Indianapolis Times, Volume 35, Number 204, Indianapolis, Marion County, 4 January 1923 — Page 6

6

A Hoosier Chronicle By MEREDITH NICHOLSON First Novel fn the Times Series of Fiction Stories by Indiana Writers. (Copyright, 1912. by Meredith Kichelson)

"I always thought you wr on th* square, but you’re asking tie to do something you wouldn't do yourself. And I’ve told you again that I don’t know anything about that letter; I never saw it before." She tapped the edge of the desk to hide the trembling of her fingers. The tears shone suddenly in her blue eyes. Dan frowned, but the frown was not for Rose. She had already betrayed herself; he was confident from her manner that she knew. The prompt denial of any knowledge of the fateful sheet of paper for which he had hoped all night had not been forthcoming. Her agitation distressed him; he had never seen her like this; he missed the little affectations and the droll retorts that had always amused him. She was no longer the Imperturbable and ready young woman whose nuwearying sunniness and amazing Intuitions had so often helped him through perplexities. "Asa matter of your own honor, Rose, you wouldn’t tell me. But If the honor of some one else —’* She shook her head slowly, and he paused. “Rose, if some one you knew well —some one who had been the kindest of friends—were in danger, and l needed your help to protect—that person—would you tell me?” Their eyes met; she looked away, and then, as she met his gaze again, her lips parted and the color deepened in her face. "You don’t mean—” she began. "I mean that this is to help me protect a dear friend of yours and of mine. I shouldn’t have told you this If It hadn't been necessary*. It’s as hard for me as it Is for you. Rose. There’s a great deal at stake. Innocetn people will suffer if I’m unable to manage this with full knowledge of all the facts. You think back, six years ago last spring, and tell me whether you have any knowledge, no matter how indefinite, as to where that letter was written-” "You say," she began haltingly, "there’s a friend of mine that I could help If I knew anything about your letter? You’ll have to tell me who !t Is." “I’d rather not do that; I'd rather not mention any names, not even to you.” "It was like this, Mr. Harwood,” said the girL "I knew him —pretty well—you know the man I mean. After that Transportation Committee work I guess he thought he had to keep his hand on me. He’s like that, you know. If he thinks anybody knows anything on him he watches them and keep a tight grip on them, all right. You know that about him?” Dan nodded. He saw how the web of circumstance had enmashed him from the beginning- All the Incidents of that chance visit to Fraser v file to write the sketch of Bassett for the Courier lived In his memory. Something had been said there about Madison College; and his connection with Fitch's ofilce had been mentioned, and on the fears thus roused in Morton Bassett, he, Daniel Harwood, hail reared a tottering superstructure of alms, hopes, ambitions, that threatened to overwhelm him! But now, as the first shock passed, he saw all things clearly. He would save Sylvia even though Bassett must be saved first. If Thatcher could be silenced In no other way. he might have the senatorshlfs—or Dan would go direct to Bassett and demand that he withdraw from the contest. He was not afraid of Morton Bassett now. “I had gone to work for that con strtaction company in the Boordman where you found me. It was his idea to move me into your office—l guess you thought you picked me out; but he gave me a quiet tip to ask you for the job. Well, he’d been dropping into the construction office now and then to see me—you know the boss was never In town and I hadn't much to do. He used to dictate letters — said he couldn’t trust the public stenogs In the hotels; and one day he gave me that letter to copy- lie had written It out In lead pencil before SCHOOL PRINCIPAL MAKES CLASSES SELF GOVERNING Marshals Are Appointed to Report Misbehavior. LOUISVILLE, Ky.. Jan. 4.—Miss J. M. La Rue. principal at Isaac Shelby School, has solved the problem of keeping order In her class rooms by appointing certain pupils marshals and assigning them to the duty of reporting any Infraction of the rules. The marshals selected for this year wear red arm bands, on which is the letter* MM. Miss La Rue said that she got the idea for the self-govern ment while on a visit at a school In Washington. D. C. In case any pupil lis guilty of misbehavior the marshal gives a warning. If the offense Is continued the offender is sent to the office. RADIO PHOTOGRAPH IS REPRODUCED ON FILM Picture Is Transmitted From Bufldk ing to Building. LONDON, Jan. 4.—The Dally Mail announces that an electrician, T. T. Baker, a pioneer In photo-telegraphy, has completed a process for wireless photography, on which he has been working for some time. It Is said that he has found It possible to send by a wireless a photograph which Is reproduced on a sensitive film some distance away from the sending set. The newspaper prints a picture which It says was transmitted by Mr. Baker from one building to another building 100 yards distant within three minutes. It ads that the process before long may be used for the transmission of pictures over unlimited areas. SNAKE DRINKS BOOZE GOLDSBORO, N. C.. Jan. 4.—Two hunters from here built a fire In the woods by a fallen tree Wednesday. They left for a time and upon returning found a large blacksnake, aroused by the heat, had come forth, drunk their quart of corn likker and taken possession of camp The hunters fled.

hand, but seemed mighty anxious to get it Just right. After I copied It he worked it over several times, before he got it to suit him. He said it was a little business he was attending to for a friend. We burnt up the discards in the little old grate in the office. He had brought some paper and envelopes along with him, and I remember he held a sheet up to the light to make sure it didn’t have a watermark. He threw down a twen-ty-dollar gold piece and took the letter away with him. After I had moved into your office he spoke of that letter once; one day when you were out he asked me how much money had been mentioned in the letter.” "When was that, Rose?” “A few days after the State convention when you shot the hot tacks into Thatcher. He had been at Waupegan, you remember.” Dan remembered. And he recalled also that Bassett had seen Sylvia at Mrs. Owen’s the day following the convention, and it was not astonishing that the the sight of her had reminded him of his offer to pay for Tier education. His own relation to the matter was clear enough, now that Rose had yielded her secret. Rose watched him as he drew on his overcoat and she handed him his hat and gloves. “Keep after Ramsay by telephone until you find him. Tell him to come hero and wait for me if it’s all day. If you fall to catch him by telephone, go out and look for him and bring him here.” In a moment he was hurrying toward Mrs. Owen’s. CHAPTER XXXIT The dome was a great blot against the stars when, shortjv after 8 o’clock that evening Sylvia entered the capitol. All night, in the room she had occupied on that far day of her first visit to Mrs. Owen. Sylvia had pon dered. It is not for us to know what passed in that still chamber between her and her friend; but it was the way of both women to meet the truth squarely. They discussed facts im personally, dispassionately, and what Sylvia had assumed, her old friend could not controvert. Not what others bad done, not what* others might do, but what course Sylvia should follow —this was the crux of the situation. “I must think it out: I must think it out." Syjvia kept repeating. At last Mrs. Owen left her lying dressed on the bed. and all night Sylvia lay there in the dark. Toward morning she had slept, and later when Mrs Owen carried up her breakfast she did not refer to her trouble except to ask whether there was any news Mrs. Owen understood and replied that there was nothing Sylvia merely answered and said; “Then there is still time.” What she meant by this her kind old friend did not know: hut she had faith in Sylvia. Dan came, but he saw Mrs. Owen only. T.ater Sylvia asked what he had said, and she merely nodded when Rose’s story was repeated. Again she said: "Yes; there Is still time.” Sylvia had kept her room all day, and Mrs. Owen had rigidly respected her wish to be alone. She voluntarily appeared at the evening meal and talked of Irrelevant things: of her school work, off the sale of the house at Montgomery, of the projected school at Waupegan. “I’m going out for a while,” she said, after an hour in the little office. “I shan’t be gone long. Aunt Sally; don't trouble about me. I have my key. you know.” When she had gone, Mrs. Owen called one of the colored men from the -table and gave him a line to Harwood, with a list of places where Dan might be found. Her message was ontalned in a single line; "Sylvia has left the house. Keep an eye out for her; she told mo nothing.” Sylvia found consolation and cour age in the cold night air; her old friends the stars, whose names she had* learned before she knew her letters, did not leave her comfortless. They had unconsciously contributed (o her gift for seeing life in long vistas. "When you are looking at the stars.” Professor Kelton used to say, "you are not thinking of yourself.” It was not of herself that Sylvia was thinking. * She prolonged her walk, gathering strength as the exercise warmed her blood, planning what she meant to do. even repeating to herself phrases she meant to use. So it happened that Mrs. Owen’s messenger had found Dan at the Statehouse and delivered the note, and that Dan. called from f. prolonged conference with Ramsey, saw Sylvia’s unmistakable figure as she reached the top of the stairway, watched her making inquiries of a lounger, saw men staring at her. It crossed his mind that she was seeking him, and he started toward her; but she had stopped again to ques tion one of the idlers in the haiL He saw her knock at a door and knew it was Bassett's room—a room that for years had been set apart for the private councils of the Senator from Fraser. As Sylvia knocked, several men came out, as though the intertuption had terminated an Interview. The unveiled face of the tall, dark girl called for a second glance; it was an odd place for a pretty young woman to be seeking Morton Bassett. They looked at each other and grinned. A single lamp on a table In the middle of the hlgh-ceillnged room shed a narrow circle of light that deepened the shadows of the walls. Bassett, standing by a window, was aware of a lighter step than was usual In this plotting chamber. He advanced toward the table with his hands In his pockets, waited till Sylvia was disclosed by the lamp, stopped abruptly, stared at her with eyes that seemed not to see her. Then he placed a chair *or her, muttering; "I thought you would come.” It seemed to her that a sigh broke from him, hidden by the scraping of the chair across the bare floor. He crossed and recrossed the floor several times, as though now that she had come he had dismissed her from his thoughts. Then as he passed near her with slow, heavy step she spoke “I came to talk to you, Mr. Bassett. Please turn on the other lights.” "Pardon me,” he said; and she heard his fingers fumbling for the switefcf by the door. In a moment the

DOINGS OF THE DUFFS—

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room was flooded from the chandelier overhead, and he returned, and sa down by the table without looking at her. “I shouldn’t have come here, but 1 knew of no other way. It deemed best to see you tonight.” He threw his arm over the back of liis chair and bent upon Sylvia a glance of mingled curiosity and indifference.

OUT OUR WAY—By WILLIAMS

Tig-: OLD HOME TOWN—By STANLEY

“I understand,” she said quietly, “that nothing has been done. It is not yet too late. The situation here is as It has been?” “Yes; If you mean out there. They are waitlng for me.” “I suppose Mr. Harwood Is there, and Mr. Thatcher.” He blinked at the names and changed his slightly.

THE INDIANAPOLIS TIMES

“l dare say they are,” he answered coldly. “I thought it best to see you and talk to you; and I’m glad I knew before It was too late.” “I hope you haven’t thought—you didn’t think I should let them bring you Into It.” He spoke as though this were something due her; that she was entitled to his reassurance that the threat-

Danny Is for the Old Gang

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Whang This < >n Your Washboard

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ened cataclysm should not drag her down with him. When she made no reply he seemed to feel that he had not made himself clear, and he repeated, in other terms, that she need not be concerned for the outcome; that he meant to shield her. “Yes; I supposed you would do that; I had expected that.” “And,” he went cn, as though to anticipate her, to eliminate the neces-

FRECKLES AND HIS FRIENDS—By BLOSSER

OUR BOARDING HOUSE—By AHERN

sity for further explanations, “you have a right, to ask what you please. Or we can meet again to arrange matters. I am prepared to satisfy your demands in the fullest sense." His embarrassment had passed. She had sought the interview, but he had taken charge of it. Beyond the closed door the stage waited. This was the briefest interlude befor* the moment of her triumphant entrance.

JAN. 4f 1923

ALLMAN

—By AL POSEN

Sylvia smiled, an incredulous smile, and shook her head slowly, like a worn, tired mother whose patience is sorely taxed by a stubborn, unyielding' child at her knee. Her lips trembled, but she bent her head for a moment and then spoke more quickly than be fore, as though overriding some innei spirit that strove rebelliously within her breast. (To Re Continued)