The midland journal., 1916-02-04

"Alan.v'. she said, II want you to go
away"
Alan was touched He caught her
wrists and took her arms from around
his neck You mustn't do that sort of
thing to me, Nance. I'm not fit for it. 2
He made her sit down on a great sofa
before the fire and sat down beside
her. sYou remind me. today of the
most beautiful thing ever heard said
Of you-by spiteful friend"
sWhat was it," said Nance, turning
her troubled eyes to him.
.sShe said, She is only beautiful in
her own home l never understood
it before. It's great thing to be
beautiful in ones own home
"Oh, Alan," said Nance, catching his
hand and holding it against her breast,
lit is a great thing. It's the greatest
thing in life. That's why sent for
you because you are wrecking for
ever your chance of being beautiful in
your own home. And worse than that.
you are wrecking Alix' chances You
and Alix cannot do this thing. 1t isn't
as though her people and ours were
of the froth of the nation You and
she started life with nothing but
Puritan to build on. You may have
built just playhouses of sand, but deep
down the old rock foundation must
endure. You must take your stand on
that"
Her eyes had been fixed on the fire
but now she turned them to his face.
Alan sat with head hanging forward,
his gaze and thoughts far beyond the
confines Of the room. Then he shook
himself and got up to go. Il wish we
could, Nance" he said gravely and
then added half to himself, half to her,
..I'Il try
For some days Alan had been pre-
pared to go away and take Alix with
him, should she consent Upon his ar
rival he had had an interview with
McDale & McDale in the course of
which that firm opened its eyes and
its pocket wider than it ever had be-
fore When he left their Offices he had
contracted more or less on his own
terms and McDale, Junior, said to the
Senior. Hes only twenty-six- a boy.
How did he beat usY'
..By beating Walton's record first,
replied McDale, Senior, "and how he
did that time will show
AS he walked slowly back from
Nance's, Alan was thinking that after
all there was no reason why he should
not cut and run-no reason except
Alix.
He reached his rooms. AS he crossed
the threshold he saw that he had
stepped on note that had been
dropped through the letter-slip. He
picked it up A thrill went through
him as he recognized Alix's handwrit-
ing. There was no stamp. It must
have been delivered by hand. He tore
1t open and read: You said that a
moments notice was all you asked. /
will take the Montreal Express with
you today"
Alan's blood turned to liquid IRE.
The note conjured before him vision
of Alix. He crushed it and held it to
his lips and laughed-not jeeringIy but
in pure, uncontrolled excitement.
1t was not a coincidence that Gerry
had sought out Alix at the very hour
that Nance was summoning Alan. Ger
ry and Nance were driven by the same
forewarning of catastrophe Gerry had
felt it first but he had been slow tos
believe. slower to act. He had no
precedent for this sort of thing. His
whole being was in revolt against the
situation In which he found himself.
1t was after a sleepless night-a most
unheard Of thing with him-that he
decided he could let things go no long
er. He went to Alix' room. knocked
and entered.
Alix was up, though the hour was
early for her. Fresh from her bath she
sat. in sheen of blue dressing gown
before the mirror doing her own hair.
Gerry glanced around him and into
the bathroom booking for the maid.
"Good-morning, said Alix. "She's
not here. Did you want to see her?"
He was standing beside an open
window He could feel the cold air on
his hands. He felt like putting his
head out into it. His head was hot
"Alix," he said suddenly without look
ing at her. 81 want you to drop Alan"
"But don't want to- drop Alan."
replied Alix lightly.
Gerry whirled around at her tone.
His nostrils were quivering. To his
amazement his hands fairly itched to
clutch her beautiful throat. He could
hardly control his voice. stop play
ing, Alix," he gulped. There's never
been divorcee among the Lansings
nor wifebeater and one is as near
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 OF the
sensation of being roughly handled by
this rock of a man. There was some