Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-21
Chapter XIV
A Change in Marx

ugly, Sordid thing that mac come
into her life, but had not touched her
and the glorious fact remained that
she was going away, going away
from this horrible, empty place for
ever.
She hurried ito her clothes, and
went out into the living room. Il
was a glorious day, and the sun was
shining through all the many win
dows Mana shuffled in with hel
breakfast, and Jean asked her crisp
ly where Mr.. Brand was.
Mana shrugged her shoulders III
her uncommunicative way, made 6
significant gesture toward the corral
and shuffled out again. Jean hac
grown used to Mana, and even smiled
at her Indian reserve. Today she
laughed, and Mana had stared at her
mistress Never before had Jean
been known to laugh aloud over any
thing.
Mark came in as Jean was finish
ing, and she murmured GOOD morn
ing.
He replied briskly with sugges-
ton that they go out on the veranda
and Iaan followed him out into the
heat OF the sunshiny day. Many
times Jean had complained of the
heat, and the shadeless plains, but
now as she looked around and real1z-
ed that soon she would be leaving
all of it forever, she no longer seem
ed to care.
There isn't much to be said,
Mark began and Jean was vaguely
disappointed that he was so busl.
nesslike. LaS< night his voice mac
been shaken, his body had dropped
his blue eyes had been fiery as he
had said that he loved her, that he
would always love her. Even though
she hated him, Jean, WomaEllke, die
not like to think that her leaVetaklne
could be contemplated with so little
feeling on his part as he seemed tc
evince this morning.
eff YOU went back to New York
where would you stay?" he went on
He was alert, aggressive, he did not
seem the same toward her at all
Perhaps, Jean thought suddenly, he
had decided to put her out OF his
mind altogether, and that Woult
make things so much easier for botf
of them. After all, why couldn't they
agree that the marriage had beer
a mistake and forget about it?
81 could visit Cicely for a time
Jean said eagerly. Her own plans
for the future We're very vague. She
could not get her thoughts away
from the present and her one idee
now was to get away where MARI
could not influence her by his pres
ence, where she could think for her
self and decide what she wanted te
do.
VERY WE'LL" Mark returned, that's
good idea; when do you want tc
start?'
Jean thought quickly. After all
she must not make her appearance
in New York too precipitately. She
must telegraph Cicely first asking Il
it would be convenient. Jean was toe
proud to go to Cicely like run
away, she had no intention of tell
ing her troubles to any one.
I'll telegraph her today"
zone of the men can ride into
town with your message" Mark sug
gested, land you can stop off in Chi
cago for some shopping. I'll see thai
you have plenty of money.
Jeans proud chin lifted. Accord
ing to her code of ethics, money was
thing to be enjoyed but not to bt
spoken of. 1t had been the frs
thing Mark had flung in her face the
day she met him, and it had not beer
suggested delicately, but oYerbear
ingly, as though il would buy any
thing from a head of cattle to {
woman. And then she remembered
suddenly, with shame, that money
had bought her. She had been will
ing to marry Mark because Of hel
fear of poverty. Mark wondered why
her cheeks suddenly flushed and hel
proud head was suddenly lowered.