Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-05
sNNs AUTHOR FLUSHED UP

| Hypothetical situation before you and ask
you to judge"
Edith began to laugh, but there was no
mirth in her laughter
at least ! can set the scandal mongers
raklng among your past" she said. "l"-
At that moment there came to the door
three light, huttering taps Mrs Bar
rington started. The doctor glanced to-
ward the door and back to her again
THAT is my wife he said. and for the
first time Edith saw his face soften and
something akin to fear in his eyes. Be
fore he could speak or answer the door
opened and a woman came into the room
oh on the threshold she paused.
with little exclamation. Il beg your
pardon, | am so very sorry. Tyson
told me YOU were alone.
For the first time in DR. Merton's
knowledge of her his wife seemed to
have lost her presence of mind. 1t was
such a blow to her wifely pride to have
done this thing objectionable in a doe
tors wfe-trespassed upon the privacy Of
a patient in the consulting room,
There was a moments pause; the eyes
Of the two women met across the head
Of the man standing there in the center
of the room, and Mrs. harrington saw
| to his wife when he said that the beauty
of the photograph fell short OF the orig
! inal Mrs Merton's loveliness was of the
! type that owes its perfection to delicacy
! Of ColorinE the inspiration of the pass
| ing mood. At that moment she looked
almost like a frightened child, with her
! delicate cheeks afame her eyes dark
! ened with emotion.
An Old Friend
| II was Merton who spoke first
! THAT was exceedingly careless Of Ty-
SON" he said at might have mattered
very much. though, in point of fact, il
does not matter at an-except pleasantly
! am glad you have come. This is my
wife, Mrs harrington SQuirrel-M Mrs
! harrington is very old friend Of mine"
The woman on the threshold came for
ward slowly. Her eyes were on Edith
tear stained cheeks her disheveed hair
and shabby dress. Just at that moment
! Robert Mertons mind was as quick in its
| intuition as that of woman. As his
wife passed he spoke in a low voice
Mrs. harrington is in sore trouble just
now" he said. You will remember she
lost her little boy"
Mrs harrington. the wife Of the well
/ trio millionaire artist An that was a
very different thing, And Bob must know
her very well. since he had let that pet
name Squirrel slip out Mrs Merton
snobbish little mind worked quickly She
determined on a bold bid for Mrs Bar
! rngton's friendship Her steps quick
ened. Her tone was very kind and her
/ hand clasp very warm as she caught
/ Ediths cold. passive hands in hers.
ION, l have wanted SO much to meet
YOU" she said. How glad 1 am that
/ I came. But just for a moment felt
ashamed-such a fool'--to have come
poIing my nose into Bob's room when a
| patient was with him II IL had been
any one else. how angry he would have
/ been She gave "A glance over her shout
| der and saw that her husband had slipped
from the room.
"OnN-I had something to tell nina
secret and II hardly seemed possible to
keep IT moment longer She paused
and looked up into Edith Darlington
eyes with a smue-a smile that was full
of the utterly unconscious seldshness OF
| a child Somehow. ! feel that YOU VIII
understand, she whispered, and her
/ whisper raveied away into silence
Il seemed to Edith that she had known
this thing that the woman whispered tC
her now with SO innocent a confidence
the moment she had looked al her radiant
face when she stood in the doorway THE
! most yoten- -r&.-IlcnL toe Ire .=-e -