The Indianapolis times., 1936-04-08

CENE GRAYSON doesn't know
~ I've married again, you see"
Ellen Rossiter's blue eyes clouded
as she gazed through the quivering
heat waves of the mesa to the dis
tant buttes, then back to the older
Of the two men on the ranch house
porch. That's why asked you
out today. Mr. I didn't even
get your name"
Her light apologetic laugh held
breathless catch.
John Loring," he supplied. mo
wonder you missed out names in
the uproar Of the dance last night.
That saxophone was hitting the
high spots and no mistake. This is
Bob Taylor, fellow dude at the
x Bar g."
He paused as Helen nodded in
recognition of the introduction
then added, II had told him who
you were before you asked me not
to mention it,"
"You couldn't have told any one
else?" Frank terror was in the
glance that darted from one man to
the other.
NO" John Loring's inscrutable
gray eyes rested with keen interest
on the blond loveliness of the girl
before him; loveliness that was
startlingly incongruous in its fragile
sopohistication to this primitive set
ting.
"nH, never should have gone to
~ that dance!" Ellens distress
broke out in a rush of words. "It's
the first time I've been to one. Ross
loves so to dance, I couldn't keep
him from it forever. I just had to
take chance.
How could I know that some one
would recognize me? Not that my
face wasn't we'll enough known two
years before, Heaven knows!"
Bitterness twisted her lips as she
pulled herself up short. "You say
you know Gene /? Do you, too?" She
turned to the younger man.
Bob Taylor shook his head. "Only
by hearsay. There's a rumor that
he's going to marry again."
"Oh, hope it's true% Ellen ner-
vously clasped and unclasped her
hands. IF he could have another
boy. perhaps he'd give up trying to
get Tim! Only-only, Gene never
gives upl That's why you must
promise you won't tell a living soul
you've seen me-"
you've been clever to elude him
all this time," Loring temporized.
"You haven't promised!" Ellen
pierced through the evasion But
you will! You will, when you know
the whole story" She leaned for
ward with feverish eagerness. "All
those things that came out in the
divorce about me we're lies! Lies
that Gene paid people to tell"
CHE caught her lip to keep back
~ a sob. The two men stirred
uncomfortably.
You can buy lies with money,
you know" Ellen went on. And
Gene never spares money to get
what he wants. He wanted to get
rid of me, but he wanted to keep
Tim. Not that he cares anything
about him; he never took the
slightest interest in him, from the
day he was born.
But he wanted to hurt me all
he could. because I had wounded
p his vanity. Perhaps for Tins
sake. should have gone on pre-
tending not to see through him,
even after he'd killed my love, but
] couldn't"
Wounded vanity goes hard with
a man like Grayson," Loring COM
mented, as Ellen paused, struggling
with a valiant effort to control the
quiver in her voice.
"Oh, know 1 was young ani
foolish and impulsive!" She spread
out her hands with a gesture that
was infinitely appealing. But
there wasn't a word of truth in
those liesl Only, saw the Judge
believing them. He was going to
give Tim to Gene! I knew it! So,
that night. I took Tim away.
IT'D read once about this range
Il being the most remote spot in
Wyoming. had enough money to
come here and live for a while. I
got a job teaching school. Then
then. met Ross"
A soft glow, a radiance that
lifted for moment her tense dis
treSs, shone in her eyes. Before
we were married, I told him about
Gene. He's promised me no one
ever will take Tim away"
Then, you have nothing to
worry about" John Loring kept
his eyes resolutely away from the
pleading blue ones that tried to
force his gaze.
"Oh, but I havel" Ellen gripped
the arm OF her chair. It know
Gene! II he thought was hap
PLY married, he'd hound me down.
He'd use his money again TO fight
mel He-hes cruel. He'd want
me 70 suffer. He'd take Tim, and
Ross. That's why"