Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-16
CHAPTER Xxx
A Surprising Discovery


" INNER with Herbert went off much
I J better than tea, although ] had to
49, force myself to be gay. l did not tell
him that Norman was not at home when l
/ telephoned, that he was probably having din
ner in town with Alice Wilson, and after
dinner, when I said l must really make the
! 9:53 back to Hilton he insisted upon going
with me-
aghast at this.
! If Herbert returned with me he would
| find out the truth, for l hadn't doubt in
| the world but that Norman would stay in
| town till the last train. What was l to do?
! / used every argument to persuade Her
| bert not to do such thing, but he was de-
| termined and settled In the train decided
, to tell him the truth
! Norman may be on this train l said
| lightly. He wasn't at home when tele-
! phoned."
"Shal I walk through and see?" Herbert
| suggested.
Y 1 shook my head. "No, don't bother How
| funny Herbert was. He did not intend to
! give our dinner engagement the look of
clandestine appointment, his whole attitude
was that of a privileged old friend and al
| though l appreciated his fneness l was new
| ertheless irritated.
silence fell between us and l gazed out
! of the window, straining my eyes into the
| darkness. When we finally reached Hilton,
| | bTeathed a sigh of relief
We waited a moment to see if Norman
| got Off, and then took taxi up to the house.
| My head had begun to ache and I wished
vaguely that Herbert would go. If he hur-
! ried he could get train back that left in
few minutes, but he was maddeningy slow
! about everything and could hardly suggest
| that he leave Immediately
We sat on the porch for half an hour or
more chatting of casual things and when he
! hnally rose to go l almost at the end of
my rope. ! wanted nothing so much as the
ri md f01+ ~
couldn't keep the tears back much longer
When l thanked him for the pleasant eve.
ming and held out my hand he took it in his
and held it for long moment
JOAN" he said finally, will you promise
to come to me if you ever need friend?"
"Of course, l will" I returned keeping
my voice purposely light.
I have surprise for YOU" he continued.
I'm going to rent "a house here in Hilton,
and if l like living here 1 may buy it,"
why, Herbert l exclaimed in surprise,
how splendid. It will be so nice TO- have
you here with u.s."
do You really mean that?" he asked very
softly. "Will it make any difference to
you?"
you know it will returned, "and not
only to me, but to everyone in the crowd"
was suddenly nervous and l made an eff
fort to disengage my hand. which he held
tightly in his. OF course this was my chance
to purr softly as Alice Wilson would have
done, to make Herbert believe thqat it would
make great difference to me to have him
live. near us, but l was suddenly panicky
at the thought of anything sentimental be-
tween us. AS though he sensed this feeling
in me he released my hand and our good-bys
were conventional enough but upstairs in
my room with the tears running down my
face, it came to with little shock that
Herbert still cared. His whole attitude had
proclaimed this fact, but it did not comfort
me to know it, for l loved only Norman.