The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1916-02-17

outside. At night he returned to Alix
but it was Mrs. Lansing that received
him in the library.
The judge was tired and his buoy
ancy had deserted him. He told her
of his failure. Mrs. Lansing was
thoughtful but not greatly troubled.
Gerry" she said, has level head.
He can take care of himself" She
went to tell Alix that there Vas no
news. When she came back the Judge
turned to her. We'll" he askel, what
did she say?"
Nothing, except that she wanted to
know if you had tried the bank"
The judge struck his fist into his
left hand. Never thought o; it." he
said. THAT child has a head!' He
went to the telephone. From tae presi-
dent of the bank he traced tle man
ager, from the manager, the cashier.
Yes, Gerry had been at the bank on
| Saturday The cashier remembered 1t
because Mr.. Lansing had drawn a GER
tain account in full. He wOuld not
say how much.
There" said the judge with a sigh
of relief, that's something. 1t takes
steady nerve to draw bank ac-
count in full. You must take the news
upstairs I'm off. I'll follow up the
clue tomorrow"
There was new look Of content
mingled with the worry in Mrs. Ian
sings face that made the judge say as
he held out his hand in farewell,
Things better?"
Mrs. Lansing understood hiEA YES"
she answered, and added, I'VE have
been crying together"
Mrs. Lansing and Alix had never
had been no warfare between them
but equally there had never been un-
derstanding. To Mrs. Lansing's in
herent calm, Alix' scintiIlation had
been repellent and Alix before Gerry's
mother had felt much the same re-
straint as before Gerry's old butter.
There had been strength In Mrs.
Lansings calm. She had been waiting
and now the waiting was over. Alix
had given herself fearful and almost
wordless into arms that were more
than ready and had then poured out
her heart in a broken tale that would
have confOunded any court of justice
but which between women was clearer
than logic.
At the end Mrs. Lansing said moth
ing. Instead she petted AIix, carried
her off to bed and kept her there fol
three days. In her waking hours Ali1
added spasmodic bits to her confes
sion-sage reflections after the event
dreamy 81 wonders" that speculateC
in the past and in the measure Of he
emotions.
Mrs. Lansing sat and listened anC
sewed. Her soft brown hair jus
touched with gray, her calm face witt
it's half-hidden strength, her stead,
eyes, turned now on Alix, now on he
, work, brought peace into the room AM
|, held 1t there in spite of the disquletin
lack OF news of Gerry.
Wher she spoke at last it was t
say hals-shyly, You are stronger tina
= had thought. l believe every woma
, at the actual moment Of surrende
. feels an impulse of shame and feal
During that moment desire lets 6
: of her. It's the last chance that fat
holds out The women who fail
- take the chance-it seems to me the
fail through weakness of spirit an
\ not Of flesh.
70 more women are ruined by circun
! stance than by desire. Women decit
to burn their bridges hebind them an
90 then they think they've burned ther
= All +he circumstances were again
70 you. There wasn't loophole in Il
ID net. Fate gave you your moment al
o+ you tore your way out"
r. On the fourth day Alix got up b
on the fifth she stayed in bed. MI
sh Lansing found her pale and frigt
ht ened. She had been crying.
ed "Alix," she whispered, kneellng /
ie. SlQe Ine Deu, Wudl lS II!
ly Alix told her amid sobs "Oh, r
he DEAR" said Mrs. Lansing, throwing b
le- arms around her. don't cry. Dol
re- worry. The strength will come wi
a the need. In the end you'll be glt
lst So will Gerry. So will all of u.s."
lot at isn't that" said Alix, faint
he "Oh, it isn't that. I'm just think
he and thinking how terrible it woV
'he have been if l had run away-rea
ed run away. 1 keep imagining b.
rs. awful it would have been. 1t is mig
lie mare"
Use "Call it nightmare II you like, swe
Is heart, but just remember that you
awake"
lhe YES" said Alix softly. "I
awake now. want to watch the I
sn come to life and dress up for the 81
we mer. 1t will amuse me. It's Il
aa' since have watched for the first b
ne and the first swallows. won't m
lau the melting snow and the mud.
al so long since I've seen clean coun
mud. / want to smell It"
'Hu "You don't know how bleak the
~, @ can be before the spring comes"
iected Mrs. Lansing.
- - "Will it be any bleaker with
~ there than when you were alon
~, asked Alix.
a. Mrs. Lansing came over to her
kissed her. mo, dear," she said.