Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-02
CHAPTER xxx
ALONE IN THE CITY

10IL6 snapped OH all the llS lt5
and began feverishly to un-
hook her evening dress. The
hooks and eyes were many and their
position was intricate, but she finally
succeeded in getting out of the dress.
She kicked off the satin slippers and
stripped her feet of the yellow silk
hose. Then she began TO dress for
her journey. She wore the simplest
thing her wardrobe possessed, black
buckled shoes, and black silk stock
ings, a sheer blouse and simple
blue serge suit, so exquisitelY cut
that 1t would have been a distin-
gushing feature anywhere. A soft
little black straw hat covered with
shiny lacquered leaves and a black
handbag completed the costume, and
although the clothes were the SIM
plest she possessed, Charlotte, as she
looked in the glass, was not salts
fed. Gladly would she Nave worn
the coarse underwear and the old
dress in which she had arrived with
such high hopes at the Hartman
home, but all her old things had been
thrown away and she had no choice.
She pulled out a bag, threw in a
few necessities, and then she was
ready.
Luck was with her, for she met
no one in the hall nor on the stairs.
Loud laughter came from somewhere
in the back of the house, and she
having an affair of their own. She
went out the front door, and hurried
down the driveway. Once at the sta
tion she bought a ticket for New
York, learned that train was due
in ten minutes and waited in the
darkest corner of the station plat
form.
In the dusty day coach she BREATH
ed a sigh of relief So far she had
not given herself time to think. Her
one thought had been to get away,
but now she realized that she had
cut herself off from Tony forever.
The fact that he had accused her of
terrible things did not seem of SO
much Importance now that she had
run away from him. And she cried
silently into her handkerchief all the
way to the city.
1t wasn't until she reached New
York that she realized how impossi-
BILE it would be for her to get 70
Westonbury that might. She would
have to stay at a hotel, and the
thought terrified her. A porter took
charge of her bags and piloted her to
a taxicab. Fared with the knowledge
that she would have to go somewhere
she nurmured the name Of the only
hotel she happened to remember. AS
it happened, it was an old conserVa-
New York night life is visible after
10 o'clock. Charlotte had always
longed to stay overnight at a big
New York hotel, but tonight she was
too miserable to realize anything
She cried herself to sleep in the big
bed. with the roar of the elevated
not a block away and the clang OF
the Thirty-fourth street cars directly
under her windows.
She was not missed at the country
club for several dances, and then as
she did not reappear in the ballroom
Mrs. Hartman called Tony to her
/, and asked where Charlotte was.
"Out sulking somewhere, L sup
nose he said half sullenly.
go and find her, she oughtn't ia
disappear like this; it will be no.
And Tony went; but he did not
find Charlotte. At first he was in
credulous. She must be hiding
Somewhere, but when he had asked
several of the attendants who shook
their heads and said they had net
seen her, he realized that she must
have gone home.
Mrs. Hartman had gone directly 70
the dressing room, where the maid
reported that Charlotte had been
there and had taken her wrap, bu1
she had not ordered the car, for the
chauffeur had stared in amazement
when questioned.