Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-24
TO-DAY's INSTALLMENT

TO-DAY'S INSTALLMENT
Go on. l amt iookin' for graft
( tude. There amt none IN this world
any more. Taxicabs killed gratitude
same as they killed everything else
any good Remember what place
! Broadway used to be? About IL
O'Clock of a fine night-with the cab
bies ridin' up and down calm Keb
sir--keb sir! That was sociable
wasn't it? That was human. Folks
was happy in them days--a Teller and
a girl, ridin' home--loolSin' out at the
sights"
Jim was enjoying his happy remi-
nisCences-then he pulled himself UP
sharply to the bitter reality of these
unsociable days of taxis.
They don't look at nothin' now--in
a taxi; they dasn't-Just that darned
old clock!'
TINS sodden old soul was bitter
THAT darned old clock" made
- graft almost too complicated q
thing to his feeble intellect.
Suddenly Dick spoke in a tone OF
genuine feeling. He knew Kitty
knew just what she was-knew just
what she had dpne-and would do
perhaps, all through life. Dick lie
Roy was q gaudy souled, gaudily
dressed song and dance artist
Kitty was-well, Kitty! And to Dick
lie Roy she was-the girl he wanted
Kitty What's the use? You're on
dead one and you're most broke!
This kids a. simp, and he's only q
piker! Kitty, why don't you lose
him?"
Jim coughed and lit one of "the
pikers" cigars.
Never mindl" said Miss Kitty May
firmly.
Dick leaned across the table. He
could forget that Jim was there-he
could forget anything but that Kitty
was-1ust Kitty.
You can't care. for him-a wise
girl like you"
Cant I? It's none of your bust
ness anyway" said she in a pleas
antly offhand manner
Jim rose with a flourish, and ad-
dressed the floor.
II can't read without my glasses,
Dicks gettin mushy again. He al
ways was stuck on you?
Dick turned on him with rising pas
sion
We'll? What about it? l wouldn't
look to be headlined on a bill with a
millionaire-but this 'mama's baby
graft is pretty punk! Mama will buy
baby all the candy baby wants-gur-
gle, gurgle"--he minced with a sheer
. = 10, Md
mama tightens up when it comes to
buying Paris hats for a soubrette."
He went over and took possession
Of Kitty's hand All the happy.go-
lucky laughter was gone out of his
smoothly featured young old face
now.
Kitty shook off his OBTAINING hand
and Jumped up angrily.
you look out what you say!" she
snarled.
Dick backed off in honest astonish-
ment.
MY Gawd! Say, Kitty, what are
you? Oh cut out the bunk, Kitty!
Quit kiddin' YOURSELF"
BY this time he had recovered his
poise, and the radiant smile that dis
closed his strong white teeth.
Kitty spoke with impassioned ear
nestness. -. -.
he didn't have car fare-not yet, any
how-not till get the thing want!"
Dick knew the devious ways Of
"soubrettes"-and graft-and black
mail.
Lightly he asked: Are you figur-
ing you can make this boys father
pay"
In the short second before she an
swered Kitty stood staring back inso
the past-back into one morning a
month ago. She saw a sobbing girl
spurned in her pleading. She heard
that girl cry: I'll stick-Im no
grafter!' She saw strong man put
ting that girl aside at the moment
when he was forced out Into the open.
She saw that girl flung back on her
self--saw her fall, shaken and trem-
bling into massive chair, while the
man she longed for swung heavy
doors between her life and his-and
was gone. Gone out of her love--but
not out of her life. Not yet, Charles
Nelson She heard that girls burn-
ing vow; IF you leave me like this
now-that you don't have to. I'll get
you. Charlie, don't make me hate you
Don't leave me--or I'll get you. I'll
get you IL it's the last thing l ever
do"
And Kitty answered in a hard tone.
with far deeper meaning than Dick or
Jim could ever guess:
I'm going to make the boys fathee
pay"
Dick was greatly relieved Here
was a game ne could understand-or
thought he coul
"Oh! l heard he was broke, hut
you'd know, Of course. You wouldn't
take any chances. Sorry l said any
thing, Kitty. Your Judgment is bound
TO be 0. X. I guess every fellow gets
soft once in a while"
To Be Continued To- morrow.