Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-03-08

vi nuSDdnu dlldlI Win IlSIou
N Westfeld. Not that any one
had told her but, sure in her
heart of his unfaithfulness, she had
watched and followed him in the old
days in California until she had
proved her suspicious true.
However, she had not known of
the mock marriage until after Helen
had left him. Blackton himself had
informed her of that in one of his
RACES. Up to that time she had
hated Helen with all the strength of
her nature. But when she heard
that she had been tricked, that Black
ton had deliberately fooled her, she
felt only pity. Another of his VIC
tins, she thought.
She had seen Helen once wSs:-
Blackton, and again in San Fran
rand, but made excuse to remain I'M
til Helen left. 1t was before she
knew of the marriage, and she want
ed to be sure she never would forget
her face
Helen was then unconscious Of her
very existence. Not until the ugly
truth was thrown in her face did she
dream of B1acktons' perfidy, and
then she had not the slightest idea
who the woman was that bore his
name, nor what she looked like.
So Helen had no idea who the fad
ed little woman was whose intent
regard attracted her attention. She
was in one of the smaller shops
when she noticed Nell Blackton star
ing at her, a peculiar look on her
face. At fifst she thought perhaps
some things was aWry with her CO.'S
tune. But a glance in long mir
ror treasured her. She was matching
some wool and it took some time.
She had it sent, and gave the sales
woman her address.
"He's found her again! That's
the reason he put us way up in the
Bronx" Nell Blackton muttered
when Helen left the store. She had
heard the address. Helen spoke plain
ly and she was but a couple of feet
away. Washington Square! And she
in the Bronx. He had thought him
self clever to put them so far apart.
No thought that she might be mis-
taken entered her mind. In spite of
his faithlessness, his neglect, his
had been the only man in her life,
was the father of her darling boy.
1t warped her point of view. If he
| was so dear to her, might not Helen
Westfield also still care for him de-
| spite her divorce?
| Helen had left him in huff. Per-
| haps she had regretted and sent for
way home in the crowded subway;
! tortured herself with thoughts of
resumed intimacy between Blackton
and the woman for whom he had
committed a crime for which he
could have been punished, had any
one pressed the charge.
"He belongs to me! She shan't
have him." she repeated over and
over as she went about her simple
| household duties.
: Don cy" Little Henry begged, as
slow tears ran down her cheeks. rs
GU ick?' The boy had been rather
neglected when she was too i'll to
pay him the usual amount of atten-
ton, and now he, too, began to cry.
mo, darling, music isn't sick.
Just sad"
"Ats sad?"
Nothing, dear. Come, We'll play
get dinner now" and in amusing the
| child she put aside her own sorrow
But after the little chap was in bed
it returned full force. She had writ
| ten down the address Helen gave
the shop girl as soon as she reached
hc',~o Not that she would forgt It,
but it was a tangible reminder of
Bl#ckton's deceit She never for a
moment doubted that much of the
time he told her he was away, traV-
|
| Helen.
81 have forgiven so many times"
she sobbed as she stood at the win
dow and stared unseeing at the
uui~+ poorly lighted street Il can't
forgive again! 1 can't. But-Henry
what will bec~~ee of him?"
Like many a distracted mother
she had a sudden impulse to end it
all. to go bit sooner than the doc
tors had told her she must, and take
herself if she forgave him again.
But, like so many women who
have once ven their love-them-
sci es-to a man she loved in spite
| of everything. Not because of any
| special reason. He had taken the
best of her life; really all her life,
She felt that the end had come, yet
she fought against the feeling. Life
to her had very bitter SAVIOR, yet
all the sweetness she ever had ex-
tracted had been through her love
for Blackton, and her boy. He would
not mind if she went out, but he
| had of late shown a certain fondneSS
for the boy. Perhaps it would hurt
him more than she knew should she
take the boy along with her into the
Great Silence.
Il guess am 2 queer, weak-heart
him. she said bitterly as she turned
from the window and took UP a bit
of sewing.
At midnight she turned off the
lights and crept in beside her son.