Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-12-14
The Tri-Weekly Journals Oum Serial
The Only Thing That Counts
4 Mystery Romance Of Modern Bohemia
BY the Famous Novelist
Carolyn Beecher
Copyright, 1920

square. Then, f1inging her arms
wide, she exclaimed.
Give me freedom or give me
DEATH"
Trying to paraphrase Patrick
Henry, are your" Adele leased. lone
might think you had been in Jail at
some time to hear you pirate of lib
erty and freedom
isn't being bound-not able to do
as you wish-being in jail?"
as he wants to, Helen? 1 thought
I should when L left home. But I
haven't-not one single thing. do
in way. But really free-no"
Helen said nothing, although her
eyes glowed. To her freedom meant
just exactly the life she was now
living-a life unhampered by the
wishes, the whims, the objections
of another. But often, when alone,
as she thought of Lansing, she asked
herself:
Am I falling in love with him
Am 1? I must not! 1 will not! Love
only brings misery. Only the man
and woman who spurn love, who
take what is given without return
ing in kind are happy. 1 will not
love?"
And Cupid, the sly little god, laid
his finger beside his nose and
laughed softly.
Il am giving a little dinner in my
apartment" Clifford Sloane tele-
phoned to Helen. please come"
who are you having?"
He named over several people
Helen knew by name, one or two She
had met.
Have you asked Adele?" co.
Eyes. Unfortunately she has an
engagement" He did not add that
he had discovered the engagement
before he had set the date.
"Well-I don't know"
"Please don't disappoint me. !
have a Jap servant, who is a vio-
linist. He is wonderful, and I heard
you say once you were fond of
music"
"I am, passionatelyv'
"Then promise you will come. Only
four besides you are to be here
You see, my place is small"
81 have heard it is very artistic
"Come and judge for yourself"
Like wise man he urged her nc
more, but told her one or two inter
ed guests. When Helen hung up the
receiver she had decided to go.
This decision she was to regret
! all her life long.
"She won't be the first icicle to
melt" Sloane said to himself, grim
smile lighting his somber face just
for an instant.
Chapter XXX
~ M awfully sorry you can't 60
50 Adele" Helen said when she
old of her Invitation. -,
so am If you are going
"Just why that toner"
"Oh-I don't know, but somehow
L don't like the idea of your get
ting in with Sloane the way you
are; He isn't healthy. that man nan
ing to make people think he
knows all there is to know, and that
the knowledge has worn him out.
Bah! 1 wish we never had gone to
the Brevoort that night. l sort OF
feel to blame that you ever me met
| party?"
"That nice Mr.. and Mrs. Austin
Wheeler, and a Mr. and Mrs. Pond.
lido you know them?"
"No-I know who they are though.
| l don't see why such people bother
with a man like Sloane"
zone would think you had had an
affair with him at some time you
are so-well, fussy when he is
mentioned"
'I did! Just the beginning of one.
L 81
cause it was at the same time that
1 had that other on my ha1ds-the
| man whose photograph L showed
you" 1t was the first time Adele
had referred to the incident, and
she had not meant to: She. gave a
yond quick Tightening of the lips
Helen gave no sign.
eff the Wheelers are going 1 shall
| feel better Mrs, Wheeler is a dear
and he is a nice sensible man.
Sloane won't be quite so gloomily
fascinating with them around"
Then zen Wv. II am ,,} going to spend the
don't like to come home so late at
night alone; neither do l like to
break UP her party by leaving
| early"
Lillian Frost was an old friend
| Of Adele's who had married and
was living in Yonkers. She was
giving a house-warming in her new
home and Adele had promised moth
ing should prevent her going.
Adele was so sure that Lansing
was in love with Helen, she liked
him SO well, that she did all in her
power to encourage a like feeling
in Helen. She felt rather sorry for
to care very much to be with Helen
AID was constantly planning little
! pleasures for her, often including
Adele.
I'm not one. two, six when Hell
ems around" she said to her mir
rored self. Il used to be rather
stuck on myself; thought I was just
conceit out Of one to be with a girl
like Helen that all the men are
crazy about. She doesn't seem to
care one bit about them either
although--I don't-know. Lately 1
have noticed she seems happy when
Kirk Lansing is with her. / hope
they will make a match" Then,
as she almost invariably did when
| she had soliloquized about Helen,
she added: Il WONDER wish I
knew" .
Opening her dressing table drawer,
she drew out the photograph.
you never knew how much I
liked you,"' she said whimsically,
how near l came to falling in love
with you. Perhaps I am a little,
even now" She gazed for some
time at the rather weak but hand
some face, then with a half-sigh,
naif-so6. put the photograph back
To tell the truth, Helen was
Sloane's studio She had met Mr..
and Mrs. Wheeler and was charm
eu win poth OF them. She also knew
the other two guests to be refined
interesting people. Then, too, like
all story writer's, Helen was al
ways on the qui vive for copy
atmosphere. She felt sure she would
at least find things different in
Clifford Sloane's studio. Originality
would be expected Of such a man.
She bought a new dress for the
occasion, a filmy black affair, cut
modestly low and showing her white
neck and arms to advantage.
II was awfully extravaganza" she
told Adele. But I got good price
for my last story and I really need
ed an evening dress"
I can't see why you think your
self extravaganza! You earn the
money yourself"
81 know" Then, blithely: "And
isn't it nice to feel that one can
earn monaghan take care of ones
self, be independents"
II never saw a girl so keen on