Indianapolis Times, Volume 38, Number 23, Indianapolis, Marion County, 8 June 1926 — Page 8

PAGE 8

“Business Kisses” By BEATRICE BURTON Author of “Gloria, The Flapper Wife”

(Continued From Page 1)

housed the Dexter Automobile Company. At the door of the washroom, Miss MacFarlane faced her, her hand on the knob of the door. “Sam Jessup may' nave written the note, Mary Hose,” she said, “but the voice that calls her on the telephone is not Sam Jessup’s voice!" Mary Rose left her and ran upstairs. • * • Along about the middle of the afternoon, Tom Fitzrey telephoned. “G-g-going to go somewhere with me for dinner to-night, M-M-Mary Rose?" he asked. “I can't Tom. I’m going to take mother and Floss to the movies,” she answered, glad of the excuse. “L-l-let' me go with you,” Tom suggested hopefully. But Mary Rose squelched him: “This is strictly a family party." "Well,, then,” Tom said, “I ought to go along. I’m going to be a member of your family some day, if you’ll let me. A close relation.” The girl laughed, in spite of herself. “Listen here, Tom Fitzroy,” she lilted. “You can’t take my time in the middle of the afternoon, just to ask me to marry you—” She glanced up and saw that Manners was standing beside her desk, some papers in his hands. She could tell from the look on hisXface that he had hegfd what she had just said. “Good-by Tom, I’m awfully busy," she spoke rapidly into the telephone. “I’ll call you later." She looked up at Manners. He laid the papers down on the desk. “Please file these away for me," he said in a colorless voice. He started away, and then came back. “Somehow or other, I never thought of yop as—as being engaged,” he remarked. “No?” she asked. She borrowed one of Flossie’s phrases. “That was my little boy friend," she explained, “kidding me over the phone. I’m not engaged to him. I'm not engaged to anybody.” For some seconds he stood there, looking at her. Then he turned and disappeared into his private office. “Well, at any rate, that set him thinking about me,” Mary *Rose said to herself, with some satisfaction, as she filed away the,papers he had given her. “He knows I'm a girfr now—not an adding machine.” When she returned to her desk, a tall girl was standing there. “I’d like to see Mr. Manners if he's not busy, please,” she said to Mary Rose in a high sweet voice. Mary Rose took her in with one keen glance—the smartness of her plain black clothes in a season when bright colors Were the rage, the fragrance of some spicy, faint perfume that hung around her, the blue eyes that had the friendliest sort of smile in them. Without looking directly at them, she saw that the girl wore silver buckles on her slippers, and that a silver purse dangled from her wrist. “Money,” she thought, “and lots of it. Maybe she’s Mr. Manners’ sister —that is, if he has a sister,” She knew almost nothing about John Manners. 4 “What name shall I tell him?” she asked, . half-way to the door of his office. “Miss Hinig,” the girt said. Mary Rose opened the door and went in, closing it after her. “There’s a Miss Hinig here to see you,” she said to Manners. He got up from his desk without a word and crossed the office, opened the door and let Mary Rose pass out of it ahead of-Giim. “Hello, Dorry,” she heard him say to the tall girl, as she turned to him and held out both of her white hands. “What brtngs you here? But, come in. Come in.” Together the pair of them went into the office and the door closed behind them. “Now, wh<* is Dorry Hinig—and what is she to John Manners?” Mary Rose asked herself, looking at the closed door. • * • CHAPTER IV v “Maybe she’s a relative of his— a long lost cousin or something,” she thought'hopefully, flicking the keys of her typewriter with one finger. But some sixth sense told her that “Dorry” Hinig was no cousin of Manners’. And her common sense told her, furthermore, that no girl comes to see a busy man, with her eyes shining like stars, unless she is in Hove with him. No, without doubt, this Hinig girl was in love with John Manners. But was he in love with her? The more Mary Rose thought about it, the gloomier she became. At last she made up her mind to run upstairs to ask Miss MacFarlane if she had ever heard of a Miss Hinig— and what she knew about her. “She's sure to know something about her.” thought Mary Rose “She's been here long enough to know everything about everybody, goodness knows!” And if Miss MaeFarlane knew anything at all she would be sure to tell it —with trimmings! For she had-a great gift. The Gift of Gab. The less she knew about a thing, the more she had to say about it. But usually there was a kernel of truth in what she said. "Yes, , indeed, I know who Dorris Hinig is,” she told Mary Rose, looking at her furiously through her thick eyeglasses. “Stie’s the girl that John Manners is going to t’harry.” The girl he was going to marry!

SANDY

THE STORY SO FAR SANDY McNEIL. in love with life, marries BEN MURILLO, a rich Italain. to please her impovesliecl family. Tyranny bv Murilo and frequent quarrels follow. A son dies at birth. 808 McNEIL. he* uncle, aids in plans for Sandy and her mother to take a trip

Mary Rose felt as if the floor had suddenly dropped away from her—as if the whole world had dropped • away from her. She clutched the back of a chair for support: “Is that so?” she asked, and didn’t ■know that she had spoken. Dimly, as if from a long distance, she heard Ivtiss MacFarlane chattering about Dorris Hinig’s wonderful work in the Red Cross during the war. But her mind refused to take up any fact except that one crushing fact—that Dorris Hinig was the girl who was going to marry John Manners. The girl who-would be his wife. And what would she* Mary Rose. Middleton, do? Would she go on working for him, this tnan she loved with all her soul ana body? Could she go working for him, she wondered, knowing that all of the time he belonged to this girl he called “Dorry”? Knowing that she, herself, was nothing to him but the girl who took his dictation, opened his mail and kept his pencils sharp? Wouldn’t it be a thousand times better to quit heh job right now, before her heart was broken altogether? Wouldn’t it be far more sensible to marry Tom Fitzroy who loved her from the bottom of his honest heart? And to settle down to be the mistress of the good home that Tom would provide, and be the mother of his babies? If she couldn’t have John Manners, was that any reason why she couldn’t find some second best happiness with another man? Sha went on asking herself these questions that girls have been asking themselves ever since the hrst business woman took a job in an office. i She shot a loo|t at Miss MacFarlane, who had given the best years of her life to the Dexter Company. Ballow and lifeless and unhappy she looked. A gossipy old maid—dear, without ever having known what it was to lse alive! Dead on her feet! Oh, anything, anything, would be better than turning into a Miss MacFarlane, Mary Hose decided like a flash and ran downstairs to telephone Tom at Mercy Hospital. “What’s the good word?" he asked, stammering a little as he often did when he talked to her. “Well, I’v changed my mind I’m going out to dinner with you, after all, Tom,” she Answered him. “When -do we start, oldtimer?” “Any time you say. Rose!” The eagerness in his voice warmed the very cockles of her heart. Good old Tom! “Well, then, make it six o'clock. You stop here for me,” she said, her eyes on the clock between the windows. It''was five thirty, and she needed a half hour to make herself clean and fresh for Tom’s eyes. And besides, she wanted to stay j to see if Manners left the office with Dorris Hinig! . . What would Flossie do if she j were in love with John Manners. ] she wondered. “Most likely ‘vamp’ him away from Dorris Hinig by soms hook or crook,” Mary Rose told herself. For Flossie belonged to the New School —the School of Flapperdom. Her creed was that anything she wanted she must have —whether it was a cigaret, a gold vanity case, or another .girl’s Best Beau. If the other girl I couldn’t hold him, • that was her own lookout! And Mary Rose was well aware that any time Flossie should make up her mind that she wanted Tom Fitzrey for her Boy Friend she would do her level best to get him. Just as she took Maty Rose’s hats to wear, or her silk underwear, or her beads, whenever she wanted them. In her own small way, Flossie was a pirate! "Everybody for herself!” was her motto. And she took care of herself first, last, and all the time—and it was distinctly up to the rest of the women to do the same, so far as she was concerned! • * • Mary Rose was still brooding over her typewriter when the door of John Manners' office opened and he spoke to her. “Any letters for me to sign before I go, Miss Middleton?” “Yes, there are / three or four, Mr. Manners,” she answered and rose with them in her hands. She followed him into his office and stood beside his desk while he looked over the letters she had typed and signed them. Orfce she caught Miss Hinig’s eye, and they smiled at each other. “I suppose she's really a lovely girl,” thought Mary Rose, and sighed inwardly. She would have liked to hate Doris Hinig. She actually did hate her a moment later when she came out of Manners' office with him, her hands clasper around his arm, her laughing face raised to his. v “He’s eVen forgotten I'm here,” she thought bitterly as they walked past her - desk. “He’s so wrapped up in her!” But he had not forgotten her. For at the door he turned suddenly and said, "Goodnight, Miss Midi dleton. See you in the morning.” She tried to smile at him. Afterward she couldn’t remember whether she had answered 'him or not. What was it the Bible said — that “jealously is as cruel as the grave?” She tried to remember., Yes, that was it! “Love is strong, er than death. -But jealously is as cruel as the grave.” (To Be Continued)

by ELENORE MEHERIN, Author of “C HIC KI E”

to Honolulu. There she meets RAMON WORTH, who declares his love. Murillo says he wil never release her. JUDITH MOORE, a cousin, teells aSndy love is everythina. Sandy leaves Murillo and accepts the kindly attentions of Ramon, whose home she shares. When her mother dies she leaves Ramon and goes to live with her cousin. Judith.

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DOUGLAS KEITH, the man whom Judith loves, introduces his friend. HAL HUME, a doctor, to Judith. He himself, falls in loye with Sandy, who reciprocates his affection. This leaves Judith heart-broken. Sandy meets Ramon Worth, who has returned from the Orient, and she tells Douglas of his return. They plan to run away together. The day before. Sandy goea to Ramon's office at his urgent request.' He shoots Sandy and oemmits suicide. Sandy is taken to! Hal Hume's shack when it is learned that her name is connected with the scandal. Then Douglas is called before detectives, who learn that he was at Ramon's office on the day of the suicide. Although Douglas denies* any part in the shooting, he is taken to jail and indicted for murder. Douglas' trial nears conclusions and a prosecution witness, testifies to steins: him in Worth's office just after the time of the murder with a womam apparently wounded, in the arms. Douglas refuses to break Ills silence. Sandy giving a washerwoman a letter to mail to Douglas, is told he is a murderer. She goes, with Judith, to the court as the trial is about to be concluded and insists on telling her story before the jury. -She collapses after . testifying. The jurv is out only two minutes. GO ON WITH THE STOR CHAPTER CXVII They took Sandy to the judge’s chambers, laid her on two chairs. The waxy eyelids fluttered: “Are you there, Jude? Go and listen. Tell me what they’re doing now. Is Douglas talking? Why are you crying, Jude? Not for me? I'm onlytired —just a little tired. Who is talking now? The doctors? What do you hear? "It’s over, Sandy r —that was the judge. The jury is going out. I hear them filing out.” Sandy clasped her hands as children do for prayers. “Will they take long, Judith? Do you know? How can they be long? Is it so clear that Ramon did it—that letter he wrote —ot how lucky I saved that—doesn’t it show, Judith —doesn’t it show he meant to die? Remember—he said: ‘Let nothing I do trouble

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you. This is farewell —’ And why would Douglas shoot me—oh, he sh> oting me!—no one will vote him guilty—will they Jude?” • • * Then Douglas was allowed to see her. Allowed to come and take her hand. He sat with his head bowed, pressing her hand between the two of his. She asked with a blithe, singing note: "Is it hard to look at me, Douglas, of all I’ve made you bear? Are you thinking of the cruel things I brought, to you?” He leaned down swiftly, searching her face where the eyes were so brilliant like dark lighted pools and the lips were polished and very ..red. He tried to tell her that his heSart was broken seeing her so; seeing her lying like this with all the swagger gone. He tried to say he’d bear more, much more, if she could be blithe and laughing again: if she could be standing at the hydrangeas tilting a joyous face backward to meet gaily his kiss. Dear, beautiful thing—so brave—brave always rising up so magnificently; proving the strength and greatness he knew were hers. He wanted to say this. Only frugal words came: "Sandy—dear Sandy, I didn’t want you to know. I wanted to do this for you. Wanted you spared. Now —you see—” She laughed—a faint, tinkling laugh: "What a word that is, Douglas. NOW! Now you will be cleared. And if I had not found out until too late; until tomorrow, say—” She shivered. She reached up her hand and ran .the fingers over his cheek. "How awful a thing you

SALESMAN SAM—By SWAN

BOOTS AND HER BUDDIES-By MARTIAN

yKECKI.ES AMD HIS FIiIKKDS—B, BLOSSEB

would have done to me....worse than all else! Is that Judith coming? How beautiful she's grown, Douglas, do you see how beautiful her face has grown?” Juditjh moved silently—quiet as a statue —awed and shining eyed: "They’re back. The jurors are coming back. Oh, Douglas—already! They’re filing in.” • • * His mother clung to Judith’s arm. Judith watched his tense, hueless face. Never in all her life then or later was moment weighted with such solemnity. Through the courtroom went a htir and movement; went a soft, anxious: "They're back! They’ve decided!” Someone wept aloud. Then Emma trembled. She .cowered against Judith’s shoulder. “What is it, Judith? Why do they take so long? Tell me ” “Not guilty! The verdict'of this jury is that the defendant, Douglas Keith, is guiltless of the crime charged.” A sob of ecstasy and pain—Emma —poor little Em. He reached for her. He put his arm about her. He tried to say: “What’s to cry for, Em?” Say it lastingly, but he only stood there with his little mother weeping and burying herself in bis arms. “Not guilty!” Like a wave—a bright, tumbling r.-ave, men and women rose. They pushed to the rail, sweeping with wet eyes and cheering lips about him. > Not guilty—not a mui-der —not i heart .ess slayer—just a boy—a

( 7 What's TH' 9IG- IDEA OF WAS AFRAtO TH€. PLACt_ L- — v l BUYING THOSE- NVIGHT BE CLOSED WHEN J m. X PERCH? we COME BACK— / - -

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brown-haired boy with rich, liazok eyes .and tender, fighting chin —just the boy who lived next door to Judith and wiped the dishes of a night for Errj. boy who stood now and shook hands quickly with his judges and tried to say the manly thing and fried to keep back, tears —just a boy who cast about anxiously and seeing whom lie searched said: “Jude —can we go? Stick close, Jude —’’ Judith with her heart melting; with love pouring through her veins turned on him subh a pround, smiling look; such a glad, worshiping look that he caught her swiftly; he clenched his hands, on hers. “Let’s get away. Oh, Judy—Judy darling.’’ She murmured again and again; “How good—oh, how'glorious this is. We have you, Douglas!” And she kept laughing and dashing away the tears. • • * They ran to Sandy. They knelt and kissed her Judith said. “You did it. It was you who did It.” Blessing Sandy with her eyes and all that aching happiness in voice and laugh. Blessing Sandy as though she were an angel and had come down to serve theih; come to suffer for them and to serve them. She said: “We’ll take her home, Douglas. And you won’t ever go again, Sandy. I’ll never let you go again. You’ll stay with me until you’re well; until you’re like yourself again.” Sandy l-Wfoed. She hid her face against his shoulder. She put her hand against his cheek. She whispered, but djnly to herself: "And

now I’ve got to give you up again ....I give you up again. How can I? O Lord, how can' I ever <lc it? I will—l surely will. If I could die for you, "and I could so easily—l can fight myself for y0u....0 Lord —” He asked her why she cried —why she kept taking these quick, uneasy breaths. And she answefed: “Thoso are sighs of joy—of a terrible glad Joy. Because of you, Douglas—because I’m looking at you again—your dear eyes—’’ t * * Thpy took Sandy to Judith's. They made her go to bed. But she was well. She laughed and said she had never felt so well. When Douglas went ' from the room she called Judith to her. “He’ll get over it, Jude? You don't think he’s hurt underneath? Hf's not hurt so that he can't get over Jt? Tell me. Jude!” “Oh —not him —not him, Sandy. He's strongf. .he’s so glorious.” “And you love him so, Judith! You’ll stand by nnd make him strong You’d make anyone strong.” Then Judith said: “Move over, Sandy”—and she sat on the edge of the bed. “I want to tell you something. I no linger feel as I did. I’m telling you the truth.-He’ll wait for you. Sandy...and with all my I want you for him. You can make him happy. And it’s beautiful that you both care as you do. Oh, Sandy, I didn’t know you could truly care—l didn’t think —” Judith tosseij back her head. She swallowed and laughed. “Well, I might as well out with It, Sandy

JUNE 8, 192tj "

dear —I didn’t think you were good enough—not for him. Now I know you are...! For anyone—cvem lor Douglas Keith! Oh I love* yon plinth, Sandy...l want you happy... That will be enough for me...” Then Judith blew out the candles. She said: "Best, Sandy—” And she paused a moment to glance at the fentures chiseled In all that poignant loveliness—nt the red hair and shadowed.eyes. She murmured: “I mean it—oh, 1 do mean it—t want her for him—” And with a high, noble look that was the beauty—all the beauty anyone ever saw in Judith’s face—• a kind of inner radiance shiu'rg from the violet eyes, she went out to Douglas. Ho waited In tho kitchen— He came over nnd look Judith's hands He looked at Judith in a passion of gratitude and tenderness —a welcoming ns though his spirit found In hers its ponce. He said simply: "There Is no one In the world like you, Jude — no one.” 4 Judith smiled: “She is sleeping—' she falls Into such easy sleep, like a child.. .She'll soon be better now.” They sat at the kitchen table... They poured out their hearts to each other as they had through all these years. Suijdeniy Judith sprang to her feet. “What was that. Douglass... Did you hear something.. •” They ran Into the hall...they ran to Sandy’s room. She was sitting up... She coughed and pressed the sheet against her lips. i. / (To Be Continue*)