The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1916-02-18

1
I'll go now" He went off and all
that day he sought in vain for a trace
of Gerry. He went to all his haunts
in the city-he had telephoned to those
outside. At night he returned to AliS
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 eau take care of himself" She
went to tell Alix that there was no
news. When she came back the judge
turned to her. WELL" he asked. 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 of II" he
said. THAT child has a head" He
went to the telephone. From the presi-
dent of the bank he traced the man.
ager, from the manager, the cashier.
Yes. Gerry had been at the bank on
Saturday. The cashier remembered it
| because Mr.. Lansing had drawn a GER
| tain account in full He would not
say how much.
There" said the judge with 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, AIix' 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 I'm 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 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
| her off to bed and kept her there for
three days. In her waking hours Alix
| added spasmodic bits to her confess
| Sion-sage reflections after the event.
dreamy Il wonders that speculated
| in the past and I'm 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 I believe every woman
| ut the actual moment of surrender
| feels an impulse of shame and fear.
| During that moment desire lets 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
| fai! through weakness of spirit and
not of flesh.
More women are ruined by crcum-
| stance than by desire. Women decide
to burn their bridges hebind them aud
All the circumstances were against
| you. There wasn't loophole in the,
| net. Fate gave you your moment and
| you tore your way out"
On the fourth day AIix got up but
| on the fifth she stayed in bed. Mrs.
| Lansing found her pale and fright
ened. She had been crying.
''AIix." 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't
worry The strength will come with
the need In the end you'll be glad.
| SO will Gerry. SO will all Of US"
1 fI,uf .niI Ey c,;v
| "Oh. ii isn't that. I'm just thinking
| and thinking how terrible it would
have been if had run away-reaIly
run away. l keep imagining how
| awful it would have been. 1t is night
mare
Call 1t nightmare if you like. sweet
heart. but just remember that you are
! awake"
| Yes" said Alix softly Il am
awake now. want to watch the Hill
mer. 1t will amuse me. It's long
since have watched for the first buds
| and the first swallows. 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.