Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-10-27
'AONE-MAN
WOMAN
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CHAPTER XIX
THE TRUTH AT LAST
ST HILL UETC O/7/(VALN
1907 N PUBLIC LEDGER co

W THAT moment when all four
young people stood facing one
another there there was breath
less silence, The few words that
Donahue had spoken still .vibrated
through the air like electricity. Har-
riet stood as If turned to stone, and
her violet eyes met the smiling blue
ones of the reporter with the most
anguished look he had ever seen on
the face of woman. His romantic
young heart skipped a beat as he
stared at her, for he had not expect
ed anything so, lovely.
When the Star had sent him out
to find the woman he had expect
ed the usual thing, probably IAN ordi-
nary looking girl, but this beautiful
woman appealed to his chivalry, and
her terror increased the pity he felt
FOR her.
Lucy's brown eyes had wldened
Ind for a moment the look Of stri-
lmph mad faded from her face She
stood staring at Harriet as though
me could not believe her ears, and
set surely this man had said:
i want, to speak to Mrs. Neil
a moment"
Mrs. Nell" Lucy finally gasped
Larry nodded nonchaiantly.
You are Mrs. Neil, aren't your"
he asked Harriet, and his tone was
more than ordinarily gentle.
She nodded.
Then Charlie spoke.
Who are you? The words were
rough, and his handsome face was
visited with anger.
Didn't you hear?' Larry asked
smoothly. She's Mrs. Neil, Barry
Neil's WIFE"
Charlie turned on Harriet. ~"And
you let me make love to you, you
q n0n hnHinUn VIZ hn 4
oward her threateningly, but Lucy
suddenly stepped between them
Again she was smiling that strange
little smile.
I'm here she said softly, land
[ haven't settled with you yet. It's
quite ut like a scene from aar play. isn't
young wife, the jealous stenogra-
pher, the newspaper reporter, and
-" She paused for a moment, look
ing at Charlie through half-closed
lids.
He started forward.
Lucy, for Gods sake, don't be a
fool" he jerked out.
Lucy laughed outright. do you
think I'm going to shield you any
Ionger?" She turned to Harriet. Il
think 1 know why you came here.
you. believed m your husband and
wanted 80 prove his innocence. Well,
you re going 10 get your W4Slis LoI
Barry Neil never took those bonds.
There's the thief" and she pointed
mockingly at Charlie. land to think
that once l loved him. That's why
I kept still about 1t, because he ask
ed me to marry him, and l was will
ing to agree to anything because of
that"
Her face softened for moment
into such tenderness that the tears
sprang involuntarily to Harriets
eyes. She knew what it was to love
a man as Lucy had loved Charlie, and
she knew, too, what it would mean
to find that man unworthy of w0m-
ans love. She and Lucy had, after
all, great deal in common, both
would fight to the knife for the man
they loved. In way she and Lucy
hal fc t their battles side by side,
and Lucy had lost because hers was
the losing fight. 1t wasn't till then
that realization came to Harriet as
20 what this meant. 1t meant that
her own fight was over, that Barry
would be freed, that they would be
together again. But even in that
moment of exultation there was such
pity in her heart for Lucy that the
keen edge Of her triumph was ,dulled
by this other wopan's misery.