Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-24
TO-DAY'S NSTALLMENT.
sixty fourth chapter-continued,

oI<ty-1ourth Chapter-Nontlnueo'
This led Martin to talk Of my
father, saying as we walked back,
with the dark outlines Of the sleep
ing mountains confronting us, what
marvellous man he had been to
transform in twenty years the little
fishing and trading port into a great
resort for hundreds of thousands of
pleasure seekers.
But is he any betteror happier for
the wealth it has brought him, and
for the connections he has bought
with it? Is anybody any better?" said
Martin
Il know one who isn't" l answered.
had not meant to say that 1t
had slipped out unawares and in my
confusion at the self-revelation which
it seemed to make, ] tripped in the
darkness and would have fallen if
Martin had not caught me up.
In doing this he had to put his
arms about me and to hold me until
was steady on my feet, and having
done so he took my hand and drew
it through his arm and in this way
we walked the rest of the way back
1t would be impossible and per
haps foolish to say what that
incident meant to me. | felt thrill
of joy, a quivering flood of delight
which, with all the raptures of my
spiritual love, had never come to me
before.
Every woman who loves her hus-
band must know what it is, but to
me it was a great revelation. 1t was
just as If some new passion mad
sprung into life in me at a single
moment. And it had-the mighty pas
sion that lies at the root Of our be
ing, the overwhelming instinct OF
sex which, taking no account OF re-
ligion and resolutions, sweeps every
thing before it like a flood.
think Martin must have felt 1t
TOO, for all at once he ceased to
speak, and ! was trembling so much
with this new feeling of tenderness
that I could not utter a word, 80
I heard nothing as we walked on
but the crackle of our footsteps on
the gravel path and the measured
boom of the sea which we were leaV-
ing behind us-nothing but that ana
the quick beating in my own breast.
When we came to the garden the
frowning face of the old house was
in front of us, and it was all in dark
ness. save for the light in my room
which came out on to the balcony
Everything was quiet. The air was
breathless. There was not a rustic
in the trees. ~
we took two or three turns on the
lawn In front of my windows. SAYING
nothing but feeling terribly. feartuily
happy. After = few moments TOT
they seemed few a cuckoo clock on
NV desk struck eleven, and we went
up the stone stairway into my pou-
doir and parted for the night,
Even then we did not speak, but
Martin took my hand and lifted my
fingers TO his lips, and the quivering
delight I had been feeling ever since
I slipped on the headland rusheo
through me again.
At the next moment | was in my
room. did not turn on the light
I undressed in the darkness and when
nv maid came ] was in bed. she
wanted to tell me about a scene
with the housekeeper in the kitchen
but | said: -.
Price"
| did not know what was happen
ing to me. ] only know, for the flrst
time that night. that above every
thing else | was a woman, and that
my remuneration, if it was ever 10
come to pass, would be stlil more
tragic thing than | had expected.
NV grim battle had begun.