Indianapolis Times, Volume 39, Number 149, Indianapolis, Marion County, 31 October 1927 — Page 9

Second Section

Full Leased Wire Service el the United Press Associations.

CHAPTER I SOU don’t love me!” “I do. But if you’re trying to make a fool out of me. . . ” ‘'lf you must quarrel,” Diana retorted, “at least wait until we’ve stopped dancing. I can’t fight while they’re plying ‘Always.’ ” Louis swept her to him with a fierceness that registered with every wallflower. “Darling, this is our piece. We always dance it together. Then you ask me to give it up as if it meant nothing to you!” Ash blond hair rippled beneath his chin. Eyes were half closed, lips parted in an ecstasy only half understood. “Don’t be silly,” Diana murmured. “Dance!” Louis said no more. But when the heart-breaking melody ceased, he -whispered, “Come outside. I want to talk with you.”

Diana made no objection. In this particular variety of scene she had attained an almost professional skill. She could have repeated her lines in her sleep. She stifled a yaw T n, delicately. Diana, don’t you care for me at all?” “Os course I do. Why be tragic about it? Haven’t I been sweet to you all summer?” “You have and you haven’t. I never feel that I am getting anywhere.” They were leaning against the railing at the far end of the country club porch. Other couples were not far away. Not a moment for much sentiment. Yet there was romance in the moonlight silvering the grass. Also, Louis was an ardent, but brief lover, and Diana was not without appreciation of the summer’s devotion. “Why are you angry with me?” she asked, more gently. “Arthur Yane is an old friend. This is his first visit for years, and it would have been only courteous for you to have given him a dance.” “Not that one.” “Oh, well thenL. There’s no use discussing it.” She turned to go but the boy caught her arm. “Diana, you aren’t interested in him? Just because he’s older and a prominent San Francisco lawyer? Her laugh was as coolly disdainful as the shrug which released her arm.

“Os course I’m interested in him. He’s the most fascinating man I’ve ever known. And a gentleman!’’ Throwing back her head made her suddenly untouchable. Louis stared. In her white gown, with her full, deep bosom, narrow hips and long limbs, she seemed “divinely tall.”' Half girl, half goddess! “You’re as cold as ice,” he accused, bitterly. “No feelings whatever. I hope you really fall for Arthur Vane and he breaks your heart.” Diana took his arm. “How can he, Louis, when, according to your own testimony, I haven’t one?” “I didn’t mean that. There’s fire underneath the ice. And some man is going, to make you realize it.” “My dance, I believe!” Louis glowered as she floated away, smooth hair rippling now beneath another man’s chin, eyes half closed, lips parted. Was that ecstasy only half understood ? Louis wondered. Deliberately cutting the dance with his partner, he went outside to sulk alone in somebody’s car. His absence did not spoil Diana’s unfeigned Joyousness. She often felt that she was only fully alive when she was dancing. There was something exquisitely satisfying about moving her slender body in har-

T /\ K. T /\ HURST 1 ) I L \ \ L A L Author of “THE SNOB” J f J (Copyright, 1927, by Bell Syndicate, Inc.)

mony with this melody-drenched syncopation. It swept her into another world. A world vaguely mysterious! Haunted with emotions, half dreamed, but never put into definit form. That world was, perhaps, her sister’s. Even in her thoughts Diana scarcely dared repeat her sister’s name. Vivian was the skeleton in the family closet, never mentioned, but leering behind carelessly opened doors, doors her mother always closed, violently. Diana was not allowed ask, but so far as she knew there was never any news from her. Even at 18, she was not at all sure what Vivian had done. “Something disgraceful,” her mother had said with tight lips. .Diana, proudly loyal, would not ask outside, although no doubt it had been common gossip at the time. Diana had been 14, then, absorbed in tennis, riding and swimming. Her mother’s hysteria had been more dreadful than the thing her sister had done. She was only too willing to forget. Yet for four years she had retained an innocent, childlike hope that Vivian might return. In her little girl fashion she had adored her sister. She was startled to realize that the dance was over and she had been too absorved to talk, even the customary careless words and phrases.

“Thank you,” her partner sighed, reverently. “I didn’t know God made ’em that way.” Diana smiled. “It was a good one, wasn’t it?” Looking round for more worlds to conquer, her eyes met Arthur Vane’s. He crossed the room to her. “Have you discovered a way to give me a dance?” “I’m afraid not.” “My hard luck! I’d rather have a dance with you than any other girl here.” “I’d love it, too. I haven’t forgotten what a wonderful dancer you are.” “Why, Diana! You were only a little girl then. Peering around the stairway when I came to call on Vivian.” Color swept to the roots of her hair. Didn’t he realize that no one here mentioned Vivian’s name? Embarrassed, and ashamed, she managed to say, “I remember the candy, too. Your taste in that was excellent.” “Is that a mere compliment? Or might I construe it as a ladylike invitation?” “Invitation for what?” “To come again and try my offerings on little sister?” Flattered and excited by his mat-ter-of-fact connection of her with Vivian, Diana determined to conceal her confusion. Even if he were the most successful lawyer in the world, she wouldn’t “make over” him. Aloud, she answered, primly. “Do come. I’m sure my mother would love to see you.” It pleased her to see him leave directly after their convervation. She knew any number of girls who would have gladly given him a dance. Arthur Vane’s success in law was not his only claim to popularity. Diana recalled stories, half forgotten, of his will-o-the-wisp propensities. It made him all the more fascinating to the younger girls whose sisters he had escaped.

Her eyes, following his distinguished figure through the door, fell upon Louis, smoking gloomily. Poor Louis! He was furious. Diana marveled that she was not more concerned about it. She was fond of him. So much so that her mother worried about it. But tonight she felt that his moods were a constant drain. Louis was the type to whom a girl must play up. It had been exciting at first, but Diana was beginning to be a little tired of it. Her eyes met his coldly. Dropping into one of the chairs against the wall, she began to fan. Elsie Rhineheart sat beside her. Elsie was one of those doomed to spend her life against a wail. Diana knew she had only had one dance. But Elsie was “game” about it. “It’s too warm to dance, isn’t it,” Elsie said vivaciously. “I would have dragged mama home long ago, but she loves to watch.” “I don’t blame her,” Diana responded. “I like to watch myself.” “A lot of chances you have for it.” “I’m going to make one right now,” Diana answered wickedly. The music had started and Louis was by her side. “Want to dance?” He was scowling, but Diana lifted indifferent eyes. “I’m tired, Louis. Perhaps Elsie will take pity on you.” Elsie gave an agonized smile, torn between her desire to dance and her reluctance to accept another girl’s charity. “Oh, no, Diana! Louis asked you.” “Will you, Elsie? I intended asking you for the next one,” Louis interposed gallantly. Diana refused other invitations and sat throughout the dance, watching the ill-matched couple in their progress across the floor. Louis would make her pay for this! “But, it’s good discipline,” she thought, serenely. “He never dances with any of the poor dears.” It really was an interminable time before fie was able to bring Elsie back and deposit her beside her friend. ’ “Thank you very much,” Louis said dutifully. Then, to Diana, “If you’re tired, perhaps we’d better go home.” They departed, silently. He was driving her mother’s car, and not until they were in the garage and the light was out did he attempt conversation. “You overstepped yourself tonight, young lady. I don’t permit any

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girl to go around drumming up partners for me.” Diana giggled. “I thought you’d like to be a Boy Scout and do one good deed before you went to bed.” “Yes? Well, I’ll select my own good deeds as well as my own women.” He slammed the bolt and locked the garage door. “Here’s your key and thanks for a pleasant evening.” Diana relented. “Oh, Louis! Don’t be such a poor sport.” “Poor sport nothing! I’m crazy about you, Diana. I’ve tagged at your heels all summer. But I’ll be darned if any girl—even you—is going to make a fool of me.” Which brought them back to the point from which they had started. “Then you don’t love me!” “I do,” Louis said, vehemently. Came a voice from the house, ominously quiet, suspiciously near. “Diana, come in the house at once.” • • • CHAPTER II ■i lANA slipped through the D house without turning on the lights. Her mother was waiting at the head of the stairs. A full faced, round, little woman, who

Dfie SN Q yfufs t

CHAPTER XLV “Oh, Eric!” she sobbed. Down in the sand, pulling with all the force of her arms, trying to lift him free of the flaming wreckage. Almost instantly other hands were tugging at Richard —men’s hands which forced Nancy away and themselves risked death to extricate the victims. Eric was unconscious, but Richard saw and heard everything, Nancy stood apart where they had pushed her and prayed that both might be saved. But her frenzied tears were all for Eric—Eric, whom she loved better than life itself! “His face—oh, God! His white, unconscious face!” Moment’s seemed hours, but in less than five of them both men were carried safely away from the blazing car. Nancy was on her knees. “Are you hurt, Richard?” “Not a bit, Nancy.” Eric was lifted into an ambulance and driven away. When someone offered to take Nancy to the hospital, she accepted. Conscious of

INDIANAPOLIS, MONDAY, OCT. 31,1927

looked as If she should have been allowed to rock her life away on a boarding house piaza, Elizabeth Farwell was an excellent example of her generation. Narrow minded, almost offensively prudish, a devoted mother but embittered by her experience with Vivian to the point of fanaticism. She eyed her younger daughter with suspicion. “What were you doing out there?” “Out where? Surely you heardj the car come in, mother. We Just got home.” “Then why you come in? It’s disgusting the liberties you permit that boy. Hanging around with him out a the garage! He should have let you out in the drive.” Diana sighed, letting her cloak fall from her young shoulders. “I don’t know what you suspect me of, mother. Louis was locking the garage door.” Elizabeth, clumsy in her voluminous, old-fashioned dressing gown, seized her daughter’s arm. “Don’t you lie to me!” “I don’t lie. Mother, you’re hurting me.” There were tears in both pairs of eyes as they faced each other. “I heard you,” gasped the mother.

only one agonized question. How badly was Eric hurt? “I’ll get a taxi,” Richard said, briefly. “And go on to Romaine’s. I am dreadfully sorry about this, Nancy. It' was all my fault.” “Oh,” she cried, with white lips. “You don’t think he’ll die?” “We’ll have everything possible done for him,” he promised. "I’ll come to the hospital as soon as I can.” A long ride through unfamiliar streets. Questions and her own confused answers. Then that most depressing, heart tearing of sights. The beloved one being lifted upon a hospital cart. Nancy paced the corridor, sick with fear. If only he might live she would be content never to see him again. He was “heart of her heart, soul of ,her soul.” . < . More intimately hers than any one else could ever be. But there was nothing possessive about that love. It was a cold, blue flame, purifying as it burned. “Oh, Eric, I love you! I love you even though you no longer care for

convulsively. “I heard you tell him he didn’t love you.” Frightened as she was, Diana cjjuld not repress a smile. “But I didn’t mean it that way.” “Don’t tell me! Girls shouldn’t say tilings like that if they expect to be respected. It’s no wonder things happen. As if it mattered whether Louis Nelson loves you or not.” Diana leaped to his defense. “He’s one of 4 the nicest boys in this town, and I like him. Just because he hasn’t any money. . . .” “I was not referring to his lack of money, daughter. He is a fast young man. Mrs. Haines has told me things about those Nelson boys.” “Yes, Mrs. Haines would. Because if Russell Haines had twice the money he has, he’d never be as popular as Bob Nelson.” Diana’s blue eyes were blazing with loyalty to her absent friend. She might tease and punish Louis herself but she would never Btand by whlie another ridiculed him. Elizabeth, sensing her attitude, abandoned the attack. “Come here, dear. Sit down by mother. Let’s have a little talk.” “Oh, not tonight! I’m so tired. Only missed one dance.” “Missed one dance? Where were you?”

me. In spite of your cruel sense of justice, your high expectations which I have been unable to meet. “I love you for your worship of the truth which is your religion, for your idealism and your defense of the weak. But, most of all, I love you because I am a part of you. A flaming, infinitessimal part. . . .” Richard approached with a frightened, white-faced Chloris. “How is he/Nancy?” She answered dully, “I don’t know. I’m waiting until they bring him back.” Chloris whispered, “I came to see if I could do anything.” “You aren’t married yet?” Nancy inquired without interest. “No! Oh, Nancy, I’m so dreadfully sorry . . Nancy did not answer because there seemed no answer to make. The three of them waited until time ceased to register. Speech was impossible. They did not even look at each other. Each was suffering for an entirely different reason in an entirely different way. Then the floor nurse and a smil-

“Sitting, mother! Sitting with the wallflowers." “You’re sure you weren’t out In some boy’s car? I understand the goings on in those automobiles at the country club are simply disgraceful.” Diana registered a secret vow to discover for herself just what these “goings-on” were. She had, on occasion, sat out a dance or two in some boy’s car. But beyond a few playful advances, easily checked, nothing exciting had happened. “Daughter, are you listening?” “Yes, mother.” “I wonder if you can possibly understand the danger of letting a boy make love to you.” Elizabeth’s face was flushed. Her mouth distorted. Diana loathed these private conversations. There seemed to her something indecent about them. “Yes, mother.” “Purity is the mo6t important thing in the world. When a girl loses that she has nothing.” Diana’s eyes fell. She could feel the shamed blood rushing into her cheeks. She knew her mother was thinking of Vivian, whose laughing, beautiful face seemed suddenly near. If only she dared to ask now what it was Vivian had done. But

ing interne announced that Mr. Nelson was resting easily. Badly bruised and a slight concussion, but nothing to worry about. "Would you like to see him for a moment?” the nurse inquired, pleasantly. The two girls looked at each other. “I don’t,” they replied in unison. Richard said, “I’ll see if there is anything I can do.” When he had gone, Chloris said, “Os course, I went about it wrong, Nancy. But I am absolutely right. Jack and I will be married later?” Nancy nodded, wearily. Now that she knew Eric was safe, her one desire was for immediate, unbroken sleep. But there remained a duty to be performed. She told Chloris she would take a taxi. When she reached home, late as it was, she sent for a messenger and returned Richard’s ring. Wrapped in a sheet of paper, on which she ahd written “I do not ask to be forgiven. Only believe me when I say I did not understand myself.” To Be Concluded.

Second Section

Entered as Second-clas Matter at Postoffice. Indlanapoll*.

how could she, when her mother looked at her like that? “Has Louis Nelson ever kissed you?” Oh, dear! Now it was out. Nothing in the world could save her now. For three years she had been able to answer this question in the negative. But this summer . . . “Answer me, Diana. I want the truth.” Then, her own voice faltering, choked with tears, “Not often!"— “Oh, mother, please don’t look at me like that. All the girls do.” Never so long as she lived would Diana forget thd scene which followed. The words—evil, ugly sounding words —which meant nothing to her except she knew her mother was using them like whips. They fell upon her heart, leaving scars that never quite healed. Years later she was to remember them at night, starting up in cold fear. And in the end Elizabeth, falling back Hpon the bed, crying, “Oh, God! My heart!” Sobbing like a little girl, Diana ran to the telephone and called the doctor. When he came her mother was still unconscious. Diana was rubbing her cold face with camphor. “Oh, Dr. Vest, is she going to die?” “Certainly not, honey! Just a fainting spell! Has she had a, shock?” There it was again. Her fault! Always her fault, yet surely no girl had ever loved her mother more. Under the doctor’s ministrations Mrs. Farrell’s breath came fluttering back. “I made her angry,” Diana admitting, touching a handkerchief to her tear-reddened eyes. But if Dr. Vest heard her confession he gave no sign of it, apparently absorbed in taking her mother's pulse. And Elizabeth’s first thought was for her daughter. “Don’t be frightened, dear. Mother is all right.” Later, after the doctor had gone, a white faced Diana promised not to let another man kiss her until she was engaged. . . . Morning found her weak and listless. Mother and daughter avoidedany mention of the night before. Diana performed her share of the household duties dully, without interest. She felt as if a milestone in her life were past. She was definitely now in another stage, with which she was neither familiar ncr pleased. Louis teelphoned at 11 o’clock. Her mother answered and called Diana, sweetly. “Telephone, dear!” “She knows it’s Louis,” Diana thought, resentfully. “But she thinks that she can trust me now.”

She spoke indifferently, unable to force any vitality into her voice within range of her mother’s hearing “How are you this morning?" asked Louis. "All right. Fine!” “You don’t sound it,” deducted Louis, shrewdly. "Are you angry with me?” “Os course not, Louis. I’m Just tired." "Want to go riding tonight?” “Not tonight, thank you.” "Take in a movie?” “No, I think I’ll stay at home.” “Listen, Diana, I’m sorry I lost my temper last night. You were so provoking, but you know I didn’t mean everything I said.” "That’s nice. Don’t think I’m worrying about it.” But she refused to promise to see him. Her instinct was for concealment. Flight from all things masculine. If it was wrong to let a boy kiss you—so disgusting to let one even hold your hand—she did not want to be with Louis again. Dressing for dinner she was glad she looked “untouchable.” Other boys besides Louis had accused her of being as “cold as ice.” She had rather liked having Louis kiss her the first time. Like the swift brush of a butterfly’s wing! But the night he had caught and held her, forcing his lips hard upon hers it had made her angry. She had told him that If he ever did that again. . . . And they had quarreled as usual. Be-

Laddergram Climb Down! j f| BROOM fi ■ 1 0 <• ■ ■ - - o . * o J* o 6 r 1 0 |6 STICK .Jr J The Broom is useless without the Stick, so we have left it up to Laddergrammers to do their stuff. Remember that only on letter may be changed in each downward step and the remaining letters must not be transposed. Try to beat our construction and watch tomorrow for the way we did it. Here’s one answer to the last one: 1, Bone; 2, Bond; 3, Bend; 4, Bead; 5, Mead; 6, Meal.

A GIRL'S AMAZING EXPERIMENT

cause Louis had insisted that no girl nowadays could be as inexperienced as Diana pretended. It infuriated her to be called inexperienced. Until last night she had thought it one of the meanest things that could jse said about a girl. Now she knew differently. There were things much worse. Accusations which burned and smarted like salt in a cut finger. Even the memory of the “words” her mother had used brought the tears swimming into her eyes. No, thank you, Louis! No more automobile rides with you! It would be years before they could be engaged, even supposing she wanted to be. The way she felt now she never wanted another “date.” She finished her dressing and took up the locket she wore on a heavy, old-fashioned gold chain. She opened it disclosing a small, handpainted miniature of her father. He died when Diana was a baby. Sha could not remember him. but she passionately admired the handsome, high-bred face; the laughing, hazel eyes. His eyes were like Vivian's, her mother was inclined to be reticent about him, too. Diana wondered why she had married him. Dick Farwell came from a family noted for its free thinking and much devilish escapading. She could imagine the life he must have led a girl with the “high ideals” of Elizabeth. Yet Diana was fiercely loyal to him. She kissed the little picture and whispered, “I would have loved you whatever you did. And you would have understood me.” Throughout dinner mother and daughter chatted pleasantly. Lucy, the colored woman who came to serve dinner and wash the dishes, crooned a melancholy hymn from the kitchen sink. Golden sunshine filtered through the closed shades. And Diana, following her mother through the comfortable, orderly house to the porch, felt, rebeliously, that life was scarcely worth living. She was going to be an “old maid” and nothing exciting would ever happen to her. Then the telephone rang. She forced herself to sit, quietly while Lucy answered it. Forced herself to walk sedately past her mother to the summons. “Miss Diana, a gentleman is asking for you.” (To Be Continued)

OFFER TICKETS IN CONTEST ON DIANASERIAL Keith’s to Give 20 Pairs to Follow $100: Story Starts Today. BY THE DIANA EDITOR Good news, contestants. Manager William M. Hough of B F. Keith’s theater offers sets of theatfer tickets to the next twenty winners after the SIOO in cash I prizes has been distributed in the Diana word contest. That will bring the total of prizes up to forty-one. Thus there will bo one $25, one sls and one $lO prize, eight $5 prizes, ten $1 prizes and twenty pairs of theater tickets. All you must do is to ascertain tho largest number of good English words that can be constructed from the letters contained in this line: “DIANA' IN THE TIMES.” The purpose of the contest is to attract attention to Vida Hurst’s amazing new serial story, “DIANA,” which starts in The Indianapolis Times today. Read the rules carefully and get busy. It’s great fun. Also’don’t forget to read the story. That will afford your fine entertainment. THE RULES *• On>v En(?llsh words contains in any wltf'S 2. Proper names will not be counted. *• Jf you include proper names your entire list will be thrown aside. 4. Abbreviations will not be counted. 8. Plurals will not be counted. 7 ’ -iISJ? *£• ‘lnsular la used compound words past and present tenses, etc can be used. • 1 xxsVnnSrKC" ™ “ .s? as? ,r„s, v"jk sentence: Diana In The Times. 10 ' SD? decision of the Judges named by The Times will be final; there will be no appeal. 11. The contest begins now and ends at 3 p. m. next Friday. Nov. 4. ** 13. Address your list to The Diana Editor of The Times. Indianapolis. THE PRIZES First—For the most good English words S3B 0d Second—For the next largest number 18.00 Third—For the third largest number. 10.00 Fourth to Eleventh (Inclusive) largest number ($8 each) ' 40.00 Next ten largest numbers ($1 each).. 10.00 Wabash Play Chosen Bu Timra Special CRAWFORDS VILLE, Ind., Oct. 31.—The Scarlet Masque, dramatlo society of Wabasli College here, has chosen Austin Strong's three-act comedy, “Three Wise Fools,” as its first offering of the present season. No definite date has oeen announced for the show, but it orobably will be held in December. Tryouts for places in the cast will begin Tuesday. Hoosler Student Honored Bu Timra Special CONNEKSVILLE, Ind., Oct 31. James S. Tatman, son of Mrs. HI W. Tatman of this city, is one of the three seniors selected for membership in the Aurelian Honor Society of Sheffield Scientific School at Yale University. The selection is considered one of the highest Yale honors.