The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1936-05-02

Mini would crack a rib laughing
if he showed up in that crate. There
was only one place a piece of junk
like that was headed for, the grave
yard
In spite of himself, Bozy shud-
dered. But it was not the pathos
of Miss Lottie's trusting face
which made him shudder. 1t was
that cat, stalking back and forth
in the empty restaurant. AS though
it understood its mistress words.
II done somethin' else today,
Bozy," Miss Lottie was saying. Il
hope it won't offend you. I made
will-oh, just in case" she added
consolingly. II left everything I
got to you-and Celeste"
TINE last was said mutely. She
Il hoped Boxy would understand.
And I took out what they call an
annuity for us 700. Ten thousand
dollars to be paid when I'm co."
She did not say when that would be.
It's kind nice to know we'll be sure
when I'm too old for the Celestial
Amt it, Bozy?"
Bozy forgot to answer. But he re-
membered to pat her shoulder as he
disappeared into the back room. No
matter how busy your mind was, you
mustn't forget to pet EN-
And Boys agile mind was plenty
busy. He got so, in the month which
followed, that sleep was all but i'm
possible. The strain would have bro
ken a weaker man, but Boys plan
was air-tight. Fool-proof, he told
himself. He could afford to wait
until people no longer joshed him
about his recent marriage.
AT last the night arrived. A
shower drenched evening in August
when young Apollos dream of
Hollywood, and slender dark things
like Mini Martelli, and shiny sleek
cars gliding over ribbon highways.
Yet there was Bozy: Driving a
1882 touring car, with an ancient
fat wife beside him, and on the
back seat fidgety cat that wasn't
worth the milk it drank.
Pretty night,1 Miss Lottie COM
mented pleasantly. She opened a
bag of lemon drops. Some of
these hills are regular mountains,
looks like. The car runs real nice,
don't it?
"EINE," Bozy said 1t better had.
Il There mustn't be a slip, once
they reached that curve half a mile
ahead.
How we'll Bozy knew this road,
how thoroughly he had surveyed it!
Once or twice he had driven out
alone, in the daytime. Just to
reiearse!
The car was in second gear now,
starting up the winding incline. On
Boys side the Hill rose steep, was
dotted with trees. While on the
right side the earth fell away, a
sharp drop of-Bozy f1gured-70 to
a 100 feet. Steep as the devil. :.
Red mud, straggly brush and rocks.
A car wouldn't last long on that
toboggan; nor whatever the car
happened to carry with it.
Boys jaws twitched. When
they got to that certain narrow
bend, he would unlatch the door on
his side, and the instant he felt the
wheel slip-he would leap. There
would be crash-at the bottom of
the gully-and when the wreck was
found, there would be a hereaved
husband who had fallen" from the
car and rolled" part way down the
hill. He wouldn't mind a few
scratches or even a sprained
arm.
Miss Lottie stopped chewing her
candy. "Oh, Bozyl" she squealed,
Wait minutel My handkerchief
blew out! 1t was that pretty lace"
DOzY stopped the car. He could
ID afford to be patient. The old
girl would make no more requests.
Go back and get it" he ordered.
III wait"
He let the motor run. Still in
high gear, he disengaged the clutch
with his left foot, and glanced to-
ward the yawning blackness beside
the car. He wondered how close the
right wheels were to the edge. He
had forgotten Celeste, on the back
seat. He wished that damned motor
wouldn't chug so loud. He thought
And then he stopped thinking.
1t was over in an instant, so
suddenly and swiftly did the cat
lunge
Like a bullet Celeste landed on
Boys coatless shoulder, cracking
fur against his neck, sharp claws
piercing into his flesh.
There was scream. But the
scream was not Boys.
Bozy made no sound as-involln-
tarily--his knees jack-knifed to-
ward his startled body, causing the
clutch to engage in second gear.
Perhaps he never knew when the
car darted forward. s. And out. +. :.
And down. over. =. And over
again. A dozen times.
Hesnever heard the cry that tore
from Miss Lottie's fat, frightened
throat. He never heard her
sobbing, as she peered into the dark
chasm.
Nor could he know that a cat,
miraculously landed on its feet, was
crawling up an impossible embank-
ment-to offer what solace 1t could
to a dazed, hereaved mistress.
Boy Day was past thinking about
cats.
Past even hating them 80.
THE END