The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-28


watched them hungrily-her eyes
feasting on the beauty of the girls,
and her heart pounding stoutly
with the anticipated happiness she
was pursuing.
During the slow climb, when the
mighty engine seemed to tremble
against the force of the storm
which it encountered, Alice Herrick,
from her corner, segregated the
crowd into its pairs-she recognized
that the girl called Ruth, whose
dark eyes sparkled vivaciously upon
AL, was married to George Reynolds
that Mary and Dick belonged to
the same household, and she
spcculated that it must be a very
happy one too. She had never seen
complete content in any girls face
before.
Then there was Helene and Al
what contrast. she reflected
Helene's cramped, frightened fea-
lures betrayed a greedy vanity-a
meanness. Yes, she was undoubted-
ly miserable despite the bouyant
spirits Of her gay husband, Al.
Then her eyes suddenly caught the
glance Of a pair of gray ones; they
seemed to hold her gaze hypnotic
ally. The man appeared as detached
from that crowd as Alice. She saw
him rise and cross to Mary and
whisper something in her ear.
Mary smiled up at him meaning
ly then allowed her glance to roam
in Alices direction.
THE little Inn, nestled costly in
Il the snow banks, cleaned
brightly from all its windows. The
pines and spruces were hung heavily
with great coatings of snow; the
stiffness from the snow-padded hill
side smote Alice in sharp contrast
to the noise to which she had been
accustomed; the crisp, dry, biting
air cut into her lungs, seeming to
Gig out all the impurities that had
lodged there from her days in the
smoky city.
Wont you come in our sleigh?'
low voice inquired in Alices ear
She turned from her wonder of the
beauty of the night to discover Mary
addressing her
"Oh, thank YOU" Alice acknowl-
edged.
That Inn looks as if it were
across the road, but it isn't. 1t is
a mile away. Besides, everybody is
supposed to know each other up here
so we might AS we'll get acquainted
now as well as any time" she ex-
planned.
Alice climbed in, and allowed her.
self to be bundled in the fur robes
it did not surprise her to find her
self nestled close to the side of the
man with the gray eyes. His name
was Charles Winthrop, she learned
during the course of the ride-that
he had been persuaded to join the
party much against his wishes and
that he was getting pretty much
bored until he discovered Alice
tucked away in the corner of the
car Immediately he dated her for
a tryout with skis and hike on
snow shoes.
DESPITE all the gayety. Alice
~ discerned a bored restlessness
among the crowd. This she con-
fided to Charles one day, a week
later when they were tramping
across the snow.
Sure they are" he answered
''Why shouldn't they be? They run
around here and there trying to find
something to do. They chase to
Europe, and down South and up
here, anywhere, just to get away
from themselves. Most of the wom-
en- haven't got enough to do except
to try and hold their husbands
but you see some of them can't even
do that. 1t didn't take AL long to
clear out after he had Helene safe
ly entrenched here for a few weeks
They all have too much money"
Seems nice fault" Alice
laughed.
You don't seem to have to worry
about that angle of life, take it,
Charles studied her carefully.
Don't II" asked Alice tauntingly
You spoiled women are all alike
Now take my wife, for instance
Your wife?" Alice asked in
credulously. Why why, you didn't
let me know before that you were
married"
Yep, married and divorced once
and waiting for the second decree
to set me free again, then I'm in
the market again. Interested" he
laughed meaningly.
THE cold wind suddenly pene-
Il trated Alice's blood; she felt
frozen and ill and weak.
Il can't say that I am" she an
swered family. Il didn't think
oh, well. what does it matter at all
what I thought" she asked, trying
to appear gay.
1T matters lot to me-" Charles
arm stole ABOUT her firmly. She
FASTENED to release herself from his
grasp.
Don't like me?" he asked.
"No-not now" she replied. I'm
not interested in failures" was her
response.
Maybe I haven't met the right
girl until now" he commented.
I'm not the right girl, if you
mean me-" Alice returned holly.
The resentment in her voice COM
PEELED Charles to study her intently.
You're not serious about object
Ing to my having any kind of a
past. are you? Most rich girls don't
object to divorce or two. It's all
in the course of a life"
I'm not rich girl" Alice con-
fessed. I'm poor-much too poor
to be squandering my small Inherit
ance of $500 left to me by my uncle
recently on such extravaganza as
this. But, you see. have never
taken the time to play in my life.
have always worked-worked hard.
thought I had it coming to me.