Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-04-05

with the air OF one TO the llldllllel Dolll, anu
those who had come to criticize found Their
weapons turned aside and offered their con-
gratulations in all sincerity.
A small collation. had been arranged for at
an exclusive hotel on the Avenue, and after
that the happy pair entered Ransome's
limousine and began to run to Elmwood.
Ransome was in iovial mood. He had
drunk more champagne than was good Tor
him, although not enough to shoW1tself other
than in a slight reddening OF the face, and an
excessive amorousness which made him
hold Emmy's hand, and when, later, the car
was flying over the smooth Long Island
roads, insist upon embracing her with
prodigious fervor.
After all, it was the bridegroom's privilege
and Emmy suffered it in silence. Somehow
she had not until this moment realized how
completely she had given herself into this
man power She was his-he had told her
SO dozen times during the past half-hour-
his to do with as he pleased.
His kisses left her cold-she remembered
with binding flash of agony the heaven
sent bliss of her last meeting with Chanler.
Then she set her teeth and crushed her
emotions in grip of steel. What this man
was to give her she must pay for, and now
that the bargain was made she would pay
pay, with no thought of the things she had
given up. After all, life was only question
of bargain. She resigned herself to his
eager, Covetous arms.
At ElmWood there was a royal supper,
to which neither of them did even scant
justice. Ransome suggested that the in
spection of the house be deferred until the
next day, and dismissng his housekeeper
and the maids abruptly after learning that
Emmy's baggage had already arrived took
her by the arm and led her up the broad
stairs. There was a suite of rooms along the
front of the house which Ransome had had
especially prepared for their use. Emmy's
boudoir and sltting-room were over the
great hall, and from it opened off her bed
room, Respondent in Louis Quinze furniture
and decorations Beyond this was Ran
drew her into the boudoir threw his arms
about her, showcred her face with kisses
then left her "I'll be back presently"
he said, with smile and retired to his own
apartments.
Emmy went to her new steamer-trunk,
which lay open upon low wooden stool
in the bedroom, and CROPPED about in it
mechanically. 1t was the only thing in the
room that belonged to her-to her other
life, and it seemed more friendly, somehow
than the rich furnishings about her. She
drew out wonderful lace robe de mutt which
she had bought the week before and as she
did so there tumbled out her worn and
muCh-thumbed diary. At the last moment
in the hurry of packing, she had found it on
her table and had thrown it into the trunk
She opened it and looked at the last thing
she had written in it, nearly two weeks be-
fore. "Grant-Grant-I want you so
much want you so much" The page
was covered with little spots. She remem-
bered now that she had wept when she wrote
the words. She threw the book impa-
tiently upon the bed, and, slipping off her
Clothes got into her nghtdress. She heard
a sound, as OF some one stirring in the next
room She had almost forgotten Ransome
for the time being. Now she realized that
in few short moments he would be knock
ing impatiently at her bedroom door She
glanced at the diary. He must never see
that, she thought, and crushed it in nervous
! grasp.
! There was driftwood fire burning in the
tiny CRATE in the boudoir. The September
/ nights held a suggestion of chill, and the
hot-water heat had not yet been called into
requisitiOn She stepped quickly into the
boudoir, and threw the diary into the
mounting flames, then fell into great soft
chair and watched the book whiten and
crumble into a formlcss mass.
A knock-quick mpatient-made her
\ shlver. She rose and turned to the door
:, As she did so she cast last look at the diary,
now flying up the chimney in tiny bits, like
feathers. All the past she felt went with it.