Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-06
CHAPTER VII
A New Friend

| &
ARRIET managed to force her
| ~ self to eat few mouthfuls
l. l. of the skinny rice pudding,
and then to the accompani-
ment of the scraping of chairs she
made her escape; The long. evening
no escape from the terror that beset
her. She felt as though she were
caught in web, for to leave Mrs.
Bakers now would mean the arous-
ing Of suspicion in the minds Of ev-
cry one there.
The door closed behind her, she
drew a chair UP to the one window
| and stared vacantly across the space
that separated the houses on this
street from the next Her thoughts
were anything but comforting: Sup
risked SO much. After ali she had
trusted a great deal to fate in sup
plying an opening in the firm of
Harmon & Graves. At the time
when the thought had first occurred
feasible. now she wonders how she
could have believed it would work
out.
A soft knock at the door made her
start up in sudden terror. But she
forced herself to call out calmly
The knob turned and in the dim
| light Harriet could family descrp the
figure of the girl called Miss Wat
son. She came into the room with a
deliberateness that characterized all
her movements, and closed the door
IT thought I would find you here
m brlsklg IN 1{ tae hard lines to be s ali
alone in big strange city, isn't it?
| Can't we have little light on the
subject?" And with a short laugh
| CHI I'm oO6 turned the TO
its fullest capacity. There, that's
a little better. Of course. old Baxter
has the thing stuffed with cotton
| wool so that you cant uee too much
riet occupied the one chair, curled up
on the bed.
Harriet rose and came over to her.
She felt the warmth in this girls
| advances toward her, her sincere
effort to relieve another woman's
loneliness. and her own heart re-
sponded gratefully.
ITS awful good Of you," she be-
gan shyly, sitting down opposite Miss
Watson on the bed. I'm afraid 1
was lonely -.
| scared, desperate look on your face
when that awful old scandal mongerr,
| Mrs. Slocum, was letting off steam
Harriet wondered what Miss Wat,
| son would think II she knew the real
! reason for the look she had worn at
the table. She wished suddenly that
| it were possible to confide in this
| kind-hearted girl, but, of course, that
was out of the question:
1T suppose you're looking TO-
Tork?" Miss Watson went on. Hare
riet rather liked her face in spite OF
| it's thinness. The dark eyes behind
the glasses looked intelligent, and
| she had a brisk way Of using her
words that invited confidence.
Eyes, I am" Harriet returned
give been looking through the pa
pers this afternoon"
How did you happen to come TO
| New York;" And then at the ex,
preston of Harriet's face the girl
| hurried on quickly. "Don't tell me #
you'd rather not. I suppose you had
| your own reasons.
Harriet nodded and breathed sign
| of relief. 4 -, "1
think I can help you; that is, II you
| happen to be stenographer and
pretty good in your line. It's this
way: A friend Of mine who was pr1-
vate secretary to Mr.. Harmon, Of
Harmon &, Graves. in this city, is
| leaving. She's engaged to be mar
| ried anyway, and now that the whole
office is upset over the disappear