Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-02-22
SYNOPSIS

away from Red Hill. his home, by his
uncle. ]. Y. as a moral failure. Glenn
runs after MIN in a tangle of short
skirts to bid him good-by.
[ CHAPTER JI-Captain Wayne tells
/ Alan of the failing of the Waynes
Clem drinks Alan's health on his
/ birthday.
CHAPTER III-Judge Healey buys
a picture for AliX lansing. The judge
I defends Alan in his business with his
employers.
/ CHAPTER IV-Alan and AliX meet
| at sea, homeward bound. and start a
! Irritation. which becomes serious.
! CHAPTER N--At home. Nance Ster-
/ ling asks Alan to go away from AliX.
/ Alix is taken to task by Gerry, her
and defies him.
| CHAPTER VI-Gerry. as he thinks,
/ sees AliN and Alan eloping, drops
/ evo~vthing, and goes to Pernambuco.
I CHAPTER Villain leaves Alan on
the train and goes home to find that Ger
/ ry has disappeared.
| CHAPTER VIII-Gerry leaves Pernam-
/ puco and goes TO Piranhas On a canoe
/ "trip he meets a native girl
There" said the judge with a sigh
of relief. that's something. 1t takes
a 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 him. yes"
she answered. and added, I'VE have
been crying together
Mrs. Lansing and Alix had never
( given themselves TO each other. There
had been no warfare between them
/ but equally there had never been un-
derstanding. To Mrs. Lansing's in
herent calm, Alix' scintillation had
( been repellent and Alix before Gerry's
mother had felt much the same re-
straint as before Gerry's old butler.
There had been strength in Mrs.
/ Lansing's 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 Alix, carried
I her of to bed and kept her there for
three days. In her waking hours Alix
added spasmodic bits to her confes-
sion-sage reflections after the event.
dreamy II wonders" that speculated
in the past and in the measure Of her
emotions.
Mrs. Lansing sat and listened and
sewed. Her soft brown hair Just
touched with gray, her calm face with
It's half-hidden strength, her steady
eyes, turned now on Alix. now on her
work, brought peace into the room and
held it there in spite of the disquieting
lack of news of Gerry.
When she spoke at last it was to
say half-shyly, "You are stronger than
had thought 1 believe every woman
at the actual moment of surrender
feels an impulse of shame and fear
During that moment desire let's go
of her. It's the last chance that fate
holds out The women who fail to
| take the chance-it seems to me they
fail through weakness of spirit and
not of flesh
More women are ruined by circum-
stance than by desire. Women decide
to burn their bridges hebnd them and
then they think they've burned them.
All the circumstances were against
you. There wasn't a loophole in the
net. Fate gave you your moment and
you tore your way out"
On the fourth day Alix got up but
on the fifth she stayed in bed. Mrs.
Lansing found her pale and fright
ened. She had been crying.
"Alix," she whispered. kneeling be-
side the bed. what is it?"
Alix told her amid sobs "Oh. my
dear" said Mrs. Lansing. throwing her
arms around her, don't cry. Don [
worry. The strength will come with
the need. In the end you'll be glad.
So will Gerry. So will all of u.s."
"It isn't that" said AK, family.
"Oh, 1t isn't that. I'm just thinking
and thinking how terrible it would
have been If had run away-reaily
run away. keep imagining how
awful it would have been. 1t is night.
mare"
Call it nightmare If you like, sweet
heart, but just remember that you are
awake"
Yes" said Alix softly. "I am
awake now. l want to watch the Hill
come to life and dress up for the sum-
mer. 1t will amuse me. It's long
since have watched for the first buds
and the first swallows. I won't mind
the melting snow and the mud. It's
so long since I've seen clean country
mud. want to smell it."
"YOu don't know how bleak the Hill
can be before the spring comes" OBJ
Jected Mrs. Lansing.
"Will it be any bleaker with me
there than when you were alone ~
asked Alix.
Mrs. Lansing came over to her and
kissed her. "No, dear" she said.
a1KlDTE ERA