The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-04-21

IL was as dramatic scene, per-
i haps, as a playwright might con-
coct. But you never would have
guessed it from Virginia's composed,
quiet ordinary little face. She sat
across from her cousin Rennie, and
seemed to be enjoying a club sand
wich.
After all, darling, there's no use
ignoring the inevitable" Rennie was
saying. Neither of us wanted to
hurt you ard poor Bart is as
bewildered as child. But what
can anybody do?"
Virginia sawed through three
layers Of toast, allowed her breath
takingly beautiful cousin to answer
her own question
Men are $3.50 stupid, in a case
like this. But 1 just couldn't let
Bart fall in love with me-without
telling you. It's positively absurd the
way he stares at me- modesty was
not one of Rennies major virtues.
"as though he'd never get enough
of seeing me. Yet he won't come
right out and say So"
He doesn't have to-" Virginia
said, and slipped her tea.
We'll, l don't feel right about
IT." Rennie argued softly. You've
been pretty swell to me taking
me in when 1 came from Peters
burg and ALL Even if you have
good job! You're wonderful, as I
said to Bart . even If you are only
as big as minute!"
VIRGINIA considered that.
' II love New York." Rennie
went on. Folks up here are $3.50
sort of frank. mean there's more
well, freedom for one thing"
Which leads us back" Virginia
observed, to you and" the name
stuck in her throat, Bart"
tits kind of hard to explain,
darling. But I knew you'd rather
know, considering we've been more
like sisters than cousins. 1t would
be foolish for us to try to deceive
each other.
ITS just as told Bart-those
nights you had to work, poor baby.
You're the smartest little mink that
ever came from the South. You can
add up figures like nobody's bust
ness, and do more things it's
no wonder that old boss depends
on you SOL"
And machines" she added,
don't have to have rosebud mouths.
Well, I've got TO step on it it's
after 1870. You going back to the
apartments"
Rennie hesitated IT ought to get
wave, I suppose. My hairs per-
feet sight"
VIRGINIA paid the check. "Per-
v feet" she echoed. well, see
you about $780,"
He face was on fire, going back
to the Office. The afternoon was
fourteen centuries long. Even a
competent machine can go haywire.
have its speed knocked into a
cooked hat, when upon the paper
confronting you - instead of long
lines of f1gures-there dances a girl
with sunbeam hair, and the image
OF man you thought was yours.
A man named Barton Weymeyer.
There was no point in telling
herself it wasn't true. She knew
1t was. Bart was already head
over heels in love. Men were so
stupid in cases of this sort, Rennie
had also said. And Rennie surely
ought to know!
Virginia frowned at the paper
before her. Decided. Just like that
She had no intention of losing her
f1ance without a struggle-which
she knew was exactly what Rennie
expected her to do.
No thank you Noble sac
riflce might be all right, in the
movies but if you loved = man
who didn't know whether he loved
you or not, you'd be a ninny to
let the first beautiful siren who hap
pened along walk off with him.
Not Virginia.
u
CHE had to work fast, after the
~ Office closed. She phoned Rem
ME to go ahead and have dinner"
Oh yes, there was plenty in the
zee box. in case Bart should drop
by. They were not to worry about
ner; she would be home by 9.
And home by 9 she was. A new
woman
Her silky hair, which ALWAYS
had been too fine to do much with.
was still a bit damp. But another |
minute under a dryer would have |
been suicide. Her neck felt cold. |
naked somehow.
After you've worn long hair all
your 20 years, it is something of a |
shock to face the night suddenly
Shorthand uncomfortably damp.
In the taxi, turning l7th-st. she
pulled of one glove. "All these nails
need is to drip crimson" she
thought with grin.
CHE stopped in the lower hall of
~ the brown stone house, added
more lipstick and adjusted her
smart new hat. A steady look into
mirror helped. The person who
looked back at her was a new
woman.
Whether you liked 1t or not.
you had to admit it was different.
And, logically. If the old Virginia
had no. been exciting enough To