Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-07-15


colorless, as though a veil had descend
ed between them and the world
"Jenny-Jenny lass, do YOU know ne2"
There was a movement of the evelids
and the heavy hands, lying on the coun-
terpane beat feebly together sound
that was scarcely human. like some
words spoken by an animal suddenly en-
lowed with speech, issued from the swol-
len lips The old man fell on his knees
10 bring his head more nearly to the level
of the head sunk so deep in the pillow
Quick as his movement was the word
born into sound out of so much effort and
anguish escaped him. and a look of angry
disappointment crept into the dun ewes
giving them sembance of life for mo
ment Then the weighted lids fell and
the lethargy that was SO like death de-
scended once more
But though he had not heard with his
ears instinct told him what this word
! born out of pain. was 1t rang in the
desolate heart with a jealous ring Paul,
PAUL The name of the man who had
married this contaminated and mar
ried her
Jenny He bent over the bed again
F., wilfully misunderstanding her 1t was no
part of his scheme that. should the worst
come should death beat down this bar
rier which stood between Paul SAKE and
his desire-he should let the man know
that it had fallen Was it Bess you were
asking for-little Bess? She's here,
sleeping near you. Jenny, do you hear
me-"
No sign from the woman in the bed
The old man stra ghtened himself and
rose slowly from his knees To send for
Paul SAKE. He could not bring himself
| ,l,
bed with sort eff desperate ton She must
not die she must not, Why should sheo
! The doctors who had been called in al
her first seizure, little more than a year
! ago. had spoken pityingly of the long
scroll Of useless life that lay before her
Why should she die now to set the man
who hated her free? 1t was the one
Thought that had upheld him through
months of bitterness, the one thought
that had sealed his tongue, given servil-
! ity to word and look under Paul Saxe's
insolence-this thought that while Jenny
| lived she was Paul Saxes wife and he
man tied and bound All this year he
had thought nothing Of himself, of his
own life that was bounded now by the
four walls of a sick room; all the ener-
gies of his mind and body had been CON
centrated on this one supreme desire
that this woman might live that Paul
Sake might be held in bondage
He leaned forward his elbows on his
! knees. his chin resting on the palm of
his hand watching the still form, think
ing his own thoughts, weaving his own
web; and once or twice as he sat there
thinking an ugly. shrlveled little spider.
with death al his elbow. the death he
dreaded he smiled, and as he smiled the
/ a
over the colorless lips. and the thick eve
brows went up a little too high. and the
Swallowed profile cast on the wall was
! sinister to degree.
! "Grandad Grandad"
He must have dozed as he sat there
watching and brooding sleep had stolen
| on him out of the ambush of his utter
WEAKNESS and fatigue The childs voice
! shril and frightened, reused him with
start. There was daylight in the room
| the cold daylight of early morning that
gave a cruel distinctness to every object
! in the Swallowed room. and turned the
! Pickering light of the diving lamp 10 an
/ Intellectual blur Of yellow
Grandad, mammys awake. She cried
out-somethng awful. Paul-PauI! That's
is name, aln't III"
lex made SO savage a gesture with his
appraised hand that it silenced even her
| for the moment II had required no sec
ond glance to show him that while he
slept the battle had been fought out and
decided, and that death had won
Paul" There was no mistaking it
now, the name cried OUT i'm that awful
voice which was like no voice that he
had ever heard before And again,
Paul" followed by a babble of words
that instinct rather than reason. told
him spoke of terror, of dread of that
yelled death that even her 'dulled eyes
! perceived now lurking beside the bed
! He slipped on his knees.
Jenny. you're asking for Paul DO you
wish me to send for him."
1t was the eyes that answered. an
swered and appealed. The head moved,
and slight as the movement was it also
was eloquent of desire. lex touched her
| hand with his own, tendery
SWEET MEMORIES.
Jenny after the way he treated you,
You can't want to see this man Lass.
| If I sound cruel lis to save you worse
suffering What can the sight of him
bring you but pain? Curse him, who
never brought you aught but pain" The
eyes. wide open. now looking into his
own spoke a message that he could not
!
straying so far across the borderland, was
thinking of what this man had brought
! her in the past love, a few months Of
delirious happiness, a blossom more ex
quisite and fragrant than the thorns Of
! disillusionment had been bitter. or so it
seemed to her now. In this moment il
was the lover and not the husband she
! thought Of the father Of her child-not
the callous beast who had refused to ac-
cept the responsibilities of parentage. and
had decreed that his child be brought up
no more gently than she herself had been.
ITO say good bye. Other words
forced themselves out OF the swollen lips
| Bending his head, Jex could hear them
dreadful hating words that seemed to
cut their way to his heart and write
themselves there. He fell his eyes burn
and smart knowing of whom they were
spoken--dreading the disappointment that
was inevitable. Even if he sent for the
man would he come
J Turning suddenly, lex saw the child
standing before him. staring at him with
her bright malicious eyes
80 Pauls my father" she said, and at
| in the old mans face, added,