Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-02-15
The Tri-WeekLy Journals Oe,n Serial
The Only Thing That Counts
A Mystery Romance of Modern Bohemia
BY the Famous Novelist
Carolyn Beecher


GEAAE16H A41
" HE next morning Helen ran out
of paper. Thinking the air
would be good for her after a
sleepless night, she dressed for
the street and took the bus to Thir-
ty-fourth street.
Just as she reached the sidewalk
she heard a familiar voice say:
expected the good fortune to meet
you. You are looking very pros
porous. Who is it this time?" And
John Blackton, sheer on his hand
How she hated him as her eyes
blazed into his, while no speech
came. He stirred in her a wholly
animal longing to be rid of him. to
get away from herself, to be through
forever of the sense of horror, and
helplessness which only the tortured
know. The pain of it made her close
her eyes,
me-" the voice at her elbow went on.
your greeting would be more cor
dial" In his hand was a stick which
he negligently twirled. $50 you live
in New York. I might have guessed
it. A wider field for your peculiar
talents. Going to tell me where you
live?"
"No-never! And don't you dare
to speak to me again! I hate,
loathe, I despise you" herJvoice low
but cutting in the intensity of her
hatred.
Her destination was department
store in Herald square. She walked
faster, but he accommodated his step
to hers. She thought she would be
able to lose him in the store. She
would out a de entrance. But
ing patience while she did her err
rand, then walked beside her as she
gained the street.
you see, my dear, I have a bone
to pick with you. You lied to me,
pretended you were going to stay
Helen looked at him. The sight
was so repugnant that she almost
sickened, and the nausea which she
felt was plainly shown in her face.
The unconcealed candor of her alb
horrence was like a whip across his
eyes darken with swift anger,
She had craved peace and security
thought them hers. Now she had
neither, and also had no hope. Her
sleepless night, following her inter-
view with Lansing, had left her weak
and nervous. She was to see Lam
sing again, tell him more fully the
miserable story of her marriage to
the man beside her. Her thoughts
suffered. She looked 2t the people
as they passed, without seeing
them.
In a sort of dream she re-ltved her
past. Her girlhood. her meeting It'll
Blackton, his whirlwind wooing, her
fathers death, her marriage. These
and the succeeding episodes in the
rible dreams. She had thought them
destroyed forever.
Now she dreaded even to think
what this mans presence here might
mean. His seeming determination to
remain beside her prevented her
thinking commercially. What was his
objec YEARLY she said:
IT shall take the bus here" He
assisted her on, then to her aston
ishment raised his hat and turned
away. What did it mean? She had
feared he would follow her, insist
upon accompanying her home.
The lst glimpse Of him was not
biguous smile, his angry eyes, his
cruel and sensual mouth, and fell
back in her seat with shudder.
On alighting from the bus Helen
hurried home. She must rest so that
she would be fit when Lansing came.
The throttling sensation of fear that
children have when they think they
are pursued enveloped her. She
looked cautiously up and down the
street before she entered the house
Had she known that Blackton had
taken a taxi, had kept the bus in
sight until she left it at the terminal
in the square, she would not have
gone inside the house so thankfully.
Had she gone directly to the window
she might have seen Blackton talk
ing to Hugo, the crippled flower
seller at the corner.
He had made no attempt to follow
her into the house. One of the rev
virtues Blackton possessed was pa
such as he. He knew now where she
lived, that she had lived there for
some line. He was in no hurry, he
could wait.
Handsome as ever" he muttered,
as he hurried to the waiting taxi,
"handsomer, if anything. Wonder
how she lives-if she is married
again. He chuckled evilly as he
spoke.
It WIS time for Lansing to come.
Helen, pale but composed, waited.
She would tell him all he wished to
know of her marriage to Blackton
and also of that unfortunate visit to
Clifford Sloane's studio. He must be-
lieve she was innocent of any wrong
on that occasion; he must belieye
her. He loved her, she knew. OF
course, they never could be anything
but friends now that he knew Black
ton had deceived her, that she never
had been his wife. But he must be
lieve her, tell her so, and then she
would go away.
1t was in this mood that she bade
him enter when she heard his rap
upon her door.
(To be continued)