Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-12-24
A Story of Love, Adventure
and Mystery b. REX BEAcH
THE NET"
coprriohted. 1g1g. ~ Res Beech.
Copvriohied. I9I2. oy e BeaeA.

! the idea that you should be entangled
ia a miserable intrigue-why. it's appal-
| ling" Her lips quivered. tears welled
/ into her eyes. seeing which the little
man felt himself strangling.
DON'T he cried miserahly Il
didn't think you'd ever find il out"
I Il seem to be the only one who doesn't
know all about it," Myra Nell shud-
dered.
II simply couldn't help IT," he told
her. I'm human. and I've been in love
for years"
But think what people are saying"
lie passed a shaking hand over his
forehead. which had grown damp. zone
never realizes the outcome of these
thing until too late. / hoped you'd
never discover IL. I've done everything
I could to conceal it,"
That's the terrible part-your double
life. Don't you know it's wrong, wicked,
vile? / can't really believe il of you.
or of our name rests upon you. The
Why. you're my own brother. The hon.
the idea that YOU should fall victim
20 the wiles of a low, vulgar"
Bernie stiffened his back, and his color
less eyes flashed.
''Myra Nell, she's nothing like that!"
I he declared. you don't know her"
Perhaps. But didn't you think of
me?" He nodded his head. Didn't you
realize it meant my social ruin?' Again
| he nodded. his mind in a whirl OF
doubts and fears and furious regrets.
/ ''NObody'll care to marry me now. What
do you think lie Compile will say?"
What the devil has lie Compile to do
with it? You're engaged to Norvin
Blake
"oh. yes. among the others"
Bernie was too miserable TO voice the
Indignation which such flippancy evoked
in him. He merely siad:
''Norvin isn't like the others. It's diff
fereut with him; he compromised you"
Yes. 1t was rather nice of him, but
do you think he'll care to continue our
engagement after this?"
"Oh. he's known about Felicite for
long time. Most of the fellows know.
That's what makes il so hard"
This intelligence entirely robbed Myra
Nell of words. She stared at her half
brother as If trying to realize that the
man who had made this shocking admis-
sion was he.
do you mean to tell me that your
friends have known of this disgrace?'
she asked at length.
Bernie nodded. "Of course, it seems
terrible to you, Myha Nell, for you're
innocent and unworldly. and I'm rath-
er a dissipated old chap. But I'm aw-
fully lonely. The men of my own age
are successful and busy and they've
all left me behind; the young ones
don't find me intere-ting. You see, I
don't know anything. 1 can't do any
thing; I ma failure. Nobody cares
anything about me except you and Fee
licite. 1 found a haven in her soci-
ETY.; her faith in me is splendid. TO
her I'm all that's heroic and fine and
manly, no when I'm with her I begin
to feel that I'm really all she believes,
all that / hoped to be once upon
a time. She shares my dreams, ind
I allow myself to believe in her be-
liefs."
And yet you must realize that your
conduct is shochng?"
Il suppose I do"
You must know that you're an TT
terly immoral person. He nodded.
You're my protector, Bernie; you're
all I have. I'm a poor. motherless girl
and ! lean upon you. But you must
appreciate now that you're quite I'M
fit to act as my guardian"
The little man walled his miserable
assent. His half-sister's reproachful
eyes distracted him; the mention OF
he. defenseless position before the
world touched his sorest feeling. IT
was almost more than he could stand.
He was upon the verge Of hysterical
breakdown when her manner suddenly
changed.
Her eyes Frightened ard. rising
swiftly. she flung her wa beside
him upon the sofa W still sat
clutching 1T as If were - 0alky horse.
Then. curling one foot her. she bent
toward him, all eagerness. all impuls-
iveness. With breathless intensity
she inquired:
Tell me, Bunnie, is she pretty?"
Very pretty. indeed" he said
lamely.
all about her. This is the wickedest
thing l ever heard of and I'm pper-
fectly delighted"
1t was Bernies turn to look
shocked. He arose Indignantly. MY
IA Nelll You paralyze me- Have YOU
no moral"
Rats interrupted. Miss Warren
indignantly. 1--WE let you preach 70
me in the past, but never again. We've
the same blood in US, Bunnnie. If 1
were a man I dare say I'd do the most
terrible things-although I've never
dreamed of anything so fiercely awful
as this"
Il should hope not" he gasped.
$50, come now, tell me everything.
Does she pet you ana call you funny
names and ruffle your hair the way I
dor
Bernie assumed an attitude of mill
tary erectness. IT'S bad enough for
me to be a reprobate in secret" he said
stifiy. "but l shan't allow my own flesh
and blood to share my shame and gloat
over it."
The girls essential innocence, her
cbFIdIfke rapacffv for sealing oulv the ro-
nance of a situation in which he himself
recognized real dishonor. made him feel
ashamed. yet he was grateful that she
took the matter, after all, so lightly. His
respite, however, was of short duration.
Failing to draw him out on the subject
which held her interest for the mo-