Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-09-27

WOMAN
CHAPTER xXIv
BY HAZEL DEIO 6A7CHELN
Le2/ e. PUBLIC LEDGER co

CHAPTER XIV
~ HARLEY released the. girls
IL hand as suddenly as he had
You're to keep out of it,"
and An if 1 won't?" The girls tone
was defiant. You're regular male
butterfly, Charley Harmon. You
you have a good time. And now
you're going to break woman's
heart, a woman you're practically
engaged to marry, because you're at
tracted by a new face. OF course
won't keep still. Do you think Tn
going to @. see my best friend made q
There's nothing definite between
us. She can look out for herself"
IT don't know what you mean by
something definite, but you know as
well as I that you led her to believe
you're tired of her she ought to
know. Why aren't you man enough
to tell her the truth? That would
be fair and square, but this skulk-
ing around taking other girls to din
ner isn't right, and you know it."
you to keep out of it, and if you
insist upon interfering 1 shall take
the only course left open to me. II
wouldn't be very hard to fill your
position, Miss Leonard, and I'd see
| that you didn't get another one In
hurry"
The girls face went rather white
"You wouldn't do anything as rotten
as that"
| mot unless I'm forced to, not I'M
les you force me to it yourself. All
I'm asking is that you keep Jout
ro And nd where's it going to end? Do
II be the next pretty face within q
Few weeks? I don't know but that
any girl would be fortunate in get
ting rid of you. You don't know the
meaning Of anything, deep or true in
The girls words belied the OBJ
v1ous makeup, the frizzed blonde
she she appreciated thu big things, but
| her surface exterior was for the
| world she had batled with and found
wanting. She had her own philos-
ophy, and in spite of her appearance
she was straight as die, but Char
ley's threat had frightened her. She
knew that he meant what he said
and that it was quite possible Cor
him to hound her out Of her Job. She
hated herself for compromising with
MIN in any way and yet all he asked
OF her was silence.
He breathed a sigh Of relief as he
over what he had said and his words
had gone deep. Fliss Leonard had a
| dependent mother, and if she lost her
| job 1t would be impossible for her to
get another that paid the same mon
ey. She did not dare to take the
wanted to, do SO, for, the sake of a
friend, and Charley. knew it..
We'll" she said finally and there
was surrender in her tone, surren-
der mingled with disgust for him.
He was eager and triumphant.
Eyes, there's nothing else for me
to do; but mark my words, you're
| going to be sorry some day, Charley
| Harmon. No one gets off scot free
and some time or. other we all pay"
cies,". he said lightly. His heart
was beating freely again, and his
thoughts were all with Harriet. This
time he was sure about his feelings,
and Fliss Leonard's scorn he could
afford to ignore. There were rea-
sons why he could not come out in
the open and tell the truth just
now, reasons that F'liss Leonard
knew nothing of, but the future
looked bright and he felt almost gay.
His blue eyes were full of conf
dence as he walked back to the Of
t.,
satisfactory interview. Fliss' words
! of warning had already passed out
of his mind.
Chapter XIV
~ T was one thing to go to dinner
with Charley and quite another
to realize that he was actually
- in love with her. This foct wor-
| led Harriet and made her fearful as
to just what she ought to do about
h
eyes were always upon her, that IL
| Mr.. Harmon sent her on any errand
outside of the office she always en-
| countered Charley. In the next few
days she refused three invitations
from him, while she tried to decide
what to do. What she really wanted
was to get Charley TO help in her
| search for the thief. But she could
not pluck up courage to fsk him
without somehow appearing too
much interested herself.
One day when ske returned from
| lunch she found a small package
on her desk. Her name was wrlOten
on the outside wrapper, and with
trembling fingers she broke the
string and lifted out a small box.
Inside, packed in the softest Of
cotton, was a bracelet, curious cary
ed thing out Of which cleaned sui
len-eyed topazes. Involuntarily Har--
riet gave little cry of delight and
slipped it over her arm. She had
life and this was NVery lovely but
in an instant her thoughts flew to
the sender and with a sigh she took
off the bracelet put 1t back in its
box and slowed 1t away In her desk
to be returned.
That night Charley overlook her
on her way to the subway and
without a word she opened her bag,
took out the small parcel and handed
it to him.
"But why not? I know you love
pretty things, and I just happened
to see this in a ,jewelr's window;
It's a bit out of the ordinary and
I thought you would like it."
1T do like it, I mean it is beauti-
full, but that doesn't mean I can &C.
cept it,"
''But why? It's not valuable; and
I want you to have it. I want to
see it on your arm. When are you
going to let me see you again?" he
went on impetuously. You've kept
night. Did I do anything to hurt
you? If so, let this be a peace Of
fering"
She shook her head. mo, you
haven't done anything, but 1 can't
accept gifts from any one"
her tome Wa So OCClSLN0 lIldb
there was nothing to do but abide
by it, and he slipped the little par
eel into his pocket. But you will
let me see you some time so0n."
Again she shook her head.
But why?" he asked in amaze
ment.
"Why should your" she asked, her
words more practical than the feel
ing that prompted them.
Hot words sprang to his own lips,
but he forced them back. This was
no place to speak to Miriam Taylor
of love. Besides there were certain
things that would have to be settled
before he could ask her to marry
him. Charley was so much in love
with this girl that he was amazed