Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-13
TO-DAY'S INSTALLMENT.
Chapter Fifty-six-continued

Chapter Fifty six-Continued.
During these rugged salutations
saw that Alma, with the bad man
ners of a certain type of society
woman, looked on with a slightly i'm
pertinent air Of amused superiority
until she encountered my fathers
masterful eyes which nobody in the
world could withstand.
After a moment my father ad-
dressed himself to me.
We'll, GEL" he said, taking me by
the shoulders, as he did in Rome, you
must have cut a dash in Egypt. l
guess Made the money fly, didn't
you? No matter! My gold was as
good as anybody else's, and / didn't
grudge it. You'll clear me of that,
anyway"
Then there was some general talk
about our travels, about affairs on
the island (Mr. Curphy saying, with
a laugh and a glance in my direc-
tion, that things were going so well
with my father that If all his
schemes matured he would have no
need to wait for a descendant to be-
come the ''uncrowned King of Ell
lan'O, and finally about Martin Con-
rad, whose great exploits had become
known even in his native country.
Extraordinary! Extraordinary! g"
said my father. Il wouldn't have be-
lieved 1t of him, l wouldn't really
Just a neighbor lad without a penny
at him. And now the worlds trusting
him with fifty thousand pounds,
they're, telling mel"
well, many are called but few are
chosen" said Mr. Curphy with an
other laugh.
After that, and some broken con-
versation, Aunt Bridget expressed a
desire to see the house, as the even
ing was closing in and they must
soon be going back.
Lady Margaret thereupon took her,
followed by the rest of us. over the
principal rooms of the Castle, and it
was interesting to see the awe with
which she looked upon everything
her voice dropping to a whisper in
the dining room, l remember, as If
the scene of carousing of the old
roysterers had been a sort of sane
tuary.
My father, less impressed, saw
nothing but a home in bad repair,
and turning to my husband, who had
been obviously Ill at ease, he said:
go on like this much longer, SON
in-law, and you'll be charging two
pence a head to look at your ruins.
Guess | must send my architect over
to see what he can do for you
Then taking me aside he made his
loud voice as low as he could and
said;
whats this your Aunt Bridget
tells me? Nine months married and
no sign vet? Tut, tut! That won't
do. gel, that won't do
tried to tell him not to spend
money on the Castle if he intended to
do so in expectation of an heir, but
nv heart was in my mouth and what
really said / do not know I only
know that my father looked at me
for a moment as if perpleXed, and
then burst into laughter.
u see, I see!" he said. ITS a
doctor YOU want | must send Con
rad To put a sight on you. It'll be
all right, gel. it'll be all right! Your
mother was like that when you We're
coming
AS we returned to the hall Betsy
Beauty whispered that she was sur
prised Mr.. Eastcliff had married, but
she heard from madame that we were
to have a house party soon, and she
hoped | would not forget her
Then Aunt Bridget, who had been
cveing Alma darkly, asked me who
and what she was and where she
came from, whereupon ! Crying 10
put tho hest face on things) explained
that she was the daughter Of rich
New York banker. After that Aunt
Bridget's countenance cleared per-
ceptibly and she said:
..Ah, yes, of course thought she
had a quality toss with her
The two motor cars had been
drawn IN to the door, and the two
parties had taken their seats in them
when my father looking about him,
said to my husband:
Your garden is as rough as a
thornbrush. SON in-law | must send
Tommy and Mate 10 smarter It UP
a bit So long So long!'
AT the next moment they were
gone. and l was looking longingly
after them. God knows that the
house had never been more than a
stepmother's home to me, but for a
moment | yearned to return to 1t ana
felt like a child who was being leIt
behind at school.
What had / gained by running
awav from London? Nothing at all.
Already | knew | had brought my
homeless passion with me.
And now ] was alone.