Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-23
CHAPTER XXVI
Retrospection

Il jean That ne Ildu ucFcI hIlO l
many women nor cared for any
His trips east had been infre
quent and hurried, and the women o.
his acquaintance were limited tt
ranchers' wives and the kind of WON
en- one meets in such small western
towns as Galicia. He had known
Jeans father only slightly, and haC
ship of Jean had been intrusted tt
him because Of the long friendship
between Everett Northrup ant
Marks own father. On one of hi:
trips east he had talked with Ev
erett Northrup in his office. Tha
was when Jean was at school anc
the possibility of Mark ever taking
up his guardianship seemed remote
indeed.
You're different from the mer
she'll meet here in the city," Everett
Northrup had said to the young mar
almost wistfully. I'D like to fee
that if anything ever happens to me
you'll look out for ner. Not thai
it's likely that she'll ever need te
depend on you for financial support
but you're steady, I know that, ane
if I'm not here l want to feel thai
you will have a hand in her future.
Mark had accepted the trust gladly
and had asked only oDe question.
Does she know?"
mo. 1 haven't told her.
"Why not?"
Because she wouldn't like it. I've
spoiled her, my boy, and she's proud
She'd resent my having given the
shaping of her future to a stranger
and, besides, she may never have tt
know. She may be a middle-agee
woman before / am taken. There's
no need of meeting trouble half way
And although Mark had thought
the arrangement hardly fair to him
he had said nothing further. Ane
so it was that Everett Northrup died
leaving his daughter not only a
pauper, but making the situation
had never had frank talk with Jear
and told her the truth.
Mark had formed an idea Of Jear
from the information her father hac
given. He imagined her somewha
Of an autocrat, a regular little prin'
cess whose every word was law. He
had imagined her beautiful, too, bu
he had never dreamed that something
in her would appeal to every fibe,
of his manhood, that he would wan
her as he had never wanted anything
in his life. He had known, too, tina
if the time ever came when he mus
assert his guardianship Jean would
rebel. but he had never dreamed tina
she would hate him so utterly, tina
she would despise him and shudde
when he came near her. Often HI
had wondered after his strange mar
riage what there was about him tina
inspired such a feeling in his wife
He knew he was rough and had M
social graces, but that she felt hin
repulsive hurt this man 10 the soul
After she had left him on the nigh
before she was to leave for the cas-
Mark sat quiet for long time. 1
seemed to him as If her scornfu
| laugh still echoed through the room
as if he would hear it always. l
seemed to epitomize Jeans att1tud
toward him, and he wondered VIII!
he had ever thought to conquer her
| to win her love and trust.
Well, it was all over now, but Their
was her future to consider. He hat
promised Everett Northrup to max
| his daughter happy and he had fail
ed He had done worse than tina
| for he had made her miserable. AM
| yet he had done it for the best. H
| had felt that Jean would be safe
with him than she would be LET
alone in the city. And yet was i
| true that he had considered only he
welfare? Wasn't his love of her tn
prime reason for their marriage?
ITO Re COntinued)