Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-25
CHAPTER xL11-continued.

r,ERRY was puzzled Why should Alix
(T think he would go to the club? He
horded the butler his old hat and strobe
a. the library door. The door was
yo.ed He Knocked. Somebody said
Scome in" The words were so low he
Lsrdly heard them He opened the door.
stsnped inside and closed il behind him
,,ix. dressed in filmy blue and white
Aouse.gown, stood in the middle of the
soom with one hand upraised. the other
sntetretched she seemed to be poised
SonaIly ready for advance or flight. Her
ives passed swiftly over Gerry's face,
swept searching down to his feet and
back again 20 his face For weeks she
had been wondering. Terrible things had
came TO her mind. Alan and Gerry, with
tjs heartess note, had conspired to
,,ystIfy. to terrify her. All the joy she
hod looked forward to in Gerry's home
coming had turned into bitter pain.
1,bey had not known on the Hill how
che was suffering. Only Kemp had
seemed to understand little and had
brought his drop of comfort to her.
As her eyes searched Gerry the sense
NJ impending calamity left her He was
.au well as she had never seen him
before. Except for that he seemed al
most weirdly familiar as though only
GOOD nights sleep lay between him and
the morning of three years ago when he
Mad bullled her until she had fought
hack and overwhelmed him.
A hundred little differences went to
make UP this solitary change. The flush
of too many drinks had given way to
a deep healthy glow, the eyes were deep
and grave instead of deep and vacant,
fhe broad shoulders that had taken to
hanging were braced in unconscious
strength. Every line in the body that
she had seen start on the road to gross
ness had been fined down. The body
was no longer mere abode for n llnger-
ing spirit 1t was not the body of a
time-server. Alan's sole word of com
fort came back to her. II never thought
the old Rock would ever loom so big"
What force had done this thing to
Gerry? She felt pang, half envy. half
remorse. If she had been wise, less than
that If she had been merely sage, could
ehe not have saved Gerry to himself
and spared her faith the test of the
three long years lost out of their youth?
Gerry stood erect by the door, one
hand still holding the knob. Why was
he waiting? AliX's raised hand went
slowly out to him in welcome but he did |
not move. She smiled at him but his
eyes remained steadfast and grave. A
lump rose in AiX's throat and then, as |
pride came to her aid, flare of color
showed In her cheeks. Her ips opened.
What could she say to hurt him enough, |
10 pay him back for this added, unjust |
rebuff? She knew so little about this new |
Gerry How could she wound him?
And then he spoke. "Will you please
sit down? There are things l must tell
you"
Gerry had blundered on magic words. |
There Is no moment so emotionally tense
hat triin n ttyiII mot a.,
mediate issue to sit down and listen to
the untold things she has wanted to hear
Alix was a true woman. The flare died
out Of her cheeks, She sank into a chair
beside the DULY shining mahogany table
and with a nod of her golden head mo.
toned Gerry to a seat opposite her. She
watched the easy swing of his body as he
moved across the ROOM Gerry's mind
was In sore conflict but body in perfect
health has a way of taking care of itself.
Gerry sat down and gripped the edge
Of the table with outstretched hands. He