Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-07
FOURTH PART FALL IN LOVE.
Fifty-First Chapter.

IKlNG our UfSt Qay IN LOndOn
my husband had many visitors.
including Mr., Eastcliff and Mr..
Vivian, who had much to tell and ar
range about.
| daresay a great many events had
happened during our six months alb
sence from England; but the only
thing / heard Of was that Mr.. East
cliff had married his dancing girl,
that she had retired from the stage
and that her public appearances were
now confined to the box seat Of a
four-in- hand coach, which he drove
from London TO Brighton.
This expensive toy he proposed to
bring round to the hotel the follow
ing day, which CHANGED to be Derby
Day. when a party was to be made up
for the races.
In the preparations for the party.
Alma, who, as usual, attracted uni
versal admiration, was, OF course, in
cluded, but / did not observe that any
provision was made for me. though
that circumstance did not distress me
IN the least, .ecaGse was waiting for
Martins message.
II came early next morning in the
person of Martin himself. who. run
ming into our sitting room like
breath OF wind from the sea, said his
fellow officers were separating that
day, each going TO his own home, and
their commander had invited me to
lunch with them on their ship, which
was lying Off Tilbury.
1t did not escape me that my hus-
band looked relieved at this news. and
that Alma's face frightened as she
said in her most succulent tones:
Il should so II were you, Mary.
The breeze on the river will do you
world of good, dear"
/ was nothing loath TO take them at
their word, so / let them go off in
their fOur-in- hand coach, a big and
bustling party. while with a fast
beating heart l made ready to spend
the day with Martin, having as l
thought. so much and such serious
things to say to him.
steam launch from the ship was
waiting for us at the Westminster
pier, and from the moment ! stepped
into il | felt like another woman. II
was a radiant day In May, when the
climate of our much maligned Lon
don is the brightest and best, and the
biggest city In the world Is also the
most beautiful.
A Joyous Day.
How loved II that day! The sun
light, the moving river. the soft air OF
early summer, the passing panorama
OF buildings, old and new-what a JOY
II was to me! ! sat on a side seat,
dipping my hand over the gunwale
into the cool water. while Martin,
with a rush Of racy words, was point
ing out and naming everything.
St Paul's was soon passed with the
sun glistening Off the golden cross on
its dome then London Bridge; then
the Tower. with its Traitors Gate;
then the new Thames Bridge. and
then we were in the region OF the
barges and wharfs and warehouses,
with their Golfers and coasting trad
ers. and with the scum of coal and
refuse floating on the surface OF the
stream.
After that came uglier things still.
which We did not mind. and then the
great docks with the hammering OF
rivets and the cranking noise OF the
lightermen's donkey engines, loading
and unloading the big steamers and
sailing ships: and then the broad
reaches OF the river where the great
liners looking so high as we steamed
under them, lay at anchor to their
rusty cable chains, with their port
holes cleaning In the sun like rows OF
eyes. as Martin said, in the bodies OF
gigantic fish.
Al last we came out in fresh