Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-08-06
Cynthia-of- the-Minute
Copyright 1911 By Louis Joseph Vance
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Surroundings. out OF their sombrous OBJ
security. warmed to life and color by the
aaring jet leaped the incarnate sub
stance OF his apprehensiOns- In the
deeper gloom OF the room beyond the
skyIiEht. a woman was waiting. dis
posed az indolent. graceful ease on an
old settee. dlmy. white draperies droop-
ing round her like the weary wings OF
a resting moth: an elbow on the arm
OF the settee. chin cradlei In the hollow
OF her palm, her face turned 10 MN.
eyes in the shadow Of her hair Of geld
seeking his face with a look. wide pen
sive. and inscrutable.
A gust OF anger shook him like a
wind. He took a step toward her with
an unconscious gesture Of Incredibly,
as ii ne would exercise an hallucination.
then halted and dropped his hand and
stood staring at her.
Lefty" he said IN a voice so low
that IL Vas almost a whisper
Lefty
slowly tine moth-woman inclined her
head. then again moveless watched him
with a regard unwaveringly inteI,t and
curious
What do you WANT he asked I'M
steadily.
calm. even, and beil-clear.
Tic tried TO control his own How
did YOU get IN hereE
she raised the arm that had lain in
her lap. and the gas light struck a
myriad dazzling rays or fridescence
from her sem-incrusted wrist and the
fingers that offered him a key.
Il happened TO remember having
this" she said slowly, and thought
I'd drop round and see If you had
changed the lock / couldn't find
uatches-SO waited in the dark You're
late"
A note of biting raillery blended with
the silken richness OF her tones. He
felt il, resented IL. lost grip OF himself
for an instant In another stride he
stood over her. snstched the key from
her unresisting grasp and tossed 1t
away. through a nearby window.
You've forfeited your right 10 that
!" he said, trembling
The woman smiled provokingly. You
haven't forgotten how TO be melodra-
matte have you, Bruce2
You taught me- he said sullenly.
t"YOu made d fool of me from the FIRST
Are YOU sureg' she asked with
quiet laugh Are you sure, Bruce2 I've
always wondered
The distilled malice OF her words and
manner sobered him suddenly. His face
hardened even as the eyes that stared
openly into her own until her smile
faded and a slow, hot color burned in
her cheeks and temples.
No" he said quietly; you're right,
Hetty 1 have given you too much
credzt You simply improved in your
own way the raw material furnished
you"
Meaning. 1 presume. you were fool
to marry me, Bruce2'
That's my meaning" His jaws
snapped on the words.
Then why did YOU t9....,...
Because YOU Crittenoen
broke on, aware that he was raising
his voice. Without finishing. he turned,
crossed the room and dropped heavily
into g chair.
well. Bruce2" the woman goaded
him well, because Il"
Because 1 thought loved YOU" he
replied in a more guarded tone.
sAnd you didn't. really"
God knows I didT'
Il didn't value you highly enough.
you thinkg"
NO: L wouldn't say that: you valued
ne exactly-to the last dollar, Lefty"
With a swift and graceful movement
the woman sat up. signals Of danger in
her eyes; but Crittenden was not even
locking at her. His elbows on his
knees. his hands clasped low. he sat
with distracted gaze directed toward
the floor.
You played the game by the rules
you knew" he continued bitterly.
You found me pretty well fixed and
well thought Of; il seems only yester-
day they were calling me the coming
man. along Broadway. GU thought so,
too. else you wouldn't have consented
"a mary me. you had your eye on roy
aIties-and a play to exploit yourself
in You got the former. every damned
cent. and you got the latter-only that
failed. And because il failed you rid
yourself OF me. just as you'd have sent
hack a gown you'd ordered and then
thought shabby. You cast me on like
an old glove and-went to the arms or
a man with money. There's only one
thing that saved YOU
Prom what. Bruce2 Did YOU really
think OF killing me- How dramatic
Lefty bent forward, watching him
closely with eyes alight think that
would have made me love you little,
Bruce-if you'd shown that much spir-
IL Why didn't you try il. anyhow
throw OF the blur. at leastE
Because I've got a decent name. for
one thing he told her cOolly; even
you couldn't destroy my pride in that
And then the man YOU went to-poor
T0mmy,-was my friend
But either OF those reasons was
enough. Bruce"
You forget" he interrupte quietly.
: Tommy knew nothing OF our relations
any more than the world did You
provided for that when you insisted
that our marriage be kept a secret-it
vas I who insisted on marriage, you
know. Letty-because you couldn't live
without the fOOtlights. and If managers
knew you were married would work
against their interest in you. YOu made
that stipulation. and because 1 loved
and had faith in you and wanted to
please you. / cOnsented-llke the fool
y0u thought me. doubtless"
Well yes" she admitted lightly.
I'D So Crlttenden pursued without
needing the Interpolation. was kept
secret-no one knew Some guessed, or
course. but not Tommy. and not my
family. II I'd lost my head. I'd have
broken Tommy's heart-fOr he'd soon
e. have cut or his hand than play dou-
bic with me: and then I'd have had the
name OF Crittenden shrieked at the
world from every newspaper headline
COUPLED with the name OF "a
Don't say it," Lefty Noon inter-
rupted sharply. rising. Il didn't come
1ere to have you"
~Oh. yes. / know ne sale YEARLY.
You needn't remind me YOU can tear
. a passion TO tatters in private as well
as in public I've seen you do = often
u 49, s.rnFaH ma