Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-04-13
ANXIOUS DAYS
CHAPTER I,YuT

CHAPTER LXIII
What did it all mean? If | asked
myself that question once, | did
twenty times each day until Neil re-
turned. l had seen Lorraine again
and while neither of us mentioned
Neil, his business, we were both ill
at-ease, and uncomfortably aware
that the other was thinking of our
last conversation.
Blanche Orion had called. She was
gay, deboniar as usual, yet l thought
l detected an undercurrent of un-
rest. 1t seemed as if she wanted to
say something to me, was right on
the verge several times, then caught
silly platitude instead. | became
worse advantage than l usually did
when where she was. This annoyed
me exceedingly, and became more
brusque, colder, until ehleft.
"She will think me silly jealous
fool" l said aloud as l, from the
window watched her car glide away
from the curb, land she is right! l
am a silly, laundering fool!'
Some way it comforted me to call
myself names, strange as it may
seem. 1t took away some of my fear
that Neil had done wrong. 1t was
so easy to do and say things which
others misconstrued. Of course the
people who criticised Neil under
stood nothing of his business-or
else they would not have criticised.
Father used to say that everything
came to him who had patience to
wait. Well l would wait awhile, not
long, before l tried to break into So
siety. In the meantime | would
cultivate two or three rather impe
eunious members of the 400, and
would tell Neil what people were
saying, and warn him to be more
careful of his associates, and ask him
to remain away from Blanche Orion.
had a queer feeling that in some
way everything now revolved about
his acquaintance, his friendship for
her If he dropped her, all the other
gossip would die natural death be-
cause there was no foundation for
it. With her there was cause for
talk, even though his friendship
were the most innocent thing in the
world. Blanche Orion was either
Ln q
cause-because of her unconVen-
tionality. Conventionally narrow
women and men hated her. Those
who would have been as unconven-
tional as she had they dared, loved
and admired her. Tosboth she was
interesting, because she was agtyPe
whom they envied-she dared do as
she pleased In other words she
had the courage of her convictions.
Even Lorraine Norton, the most per-
ticular, the most conventional wo-
man l knew liked her. She had said
so even while finding fault with her
for receiving Neil and his vulgar
friends,
Just why 1 should constantly wish
for Mr.. Frederick l could not have
explained had 1 tried. But not an
hour passed of the days while Nell
was away that I didn't long for him.
YETI he. been with me, l should
ely have known how to put my
fears into words. They were there,
phantom ideas, uninformed thoughts,
unhappy suggestions. But having
thing in ones mind, and giving ex-
preston to it are two totally differ
ent things, especially when the man
you love, the father of your child is
the man.
That fate held the threads of my
life in her fingers, ready to draw
them out one by one, or loosen them
altogether 1 gave no thought. Then
picked up an evening paper. In
mold headlines I read
MAN accused of fraud upon mil