Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-07-23
CHAPTER z
nRTETTNE


q grateful one Toby. however. Gym
thfa Grayce was nuT.ib to ths conTro st
the heat was everywhere 50 great tha
the difference hetwesn phase and phase
seemed negligible.
Beneath the broad brsm OF her simply
trimmed straw her pretty young facs
shone with a paIlor srore than normal
a trihe drawn and jaded. a thought
thfn-but not yet thin enough to maj
the graciOusness residing in those So
iient curves OF cheek and chin and
brow. In her brown eyes dwelt faith
omless abstraction. wistful aud wonder
ing.
Strong upon her spirit. depressing
Il like some grim. dumb menace. she
felt the consciousness OF the city. the
sweItering city OF steel and stone, az
selfish and al heartless as the sun beat
ing ruthlessly down upon IL from out Q
sky OF brass and fire. The dull hum
OF the life swarming round her seemed
artfculate with the message Of the city
You are not OF me and 1 viii none OF
you
But today she might no longer be
fnsensible 10 the message Dinned upon
her head BY every wave Of sound that
that swept the streets, she heard il in
the crash and clanguor of the trolley
cars on Broadway. in the roar and rum
BILE OF the Sixth avenue elevated, in the
minor motif beaten out by a myriad
blending footsteps. rhythmical with a
cadence like that OF the surf. Her eyes
read IL written in letters OF FIRE upon
walls OF iron and stone. and saw il
lined in the sea OF faces flooding past
herr set and impassive masks OF in
difference. Of ignorance and self-seeking.
Even the hot and dusty smell OF the
- NJ q
OF heavy. burning air dancing dervish-
like through man-made gullies and
touching her face and hands with
acorching breath. bore. the message TO
her senses she was not wanted She
was unit
Today she surrendered. her strength
gone cut from her so utterly that she
could no longer either night or hope She
had come near to the end OF the chapter:
everything had failed her; II was almost
over: after a day or two would come
what? The End2 What else?
What manner OF end she neither knew
nor tried 20 name. not greatly caring
n only Il might be swift and sure and
shameless. ~
Absorbed. she held steadily on her way.
beneath the gaunt. drab skeleton OF the
Elevated. past a corner Saloon (heedless
she excited and on until about mid
wav in the block, she came up 10 AID en-
tered Suzanne's.
There had been a time when the shabby
Four-story brick building with the Eng
lish basement and brOwnstone stOop hao
posed as the home OF wealth and respect
ability. Now II was-with little less of
good repute-simply Suzanne's- There was
another name for il. a name bitten deep
into the doorplate. whose brass was peer
ing guilty through its vanishing coat OF
silver; but few. il any, Of the patrons
knew the place as anything but su-
zanne.s. a fniddIe-class French restau-
rant and boarding house where one
might lunch sufficiently for forty cents
and dine with surprising relish and salts
faction for the equally modest sum OF
hfty-fve-
To lunch at Sszanne's had become a
settled habit with Cynthia Rarely uid
she miss a day. Lunch there was as
much a matter OF her diurnal routine as
was the morning egg and coffee cooked
over the single gas jet IN her nan Deo-
room in another quarter OF the city, or
Ter supper of handful OF crackers ana
houf Of milk. That lunch was the main
stav az her daily life, her dinner. The
evening meal she could no longer az
ford. even at Suzanne's triaing price
And after tomorrow she would have to
foreg0 lunch
There was little to disturb the quiet
Of Suzanne's at MONDAY. AS rule
there was present merely handful
OF patrons: a few guests OF the board
Ing house. a scattering OF stout
E,ranehmen in small ways OF business
IN the neighbOrhood, three OF four out
kiders like Cynthia attracted from afar
BY the unusual combination OF low cost
and palatable food
Today the number Of guests was
more scant than usual. Suzanne her
self, sitting at the little table BY the
door to which Jean few for change and
where one stopped. for a trite but cheer
ful word on entering or departing
Suzanne herself. fat and rosy and
uerspiring generously. dozed ftfully or,
rousing anon. surveyed the tables with
IaekIustre eyes
Il Was Jean. as always. who showed
cynthia to her table by the window in
the rear Of the room-it was Jean, that
: extraordinarily animated phenomenon, OF
ithinness. suavity and dexterity, who
held her chair for her and then vanish
ed with apron whipping briskly about
his amazingly long and thin black legs
only an instant later 10 reappear with
mis- smirk OF the successful conjurer)
bearing the service for Cynthia's place
Unrufhed. assiduous. sempiternally
courteous. Jean. serenely ignoring the
spaucity and infrequency OF made
moiselle's tips.
Cynthia's heart smote her when she
contemplated his unfailing alacrity and
.attentfxeuess; and when the waiter
had performed another Of his aston
ishin9 feats OF levitation and legerde-
main. returning with her cup Of chilled
iconsomme in much less time than an
other man had required to leave ms
room without hurdling the tables, END
serving her with a low word Of solici
'tude for mademoiselle's ability 10 en-
dure this execrable heat. Cynthia re
warded him with the first smile she
had been able TO force in days, togeth'
er with thanks in his own tongue that
seemed 10 delight him TO excess.
But she could not eat The food
which she was accustomed TO antici
pate with a desire almost painful. TO
day was flat and tasteless to her pal
ate. ashes in her mouth She sen
away her consomme barely tasted. re
fused the fish. choked down a mouth
ful OF chicken. and played with aeI
salad Only the fingerwide slice II
parti-eolored ice cream she consumed
slowly-and was sorry when it was
gone.
And now what = What way
to turn. what TO do TO fill the empty
aching hours Until bedtime?
She fingered on in purpOseless inde-