Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 181, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 December 1922 — Page 8

8

A Hoosier Chronicle By MEREDITH NICHOLSON First Novel in thè Times Series of Fiction Stories by Indiana ■Writers •' (Copyright. 1918. by Meredith Klcholeon.)

Dan nodded. Ha kr.ew Mrs. Owen well enough by thls time to underst&nd that sha tisually perfected her plana before epeaklng, and that she doubtless had decided exactlv how Andrew Kelton’s estate should be admlnlstered. “I’m going to ask thè court to appolnt you admlnistrator, DanleL Yon aver acted? Wall, you might as well have thè experience. As soon aa Sylvia gets rested she’ll go back to college to finish up, and then come to me for thè summer.” "She might not like my havlng any-, thlng to do with her affairs,” Dan suggested. "I shouldn’t want to seem to be lntruding.” "Oh. Sylvia llkes you well enough. The main thlng is getting somebody that you've got confidence in. I know some peijple nere, and I gacs thè court wlll do about what we want." "I should have to come over here frequently untll everythlng was settìed," Dan added, thinking of his dutles In thè city.’ "I suppose lf you flnd it possible for me to serve that I shall have to get Mr. Bassett’s consenti he pavs for my time, you know.” "That’s right, you ask hlm; but be pure to teli hlm that I want !t to he that way. Morton won’t moke any fuss about it. I guess you do enough work for him.” CHAPTER XV "That’s all right. I shall be glad to bave you servo Mrs. Owen In any way. It's a good deal of a compllment that she thought of you In that connection. Go ahead, and cali on me if I can help you. Vou'll nave to fumisti locai bondsmen. She requlred and let me know.” Such was Bassett's reply when Harwood asked his permission to serve as admlnistrator of Andrew Kelton’s estate. Bassett was a busy man, and al* doniestic affairs often gave hlm éoncern. The idea of a college course for Marlan had been, slnce Sylvia, appeared, a mania wlth Mrs. Bassett. Marlan had net thè slightest interest In thè matter, and Bassett was weary k of thè struggi®, and sick of thè idea, 'that only by a college career for her could Mrs. Owen’s money be assured to his children. Mrs. Bassett helng now at a rest cure in Connecticut, and Bassett, much away from home, and seelng nothlng to be by keeplng his daughter at Fraservllle, had persuaded Miss Warlr.g to take her as a special student, subjeet to thè discipline of thè school, but permtted to elect her own studles. Bassett asked Dan to accompany him and Marlan to thè Country Club for dlnner one evenlng whlle Harwood stili walted for Mrs. OWen’s summons to Montgomery. Plcking up Marlan at Miss Waring’s, they drove out e&rly and lndulged in a lolterlng walk along thè towpath of thè old canal, not retuming to thè clubhouse untll aster severa When they had sound a table on thè veranda, Dan tumed his head slightly and saw Thatcher, Alien and Pettlt. thè Fraservllle editor, loungIng in after-dlnner esse at a table In a dim corner. "Why. there* Mr. Thatcher," exclalmed Marlan. “And if that Isn't/ Mr. Pettlt I dldn’t know he ever broke into a place Uke thls." They all bowed to thè trio. Thatcher waved his hand. “Mr. Pettlt," ohserved Bassett dryly, “la a man of thè world and Ukely to break In anywhere." His manner betrayed no surprlse: he asked Marlan to order dlnner, and bowed to a tableful of goifers, where an acqualntance was whlspering his oame to some gftests from out of town. Marlan had cornei thè table d’hote dlnner, and was choos’ng, from thè special offerir, gs, green turtle soup and guinea fowl, as affording a pleasant rellef from thè austere regimati of Miss Waring’s tafcla The roasttng of thè guinea hen would requlre thlrty minutes thè walter wamed them, but Bassett made no objsction. Marlan thereupon interjected a PostScript of froge* lega between soup and roast, and Bassett cheerfully acquleeced. . "Yon seem to be plcking thè most musical blrds offered,” he remarked amiably. "I don’t be lieve Td eat thè rest of thè olivee lf I were you.” ~Why doesn’t Alien Thatcher come over here and speak to ua, I’d llke to know?” asked Marlan. "You wouldn’t think he’d ever seen us before.” The three men havlng dinert had, from appearances. heen Idllng at thè table for some time. Pettlt was dolng most of thè talking, regaling his two auditore wlth tales from hle abundant store of anecdotes. At thè end of a story at wblch Thatcher had guffawed loudly, they rose and crossed thè veranda. Hearing them approaching. Bassett rose promptly, and they shook hands all round. “■Well, slr.” Pi ettit boomed, “I might’ve known that lf I carne to town and broke Into sassiety I’d get caught Rt lt; you can’t get away from home folke! Just come to town and wander from thè straight and narrow path and your next-door neighbor will catch you every time. Fact Is I lectured on 'American Rumor 1 In Churubusco last night and am lifting thè spirita of Brazil tomorrow. Thls wlll be all from Ike Pettlt, thè Franservllle funny man, untll thè wheat’s safe and our Chautauquas pitch their tenta In green flelds far away. Remlnda me of what Dan Voorhees said once, dear old Dan Voorhees, —I almost cry when I thlnk o’ Dan; well, as I was saylng ’’ "Dldn’t know you were In town. Mort,” Thatcher intemipted. "l’ve heen in Chicago a week and only got back thla evenlng. I sound your 'ésteemed fellow townsman about to hit a one-arm lunch downtown and thought lt best to draw hlm away from thè llghts of tfco great city.” Thls was apology or explanatlon, as one chose to take it. Bassett was apparently unmoved by lt. ’Tve been In town a day or two. I don’t live In sleeping-cars thè way you do. Ed. I keep to thè main traveled road —thè straight and narrow path, as our brother calls lt,” said Bassett. "'Well, I’m going to qult working myself to death. It’s getting too hot for poker, and T’m ahndst driven to le ad a wholesome lise. The thought pains me. Mort." “Reminds me—speaking of thè òat —back in thè Hancock campaìgn— ’’ Pettlt was beginning. but Thatcher was leaving and th© editor and Alien followed perforce. In a

moment they heard Thatcher’ voloe peremptorlly demanding his motor from thè steps of thè entrane. "Pettlt’s lecture dates must be multiplying,” observed Dan carelessly. "They seem to be," Bassett replled, lndifferently. "I can 'flnd out easily enough whether he lectured at Churubusco last night or not, or ls going to Invade Brazil tomorrow,” Dan auggested. “Easy, but unnecessary. I thlnk I know what’3 in your mind,” Bassett answered, as Marlan, interested In thè passlng show, tumed away, "but lt isn’t of thè slightest Importante one way or another.” "That was Miss Bosworth.” announced Marlan— "thè one In thè white flam.el coat; she’s certalnly grand to look at. "Piease keep your eyes to thè fronti’ Bassett admonlshed; "you mustn’t stare at people, Marlan.’’ And then, havlng dismissed Pettlt, and feeling called upon to bring his daughter Into thè conversàtlon, he said: “Marlan. you remember thè Miss Garrlson your aunt ls so fond of? Her grandfather dled thè other day and Miss Garrlson had to come home. Your Aunt Sally ls in Montgomery wlth her now. Mr. Harwood went to thè funeraL” “That’s too bad.” said Marlan, at once interested. “Svlvia’s a nlce girl, and I guess her grandfather had just about raised her. from what she told me. I wonder what she’s going to do?” she asked, tumlng to Harwood. "She’s going back to college to take her degree, and then Mrs. Owen ls going to have her at Waupegan this summer.” “Oh! I dldn't know Aunt Sally was going to open her house thls summer!" said Marlan, clearly surprised. “It must be Just that she wants io have Sylvia wlth her. Tliey’re thè best klnd of pals, and of course Aunt Sally and thè old professor were friends all their lives. I’m glad Sylvia’s going to be at thè lake; she will help some,” she eoncluded. “Tolì don’t mean that you’re tlred of thè lake?” asked Harwood, notlng thè half-slgh wlth whlch sho had eoncluded. “I thought all Waupegan people preferred to thè Maine coast or Europe.” “Oh. I suppose they do,” said Marlan. "But I thlnk I coull live thrnugh a season somewhere else, il wfll be good funto have Aunt Sally’s house open agaln. She must be making money out of that. f-arm now. I suppose Sylvia’s grandfather dldn’t have much money. She isn’t much for style, but he does know an avvful lot.” "Don’t you thlnk a girl may he stylish and know a lot, too?" asked her father. “I suppose lt ls posslhle.” thè girl assented. witli a relnctance that oaused hoth mn to laugh. Marlan sound thè Counto’ Club hlghly divertlng; it gave her visiona of thè social lise of thè capitai of which she had only vaguely dreamed. She knew many people by slght who were soclally prominent. and sh longed to he of their number. It pleased her to flnd that her father, who was a non-residert membr and a rare visitor at thè club, attraeted a good deal of atention: she llked to think him a celebrlty. The Speaker of thè House In thè last sess.sion of thè General Aissembly carne out and asked Bassett to meet some men wlth whom he had been dinlng In thè ratliskeller; while ber father was away, Marlan, wlth elbows restlng or. thè table, her firm, round chln touchlng her llghtlv Interlaced fingerà, gave a capitai lmltatlon of a girl making ’nerself agreeable to a young man. Dan was well hardened to her ca Jolerles by this time; he was confldent that she would have made "’sweet eyes at Callban.” Harwood. smoking thè elgar Bassett had ordered for hlm, comparod favorably with other young men who had dawned upon Marlan’e horlzon. Like miwt western boys who go East to college, he had acqulred thè hablt of careful pressing and brushlr.g and cotnblng; bis lean face had a certain dlstinctlon, and he was unfalUngly courteous and well-mannered. "This wlll be tongh qn marna,” she observed casually. “Pray, be more expllclt!” “Oh. Aunt Sally havlng Sylvia np there at thè lake again.” "Why shouldn’t she have her there lf she wants her? T thought your motber admlred Sylvia. I gathered that ray of llght somewhere, from you or Mr. Owen.” “Oh. marna was beautiful to her; but I shall always thlnk, just between you and me and that spoon, that lt was Aunt Saily asking Sylvia to thè lake that time that gave marna nervous prostratlon.” "Nonsenso! I advise yon, as an old friend, not to say such things: you’d better not even think them.” “Well, it was aster that, when she saw that Aunt Sally had taken up Sylvia, that marna got that bug about havlng me go to college. She got thè notion that it was Sylvia’s intellectual glfts that Interested Aunt Sally; and marna thought I’d better lmprove my mlnd and get into thè competition." “You thought your mother was jealous? I cali that very unkind; It’s not thè way to speak of your mother.” “Well, if you want to be nasty and lecture me, go ahead, Mr. Ifarwood. You must like Sylvia pretty well yourself; you took her back to college once and had no end of a lark, —I got that from Aunt Sally, so you needn’t deny lt.” “Humph! Of course I Uke Sylvia; any one’s bound to.” “But if Aunt Sally leaves hPr all her money. Just because she’s so brlght, and educated, and cuts me off, then what be thè answer?” “I shouldn’t have anything to say about lt; lt would be Mrs. Owen that did thè saylng,” laughed Dan. “Why didn’t you meet thè competition and go to college? You have brains, but you tìon’t seem interested in anything but keeplng amused.” “I don’t sco much ahead of me butto get married, do you? “If you put lt up to me. I don’t sef anything ahead of you, unless you take a differcnt. view cf lite; you nfcver seem io bave a serious thought.” ”,Mr Harwood, you can be immcnsely unpleasant when you choose

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\ safe ) \newt Il -ma f sale %r Q ARE Jhi THEj éjè&y SERvice HAYOF? SIMON DOOLI TTL.E HELPED CONVINCE Wm&tì THE TNNO TFAMPS THAT OTEY WALKEIS WAS THE RE(SULAR MARSHAL,EVEN IP HE HAD WLji LOST HIS OF ALSTMORìTY, j

to be. You talk to me as though I were only 9 years old. You ought to sco that J’m very unhappy. I’m thè oldest girl at Miss Waring’s—loeleed up iherc with a lot of little plgeons that eoo every time you look at them. They treat me as thotigh I were their grandrnother.” "Why don’t you say all these things to your father? 1 ' asked Harwood, try-

OUT OUR WAY—By WILLIAMS

THE OLD HOME TOWN —By STANLEY

ing to laugh. "I dare say heU do anything you like. But please cheer up; those people over there will think wo’re having a terrible quarrel.” The fact that they were drawing thè glanoes of Miss Bosworth’s party pleased her; she had been perfectly conscioua of ìt all thè Urne. “Well, they won't thtrik you’re raaking love tcAue, Mr. Harwood;

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

there’s that to consol ve you.” And she added iclly, settling back In her chair as her father approached, “I hope you understand that I’m not even leading you on!” Cha.ptor XVI Bassett and Atwill held a conference thè' next day and thè interview was one of length. The manager of thè

A Rare Bit

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Courier carne to thè office In thè Boordman building at 11 o’clock, and when Harwood went to luncheon at 1 thè door had not been opened. Miss Farrell, returning from her mldday repast, pointed to thè olosed door, Ufted her brows, and held up her forefinger to express surprise and eau tion. Miss Farrell’s presidence was astonishing; pf wornen she held thè

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KR3. HOOPLfc.Ttf HATOS f UA-WA- U<5TeU3 [o* ME-fb-reui-Vou wvw he \-V y rmILTiiTT “TAKE TUrT Tbß ▼ ' IH' MATdR FOR GETrTìkia < a°B clauS up. •DEPfcRTMEVrr 9TÒRE “ VJViEK pv SMIVRT? SAY, V f U U** YOU WERE LOOKtkIG FOR HtW \ \ HE QXJUD BEwJ f=4 jJr I 1 — 4 LASTT KMGrfT HE WNS ATTU’ f A DICE \\ DOCTOR'9 TO SEE ABOUT UIS SPEECH Y^ G ÌSIOL M TOhISILS - THEV SWELLED UP / BU9TER !* \\ COME OUT FIIJT) HIM lU SO BAD HE CAJJ*T SPEAK'.* | 1 SUPPOSE (\w rtH’EM / |W^ÌN S BE'D ' / Y'SEE \F HeTOOKTVÌ' / H\s VJRIETIDNaHATcHEDAu^^ PART OF SAUTA CLAUS UE / P I £o^ VJOUL-DklT BE ABLETO / J {*> ZjL c COL. MARROaI ESCAPH.

Ughtest opinion, Dan had leamed; her concem was with thè affairs of men. Harwood, intent upon thè compilation of a report of thè paper-mill receivership, was nevertheless mindful of thè unwonted length of thè conference. When he retumed from luncheon, Bassett had gone. but he reappeared at 3 o’clock, and a little later Atwill

DEO. 8, 1922

—-By ALLMAN

—By AI; POSEN

carne back and thè door closed agaln. This second interview was short, but it seemed to loave Bassott in a meditativo franio of piind. Wishlng to diEcuss some : minta in ir tal halance of thè mceiver's a<-< • niant, r.arwood entered and round 1• ■ -.set t wilh bis hat on. slowly pacing rhe tioor. (To Be Continue:!)