Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-15
THE FAVL Y CUPBOARD z Rs S. e. . e =: =:

Then why can't we go on, just the
same as we have for two years? I'll
be good. l won't look at any other
man. l won't drink-not even a cock
tail, if you say so. 1 can't let you go:
How hard you are! oh, how cruelty
hard you are!"
at must end! Had l known how
you felt it would have ended long
ago. Here"
The man took out his pocketboo!l,
selected several bills and crushed
them into her hand.
Il am not able to do what l would
like. l can't afford any more, He
thought that the debt was Daid--the
man rose-prepared to find himself
free But Charles Nelson had a LONE,
weary debt to pay to Kitty Claire be-
fore he should again be free.
Kitty's Threat.
Kitty rose abruptly.
Keep your dirty money!"
She threw the bills on the floor 50
that they scattered about at her feet.
You can't treat me like this You
can't throw me down"
"Kitty!" cried Nelson, a little
moved in spite of himself.
kitty! It's bad enough--don t
make it worse!"
Something dangerously like a sob
gathered in Kitty Claire's voice.
You're a mani Something's COM
ing to you! What wrong have you
done her! She's 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,
hcoldly. 81 am sorry-sorry for it all
Kitty. Good-bye.
He started to rise-Kitty stopped
him abruptly.
"Waitl If you go like ths--now--
when you don't have to go at all, III
get square-I'I-"
Her voice trailed off weakly as If
the sudden emotion that was rising
was stronger than the frail girl who
was trying to express 1t. After her
fashion, Kitty loved the strong man
in whose life she had played a part
through two fatal years. Sh4 wanted
to hold him-hold him now at any
cost. She wanted him-she would
pay-anything to keep him with her
until she tired of her bond and
fitted away with butterfly lightness.
Now she was willing to pay; later
Charles Nelson would pay, and pay
and pay, unless
'Tll get square, Kitty's voice
SDTlieQ OH Ouly.
Don't make a fool of yourself"
cried Nelson, sternly.
The girl whirled to the height Of
her mad desire to postpone the evil
hour of going-to hold this man,
somehow, anyhow.
am make a fool of you! If you
quit me like this-like was dog
when I've done nothing-l'lI get you'll
! 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 caressingly on
his cheek She looked at him with all
| her lure Of love in great blue eyes. She
laid her head tenderly against the rough
Kitty Claire. But suddenly she felt
that it was not q man to whom she
clung-not Samson to be cajOled and
persuaded by her wiles. She was beat
ing her fraiI strength and desire and
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
searchingly for any sign Of relenting.
Don't get me madi Don't make me
You don't know! You don't know how
hard it is! Charles! Charles"
He uncIasped her hands as gently as
he could She fell sobblng wildly Into
chair Nelson walked TO the great
doors that he had closed SO uncere-
J monlousy after the departing form Of
Dick Leroy, opened them, stood mo-
ment looking at the sobblng girl, and
then, closing the doors firmly after him,
walked out of the room-but not out
of Kitty CiaIre's life,
Alone.
Kitty sat, trembling and shaken, her
frail body wraeked by great sobbing
hreaths and wild weeping. Huddled and
crouched in the great chair she looked
like a little child-harmless 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 Oh him. Whispered Kitty
Claire, half under her tortured breath
Mechanically she opened her little van
ity case, shook the surplus powder from
her little lambs wool puff out over the
rug, and began patting the puff over
her Redeemed little nose. Gradually she
became more and more businessllke over
the identifying process. She cooked
her head at A studious angle and patted
away all traces of the tears from under
her eyes. She sighed a bit reminis-
Gently, gave a final hirt Of the powder
puff across her nose and then there
was a sudden CLEAN in her eyes as
they focused intently.
She started up unsteady, and, with
a few little echo miniature sobs, she
was shifting like a child that can not
quite readjust itself to sunshine after
the storm. But her eyes were fixed
avidly on the money that had begun to
call her Money was her deity Nor
ais, men. moods-all must be sacri-
feed to Kitty's ruling desire, money.
Nelson had treated her Ike q dog, she
thought. This was his money. But il
was MONEY.
Kitty was so sorry for herself that
she could scarcely keep her eyes from
filling up again even II that meant the
necessity for erasing the traces all over
again. She permitted herself the lux
ury Of a few dry sobs; she sniff ed
reminiscently.
Her eyes never left the bills scat
tered about her on the rugs
Suddenly she fell to cropping about
or the floor On hands and knees she
crept about in wild scramble for
every one OF the bills she had thrown
away with such a fine gesture OF scorn
Hunting, creeping. she made sure that
her chosen shrine, she counted IL al
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