Middletown transcript., 1916-03-18

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this room as the other right now
Gerry regretted the words as soon
as he had said them but Alix was not
angry. She looked at him through mar
rowed eyes. She speculated on the
sensation of being roughly handled by
this rock of man. There was some
thing tremendous and impressive in
his anger and struggle for control.
Gerry bit his lips and turned from
her. "And Alan, of all men," he went
on. At the words the current of her
thoughts was changed. She found her
self suddenly on the defensive. 'Do
you think you are the first woman he
has played with and betrayed?" Ger
RVS lip was curved to a sneer. "a
philanderer A man who surrounds
himself with furnished regulations"
A dull glow came into Alix' cheeks.
''Philanderers are of many breeds" !"
she said. There are those who have
the wit to philander with woman and
those who can only rise to a whisky or
golf club. Whatever else Alan may
be he Is not a time-server."
Once aroused Alix had taken up the
gauntlet with no uncertain hand. Her
first words carried the war into the
enemy's camp and they were barbed.
what do you meanY said Gerry
duly. He had not anticipated a de-
fenSe.
Il mean what you have deduced
with an effort. What are you but q
philanderer in little things where Alan
is in great? What have you ever done
to hold me OF any other woman? l re-
spected you once for what you were
going to be. That has died Did you
think I was going to make you into a
man?"
Gerry stood, breathing hard, a great
dependency in his heart. AliX went
on pitilessly. What have you be-
come? A monumental time-server on
the world and you are surprised that
worker reaches the prize that you can
not attain! The trouble with you is
that you have built your life altogether
on traditions. 1t is a tradition that
your women are faithful. SO you need
not exert yourself to holding yours!
1t is a tradition that you can do no
wrong, so you need not exert yourself
to doing anything Mt all! You are play
ing with ghosts. Gerry. Your party
was over generation ago"
bo
still time for Gerry to choke her to
good effect. The hour could yet be
his. But he did not know it. Smart
ing under the lash of Alix' tongue he
made a final and disastrous false step.
You try to humiliate me by plac-
ing me back to back with AlanT' he
said, with his newborn sneer. Alix
appraised it with calm eyes and found
it rather attractive. We'll, let me
tell you that Alan is so small a man
that If dropped out of the world to-
day, he'd sail for Africa tomorrow and
think for the rest of his life of his
escape from you as a close shave"
Alix sprang to her feet She was
trembling. Gerry felt a thrOb of ex-
ultation. 1t was his turn to wound.
"What do you mean?" said Alix
very quietly, but it was the quiet of
suppressed passion at white heat.
Il mean that Alan is the kind Of
man who finds other mems wives an
economy. He would take everything
you have that's worth taking, but not
you"
Alix' eyes blazed at him from her
white face. "Please go away" she
said. He started to speak please
go away" she repeated. Her lips were
quivering and her face twitched in
way that was terrifying to Gerry. He
hurried out repeating to himself over
and over, "You have made Alix cry.
You have made Alix cry"
Alix toyed with the silver on her
dressing table until he had gone and
then she swept across the room to
her little writing-desk and wrote the
note that Alan had found half an hour
later in his rooms.