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Show Sally of Sky Alley I By Verm Brown "But Ks better lor everybody eon-earned," eon-earned," she ensured herself aa aba slipped M Bite the flsmae. 'Nothing else to doT Yvonne! face was hot "Not at this late hour. She haa to p through with It!" Thea she turned, smiling, at speak with a cabinet minister from Wssb-Ingtom, Wssb-Ingtom, who had flows ap Is New York In answer ta her telephone call that afternoon ta attend the wedding of the famous flier. Upstairs, la Yvonne's boudoir, Sally walled. She paced the floor. She called Bertha and uaetioned her. "He said there vssnt any answer. Bertha's voice was low. She loo fall caught (a tha kaesb of lha whole ghastly affair. ' Sally's head was bowed la shame. He didn't believe, or be hadn't the courage e save her bow. Minutes dragged. Blindly she opened telegrams tele-grams and spoke te people who came into the room. Blindly she waited, certain that Joe would coma ta her. at least for a word. But Joe did not come. Colonel Wads worth stood In the doorway bow, lla was smiling and happy. DEtEBTEO "All ready, Ssllyr In the lew seconds which followed Sally renounced all of her hopes and her hspplnaaa. Until that enoment she bad not beea able to believe that Joe would not com. Bertha tried to strsightsa her hair a little, Maria handed her her bridal bouquet Without With-out a backward glance Into the mirror, mir-ror, Sally arose and walked down the long hall to her wedding on tha arm of the dignified colonel. Below all was light and hspplnes Bright flowers bloomed everywhere. Yvonne's army of workers had converted con-verted the place Into a summer garden. gar-den. The light datxlsd the girl on Colonel Wsdswortb's arm. She could see only a blur of faces, Ilka a modernistic mod-ernistic painting, turned toward her, watching her. She leaned heavily on hie arm. That muslcl Sally kept her eyes on the polished floor. She and Colonel Colo-nel Wsdsworth were stopping now before a rose banked mantel She aw Hutch's lace lowering above her, his eyes burning dsrker In his face Suddenly she felt a great pity for him. too. They were both like moths, trying try-ing hsrd ta fir high and far and splendidly, yet beating their wings hslplessly sgsinst the oauling brightness bright-ness of the world. "We're blind loolaP her brain pro-tasted. pro-tasted. And the bittern aa In her heart told her only that Joe had not come. She wondered where his handsome dark (ace was In the mass of people. It did not matter now. Nothing mstteredl He hsdn't loved her or he would not hsve deserted her In her hour of need. A long silence, "Answer him. Ssllyr Colonel Wsdsworth whispered. , And Sally, trembling, wanting to run away, desperately lonely, answered. an-swered. Her voice was fsint The response In the wedding ceremony cere-mony went on and on. It seemed hours to the glrL "Through sickness and health" Sslly was desdly calm now, but she hesrd only a snatch of a phrase now and then which reechoed In her ears. "Dearly beloved," that was what the minister said. "Dearly beloved." that was Joe. bul It would never be Joe again. ,Ha was gone. He didn't care. There was a stir and a flutter. The minister was smiling. There was a ring on the third finger of her hand and Hutch waa bending to kiss her. iHia lips touched her cold cheek: CBAPTEB 44 Sally clung to Mrl and Frank and they danced about her, while Bertha put more rouge eat Salle's cheek and brushed her hslr. Somewhere Some-where music wss playing. Afterward she eauld never hear certain wedding wed-ding scores without leeling ill and afrskl The music pis red oa. "Here's your bouquet. Miss Sally." A maid held out a beautiful bridal bouquet of Easter lilies. Their heavy odor sickened SeUy. "Cotonel Wsdsworth hunted all over for them," the girl continued proudly. "He wanted Just thl kind, and it la early for them." Bally brushed tha flower aside, fai spite of Marie' surprised lace. Just thea Bertha came la to look after the children. The two women looked si cock ether la silence for a moment To Sally H aasmid year sine she had talked to Bertha aa the ssiephone end loomed of the elopement Bertha, frankly shocked at the whole perl or ma nee, mad a protesting gesture. ges-ture. "Oh, Miss Sally." she cried a she came over and took the girl's limp hand, "they arent going to eiske you go through with thlsT "Whet caa I do?" Sally clung to the woman's band. Of tha people wha knew the truth, this servant woman was lha anly one who raised a protesting voice In Rally's behalf, and Sally was grateful tor her understanding. "What's the matter. Aunt Ssllyr Msrcia demanded a the team cams to "ally's eyes stun. "Whst about Mr. Jor Berth whispered, as the child rva continued to chatter, for Bertha was fonder of Joe than any member of the family, snd she fully realised bis growing interest la Sally during these last months. Sslly anade a despairing gesture. Then she sank beck aa the couch. Bertha's sympathy had given her a faint ray of hope, but Msrcia' arms sbout her Beck had wiped It away again. Sally held the child close. She hoped 111 would be kind to the lovely little girl who kissed her so aflecUon-ately aflecUon-ately and so trustingly. "Do you love me. Aunt Sslly?" the child demsnded. "Yes, deerl" THE NOTE "Bushels and bushels?" "Mora ths bushels, lltUe glrL" Sslly's voice choked and Bertha, tending beside them, left the room hurriedly. Msrie came In with a stacks of telegrams tele-grams efcongralulauons for the bride snd groom. "There's one from the president himself, and from the minister of wsr," the girl said, her eyas shining with excitement "And there's more downatalre " Sslly took them, bul she left them unopened on the couch beside her. She hsd not the coursge to look Inside In-side the yellow envelopes. Sslly wss thinking clearly now. "All this Is silly. Sillyl It wont work." Marcla and Prank were playing on the sofa beside her, but Sslly had made up her mind. She Jumped up quickly, pushing aside tha flowers. She went to Yvonne's desk and wrote a note, swiftly. She had one purpose now! She muat stop thl whole thing before It waa too late. She wrote hurriedly snd put whst she had written into an envelope and sealed it, without rereading. "Joe. coma to me. It la all a horrible horri-ble mistake. It was Yvonne and not I who went up the Boston post rood. Believe me. Come snd take me away from hare.. I can't go through with It Not even lor Msrcia and Prank." Maris waa watching Sally nervous tic and colorful to every one but those most concerned sbout It CongTsUilsUoas! People passtd before be-fore Sslly. She smiled mechanically. Handsl Handsl Sha looked dowa at the toweled fingers which slipped into hers, wishing her happiness, "Hspplnaaa." ' Then suddenly sha saw slender, strong hands, hands she loved. A leaden weight prsseid stronger on her heart She tried to raise her eyes, but her lids felt heavy and queer. She tried to peak, but her lips were stiff and would not form the words. "I wish you hspplnaaa, Ssllyr Jo s -voice. " Sslly rlung to his hand for a moment mo-ment She could see him bow. but his eyes were Impersonal, opaque. She begged him silently to forgive her. There was no answer, becsuee there was nothing to answer. Joe was silent Your wedding gift." he continued. He left In her hsnd a smsll boa. Later, as they were all sealed at tha long dinner table. Sally opened the gift Inside the boa the ruby glowed like a living thins Colonel Wsdsworth, Wsds-worth, at her side, fastened the lovely thing sbout her neck. Now and then Sslly's hsnd touched It It seemed to burn Into her throat He had v -bought It before he knew! "Ho, Mrs. Richard Hutchinson Hsppy landings!" The cabinet officer was offering the toast of the evening They all stood, the rest of them. Sslly sst a art smile on her lips. The Jewel sbout her neck glowed like ' drop of blood. "Hsppy Undingsr cried the cabinet minuter. Joe drank with the rest, and Sally, watching, hoping for soma sign, ssw thst the hsnd which raised his glasa did not tremble. ITo be continued.) (Copyright by Public Ledger.) "Forgive me, Sslly," he whispered snd his voice was broken. "I'll square things somehow, some wsy!" Sslly smiled, a hopeless, trsglc smile. Newspsper men and women watching thst heartbresking droop to the girl's mouth made much of It In dsys to come. It wss a brilliant wsddlng. romsn- ly. The girt sensing thst something was ssdly wrong with the wedding of the fliers, went out to find Yvonne Bertha came In so thst Sally would not be left alone. -Berths I Come here quickly. Take this note to Mr. Joe. Don't fsil me. Berths T Ths girl's eyes were bright with hope and determination, "NOTHING ELSE TO OO" Bertha took the note and went out Into the hslL Yvonne was coming with Msrie. Yvonne understood at a glance. "Give it ta me." she said In a low tone. "There's nothing else to do Give It to met" Berths he its ted and then gsve in, handing the letter to her mistress. Yvonne slipped It Into the front of her low cut evening dress. She turned sbruptly and went back down the great stalrcsse. Her guests surrounded sur-rounded her. Later she was close to the greet fireplace In the drawing room. Just for a moment Yvonne's hsnd trembled. |