Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1920-01-13


mot evil; that when soma one paid
me a compliment it made me happy
trying, even harder to merit APPROX
al, that, had no time fof insults
and Sights and was SO blissfully
blinded by the good I found in my
! companions that 1 never had time
to see any one pollin.g fun at~me!
/ DR.. Warren and talked "a, long
! time. He said perhaps he could cure
my aching HEARTH I'd consent to
i=be his life PATIENT!
CHAPTER xLv1TI
| 1t sounded alluring-his life pa
/ tient-his own! To have the biggest
man I'd ever known wanting me like
| that brought surge of joy l never
| expected to experience. Then he
held my hand and patted the scar
his knife had made so long ago.
Branded L smiled. -....
! That's proof enough, you are
mine," he decided. -. ....
But ], can't marry you. 1t isn't
fair to make believe with you, even
one single instant I'm going back
! to Kansas soon, and out there I'll
| try and forget. Though 1 knew L
never would! ,.
But I need you, Marion" he
vowed
Need me? I'd only be milestone
round your neck. Your career
comes first-and see what I've just
gotten into with the sort Of folks
your wife would need to get along
WITH .r
ooh, forget it! Anyway, that vi:
cago is Steele's patient, not mine! 1
was going to tell you I've written to
the party in Kansas about my buy
ing the old home place Expecting
reply any day now. don't know
why, but 1 feel before I'm dead I'll
realize my dreams-the sanitarium
for the poor, and it will be the
greatest power for wedding out ig-
norance and superstition in these
Mills you ever saw. When 1 think
OF it 1 always see you, by my side,
helping me see it through he con-
cluded.
Il must tell you why 1 can't mari
~ you. I'm too old. You are young
and should marry young and beau
tlful girl LIKE started to say Eve
!yn.' but no-who could I name?
Like who?" He waited, his gray
eyes twinkling humorously. Name
lo""-
"oh, I don't want you to marry
3.-iybodyH' cried irnpulsively.
i see he laughed, as if SEEING
more than I intended.
$50 you're very old-about a hun
dred-I presume?" he asked.
Il do feel like it," 1 agreed. ,'.>-
And" here I deliberately parted
my black hair and brought to view
the gray strand. you now see my
hair is partly gray; yes, I'm very
old" .,- .,.c
About thirty. perhaos, or maybe
twenty~seven," ne judged.
"And, you're only about thirty;
you'll never grow DID," declared.
Marion, Pm nearer forty!''
"You". L was amazed.
Il guess feel older, too. I've seen
my troubles too. They leave their
mark on our hearts you. know"
He again took my hand in his;
then said. "Now, we've come to an
understanding about some things, are
you going to ever let me put a ring
over this?": and he patted the third
finger that was branded" I'm
thinking will. I'm beginning to
feel, real, selfish, after all-because,
you see, L love you'll"
Then somebody seemed very hap
py; and somebody kissed somebody
else and the kiss was like a heav-
emily benediction. Under his profess
sional skill I wasn't long in recov-
ering my usual good health and
spirits-and I began to forget how
tortured I'd been in feeling so old
so old, and the gray in my hair
didn't cause him to not loves me as
T had feared it might! All nay for
mer; fears seemed foolish and :, as
nothing! 80
Of course it came to light that I
owned the old, abandoned mine, and
that I obtained rather wonderful
sum for it; that my money had
bought the Strong place. Clarke
didn't seem to know how to take it
at first. I never meant to marry
a woman with money; lots of it, be-
cause it never was just my idea of
things" he said, after he had the
bonds for title to sign up, showing
he'd bought the old home place.
But, it's all too late now. AS
I'm promised for your life patient,
I'd sue you for damages-and, any
way, the money is none ever earn
ed; and it's going to be used in the
building or the sanitarium at Burnt
Oak, and also in the upbuilding of |
the surrounding country" Then, his
eyes would take on a new light, and
we'd plan and plan. Yesterday, we
went out to select a site for the
great building. - ~. /
We stood beneath the lone oak tree. |
Clarke turned to look at a bird that
sang in it's branches. Such bird mu-
Sic warbling, thrilling in glad, free
carol of song. I was looking over the
surrounding country.
Once, I'd planned to go to far
countries. 1t swept over me with a
rush, and 1 stretched forth my hands. |
under the spell of the moment, and |
whispered This is the unknoWn--thr |
unworked field-oh! Kenneth my |
brother, you are near and under
stand" The bird, ceasing for a Sec
ond, then burst forth violently in a
glad sweet song! .l... ...I
Clarke Warren turned to me, and |
as he turned, the sun, that had dis
appeared behind cloud, now shone |
forth through the branches of the |
oak. Clarke exclaimed, "Why, Mar
ion, there's halo round your head
like a golden crown! Some angel, in
passing, dropped it down.!
The End.