Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-15

free But Charles Nelson had a Ion2,
weary debt 10 pay to Kitty Claire be
fore he should again he free.
Kitty's Threat.
Kitty rose abruptly.
Keep Your dirty money!
She threw the bills on the floor So
that they scattered about at her feet
You can't treat me like this You
can't throw me down"
"Kitty!" cried Nelson, q little
moved in spite of himself
kitty! It's bad enough t
make it worse!"
Something dangerously like a sob
gathered in Kitty Claires voice.
You're a mani Something's com
ing to you! What wrong have you
done her! She's a lady-and I'm
nothing but It's my heart you're
hurting-it was only her pride!'
Il can't listen to you" said Nelson.
coldly. u am sorry sorry for it all
Kitty. Goodbye.
He started to rise Kitty stopped
him abruptly.
Wait! If you 60 like this--now--
when you don't have to 90 at all, I'll
get square--i'Il--"
Her voice trailed off weakly as il
the sudden emotion that was rising
was stronger than the frail girl who
was trying to express it, After her
fashion, Kitty loved the strong man
in whose life she had played a part
through two fatal years. Sha wanted
TO hold him-hold him now at any
cost She wanted him-shc would
pay-anything to keep him with her
until she tired Of her bond and
fitted away with butterfly lightuess
Now she was willing to pay; later
Charles Nelson would pay, and pay
and pay, unless
"I'N get square, Eittys voice
shrilled off DULY.
Don't make a fool Of YOURSELF"
cried Nelson sternly
The girl whirled to tho height Of
her mad desire to postpone the evil
hour of going-to hold this man,
somehow, anyhow.
"I'II make a fool of you! If you
quit me like this--like | was a dog
when I've done nothing-I'Il get you!
! will ! will get you some day, if
it's the last thing ! ever dol"
And in day soon TO come Charles
Nelson was to remember her words.
But now he only said Good bye
Kitty chung to him desperately She
put one soft little hand caressingy on
his cheek, She looked at him with all
her lure of love in great blue eyes. She
laid her head tendeFly against the rough
cloth Of his coat. Closer, closer chung
Kitty Claire. But suddenly she felt
that II was not man to whom she
clung-not samson to be cajoled and
persuaded by her wiles. She was beat
ing her frail strength and desire aud
Will against a tower of granite
mo! No" she cried again weakly
And then Kitty Claire slowly slid her
arms from neck to shoulders. She
caught the lapels of Nelson's coat in
her slender fingers and looked at him
Don't get me madl Don't make me
hate you! Don't leave me all alone!
You don't know, You don't know how
hard 1t Isl Charles! Charles"
he could, she fell sobbIne wildly into
chair Nelson walked to the great
doors that he had closed so uncere-
monlously after the departing form of
Dick Leroy, opened them, stood a mo-
ment looking at the sobbIng girl, and
then, closing the doors firmly after him,
walked out of the room-hut not out
Of Kitty ClaIre's life.
Alone.
Kitty sat, trembling and shaken. her
fran body wraCked by great sobbiug
hreaths and wild weeping Huddled and
crouched in the great chair, she looked
Ike little Child-harmiess and help
less. At last she lifted her head from
her bent and protecting arms. Her face
was drawn INTO SemblanCe of age by
great lines of pain-and a dawning
new emotion, Her features twisted into
a cariCatured semblanCe Of themselves
Hatred dawned in her eyes. Then they
grew set and hard.
And "D-n him. Whispered Kitty
Claire, half under her tortured breath.
Mechanically she opened her little van
ny case, shook the surplus powder from
her little lambs wool puff out over the
rug, and began pattinE the puff over
her REDEEMED little nose. Gradually she
became more and more buSinesslike over
the beautitying process, She cooked
her head al studtous angle and patted
away all traces of the tears from under
her eyes. She sighed a bit reminis-
Gently, gave a final flirt Of the powder
pun across her nose, and then there
was a sudden CLEAN IN her eyes as
they focused intently
she started up unSteadily, and with
a few little echo miniature sobs, she
was sniffliuE Ike a child that can not
quite readjust itself to sunshine after
the storm. But her eyes were fixed
sNidly on the money that had begun TO
call her. Money was her deity Nor
ais, men. mOOds-all must be sRcri-
feed TO kitty's ruling desire, money
Nelson had treated her like dog, she
thought This was his money, But it
Kitty was so sorry for herself that
she could scarcely keep her eyes from
filling up again even If that meant the
necessity for erasiug the traces all over
again. She permitted herself the lux
ury of few dry sohs; she snlffl ed
remiuiscCntly.
Her eyes never left the bills scat
tered about her on the rugs
suddenly she fell to cropping about
on the floor. on hands and knees she
crcpt about in wild scramble FOR
every one Of Tho bills she had thrown
away with such fine gesture Of scorn
Hunting, creeping, she made sure that
she had II all Then, stlll lneeling at
her chosen shrine, she counted Il all
carefully, earnestly, every bin. and
stuffed them for safety IN the gold bag
that companioned her friendly little
vanity case
AT last, when she was quite sure
that she had every dollar Of the hard
est earned money IN all this world OF
toll, she rose. She busted of her skirt
quite carefully and rearranged it's folds
with careful precision Then she ran
jauntly to tho fireplace, climbed on The
brass fender and peeked a her daring
little hat in the mirror She pulled out
a teudrll or two of soft gold hair, and
pcercd and pirouetted on the fender UNI
an she was quite satisfied with her
own rluuHut'y pretty face And then.
swinging her bag IN great sweeping
circles az Fun length of MS cord. She
swaEgcred over 20 the heavy doors and
threw open with a EraUu flourish
She had timed hfFaFIF 1rglf