Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-24

I 1T seems we're both being gossiped
about. dear"
you! What have you been doing?"
he demanded in despair.
"Oh, really haven't done anythisg,
but it's nearly as bad. There's a report
that Norvin Blake is paying all my car
nival bills. and naturally it has occasion
ed talk. OF course. denied it; the idea
is too preposterous."
Bernie, who had in measure recover
ed his composure, felt himself paling
once more.
Amy Cline told me she'd heard that
he actually bought my dresses, but Amy
| Is catty creature. She's mad over lie
Compile, you know; that's why / encour-
age him, and she wanted to be queen,
too. but la, la! she's so skinny Well,
/ was furious naturally Miss War
rem paused, quick to note the telltale
signs in her brothers. face Bernie,
she said, look me in the eye! Then
! il is true!'
Her own eyes were round and horri-
fed. her rosy cheeks lost something OF
their healthy glow; for once in her CAPRI
cious life she was not acting.
"I never dreamed you'd learn about II,
/ her brother protested when Norvin
asked me If you'd like to be queen 1
forbade him to mention it to you, for l
couldn't afford the expense. But ne
told YOU in spite of me. and when saw
your heart was set on It'll just
couldn't refuse. 1 allowed him to loan
me the money.
ssBernie! Bernie!" Myra Nell rose
and. turning her back upon him. stared
out of the window into the DUSK OF
the evening At length she SAID Wlth
a strange catch in her voice, You're an
anxious comfort, Bernie, for an orphan
girl" Another moment passed III 81
lence before he ventured.
''You see, / knew he'd marry you soon
or or later. so it wasn't really a loan.
he saw the color food her neck ana
cheek at his words, but he was UMPIRE
pared for her reply.
'sPu never marry him now; III never
speak to him again..
"Why not?" 80.
cant YOU understand? Do you think
I'm entirely lacking in prideF what
kind of man can he be to tell of his loan'
10 make it public that the very dresses
which cover me were bought with MS
moneyY' She turned upon her half-oroth-
or with clenched hands and eyes which
were cleaning through tears OF ihols'
nation. 81 could kill him for that!
che didn't tell" Bernie blurted out.
tfHp must nave. NODOuy hHS" - -
cent YOU Her eyes widened; she hes-
itated your" she gasped.
If was indeed the hour Of Bernies dls-
comhture. Myra Nell was his divinity
and to confess his personal oHense
against her, to destroy, her faith IN hlin'
was the hardest thing he had ever done
Rut he was gentleman enough not 10
spare himself. At the cost of an Ell
/ fort which left him colorless' ne told
/ her the truth.
I'D been drinking, that day OF the
quarantine. 1 thought I'd NIX II so ne
couldn't back out"
Myra NelIs lips were white as she
said slowly, measuring him meanwhile
with curious glance:
''Weu. 1 reckon you fixed it right
! enough; I reckon you fixed 1t so that
neither of us can back out" She turned
and went slowly upstairs, past the pad
/ ly-done portraits of her people which
| started down at her in all their ancient
pride. She carried her head high be-
| fore them, but, once in her room' she
flung herself upon her bed and wept
as if her heart were breaking.
| Fortunately for Norvin Blake's peace
os mind he had no inkling of Bernies
/ indiscretion nor of any change in Myra
Nell His work now occupied his mind
to the exclusion of everything else. While
anxiously waiting for some word from
Oliveta he took up with O'Neil the in
vestigation of Joe Poggi, the Italian de-
/ tective. Before definite results had been
| obtained he was delighted to receive a
visit from Vittoria Fabrizi, who explain
ed that sh had risked coming to see
him because she dared not trust the
mails and feared to bring him into the
foreign quarter.
''Then olveta has made some prog
ress?" he asked eagerly.
Yes"
Good! Poor girl. it must be terribly
hard for her to play such part.
mo one knows how hard it has been.
/ You would not recognize her, she has
changed so. Her love, for which we were
so deeply thankful, has turned into bit
ter hate 1t was a long time before she
dared trust herself with Maruffi, for al
WAYS she saw the blood of her father
upon his hands But she is Sicilian; she
| turned to stone and finally welcomed his
caresses. Ali that man will suffer for
what he has made her endure"
! Blake inquired curiously, Does he real
] ly love herY'
Yves. That is the strangest part of
the whole affair. 1t is the one good
thing in his character, the bit of gold in
that queer alloy which goes to make him
/ up Perhaps If he had met her when
/ he was younger love would have made
him a different man. In her hands he
is like wax: he is simple, childlike; he
fawns upon her; he would shower her
with gifts and attentions; yet under
meath there is that streak of devilish
cunning"
What has he told so far?"
Much that is significant, little that
\ is definite. We have pieced his words
/ together, bit by bit, and uncovered his
| life an inch at a time. 1t was he who
paid the blood money to Di Marco and
Bolla-a thousand dollars"
/ "a thousand dollars for the life of
/ Dan Donnelly"'
/ The countess lowered her yellow head.
They, in turn, hired Larubio, Normando
and the rest. The chain is complete.
Then all that remains is to prove it,
/ link by link, before arresting him
rs not Oliveta's word sufficient proof"
No Blake paced his Office silently,
followed by the anxious gaze of his call
er. At length he asked, ''Will she take
the stand at the trial?"
Heaven forbid! Nothing could induce
her to do so. That is no part of her
scheme of vengeance, you understand?
Being Sicilian. she will work only in her
own way. Besides-that would mean the
disclosure of her identity and mine"
81 feared as much. In that case every
point which Maruf confesses to her must
be verified by other means. That will not
/ h. Int 7 1or pan ha