The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-03-20

of Stephanie; something beat up
loud alarm-Francis was stuffy! |
This was the moment she had been |
waiting for. She had thought it
would probably come suddenly, I'M
expectedly, as the result of some
thing like this, and help her decide. |
Her heart began to pound.
Il can't marry a stuffy mani"
II can't" and asked Mr.. Gumer |
Parkinson Jr. to go along back to
the apartment with her and Fran
els after the concert was over, so
that she would see how far Fran
els STIFFNESS Won
TT went all the way 1t stalked
Il along beside them like specter,
up Broadway and along w. ATHEIST. |
to the door of the funny old COM
mercial building on the top floor of
which Stephanie had the odd, COM
modious, delightful quarters in
which she taught a few intelligent |
pupils and lived the life she had
always dreamed about, under the
somewhat distant chaperonage Of
her aunt. Something inside of her |
was grieved and hurt and relieved |
and angry and several other things |
all at once.
Il have suspected this about him
from the beginning" she thought,
land now I know. He'd be doing
my deciding for me from the altar
onward He'd be living my lie for
me! A drunkard can be cured; a
murderer can repent and you can
give your life, magnifcently. to
helping him live it down; but stuff
fly men will be stuffy millions of
years after they are dead, on their
little pink cloudbanks, right along
side of your own, in Heaven, Golly,"
Stephanie thought somewhat brok-
-heartedly), extending her key
toward the lock of the downstairs
door, "but I'm glad I found out in
timel" and thrust the key into the
lock and began to turn it as one
opening the door upon new era
in her life.
CHE never entered it-that new |
~ era. She opened the door and |
entered the vestibule of the dark,
empty old building in which hers
we're the only living quarters, and |
Francis and young Parkinson en-
tered with her. None of them saw |
the other two men who had en-
tered also as silently as shadows |
until just as the door was clicking |
shut behind the five of them. There |
was a little dim light in the vesti- |
hule, enough to show them the men
had automatics and wore masks.
"Stick 'em up and keep quiet"
one of them advised, land you'll be
all right
But Francis wouldn't. Her sense |
of disappointment in him; her
heartsick feeling that at last she
knew; that she couldn't marry him;
and that she almost wished she
hadn't found out, increased as he
swung, furiously but inexpertly. at
the man nearest him.
"XOU fool" she thought angrily,
i holding her own hands high |
above her head. You dubi"
And then the man dropped him
almost out of hand with a short,
upward curving blow.
She went sick all over at sight of |
the blood, and wavered little with |
her arms in the air like that. There
was moment when she wasn't
quite following things. She didn't |
know what had dropped the man
who had struck him across Francis
inert form until she saw young
Parkinson dropping the other one,
too-charging him, head down, like
ram, beneath the roaring, fire.
splitting automatic, which roared
and spit a split second too late.
Parkinson's head caught the man
squarely in the diaphragm and laid
him on top of the other two writh-
ing in dry, spasmodic, agonized at
tempts to get back his wind.
"TOUPLE of amateurs, I guess"
~ young Parkinson said, collect
ing their guns. "You might step
out and call a cop"
But the cop didn't need calling.
He was there before any one could
step out, gun in hand and Shout
der against the door. The old lock
gave before the heave and bulk of
him, he stepped inside and nor
malcy resumed its sway.
When DR.. Francis Bannister
came back to consciousness his head
was in Stephanie's lap, where she sat
plump on the dirty floor, second
best dress and all; the blood had
all been carefully wiped away by
her handkerchief and one in his
outside coat pocket, and she was
saying to him:
"Oh, darling, I've found out such
a lot of thingsl You're stuffy-I
just little bit stuffy, and I'm
sorry about that: and you're no sort
of hero, and I'm rather glad; and
you're mine. honey, you're mine,
and love you'll"
(THE END
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