nothing in the
world so important as love. Don't
let yourself become bitter and Gym
ical like am. 1t doesn't do any,
thing for you"
L suppose I'm just to turn the
other cheek and ask for more"
Why not? It's as good luck as
any. Pick yourself up and go on
to the next one. but don't lose sight
of the fact that men will always be
necessary to your happiness"
IRENE could see that for once in
L her life Pete wasn't joking, and
/ it sObered her as nothing else could
have done. Pete was right. She
had been behaving foolishly all day
and nothing had been gained. It
4 hadn't helped the ache in her heart
to pretend to be something she
wasn't. And so far as Barney was
/ concerned he wouldn't even know
it. But in that she was wrong be-
cause, when she dragged back to
/ her own apartment at midnight. Eve