Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-17
CHAPTER X.LVIU
What Marcia Said

T Ohm STEELE stood facing his mother.
Marcia was dressing to go out to dim
~ ner. She disliked very much being in
terrupted at such time as this, but John had
been insistent that she had slipped into
negligee and admitted him to her sane
forum.
Marcia's hair was meticulously marcelIed
and fastened at the side of her head with
glittering comb. Beneath the formaIity of
her dress, her well-preserved face shone even
ly pink and white, but just at this time
little frown of annoyance had spread across
1T, bringing into view wrinkles that her
masseuse fought so hard each day to eradi-
cate.
She was irrtated at being interrupted at
such time. Dressing was to her a sacred
procedure, but the minute she looked into
Johns face she knew that something had hap
pened, and she dismissed Cara, the maid, with
a few crisp words.
John, what is it, what has happened?"
He told her briefly emitting nothing and
Marcia heard him to the end. Then she spoke
one sentence.
Where is she now?"
81 don't know"
HAS she left your"
He shrugged his shoulders. 81 didn't stop
TO ascertain that. But why do you ask? What
difference does it make?"
She looked at him for a long moment
curious expression in her eyes 81 thought
you loved her" she remarked after time
Il did love her" he burst out passionately
L loved her so much that was blind and
deaf to everything. I had to have her"
Yes and you were willing to marry her
knowing that she had a secret in her life E"
Marcia interrupted. well nothing is really
changed, she is exactly the same girl today
as she was before you discovered all this. IF
you really loved her, if you really cared as
much as you pretended to. NOTHING would
matter but that
John Steele stared at his mother and she
met MS gaze frankly. Then she went on
speaking quickly
-. you've married her. God knows at one
tlme would have given anything in the world
TO nave prevented it, but that's all in the past
Inc TACT remains that you can't have it noised
ABOUT all this. You can't have it noised about
that Anne has left you If you decide eventual
~ 10 separate, you must manage it quietly for
naturally you won't want to 90 on living with
her knowing what manner Of woman she is
Marc1as tone was lofty She spoke as
though her life were remote from all such
sord1d things, and at his mothers tone. the
oouot that had leaped into Steele's mind
s Tmem he naa hrst accused Anne and she had
SHOWN no mint of wrongdoing, returned with
ulStufblng suddenness. 1t was one thing to
accuse her himself and quite another to hear
another person denounce her
MARCIA mad said that he wouldn't want to
go on living with Anne knowing what man
ner of woman she was But what manner of
woman was she? In his heart of hearts did
ne really believe these horrible things abont
her? AS he thought about it. his brain
cleared suddenly and he began to think ra-
tlonally. After all. he had condemned Anne
Wlthout hearing! He had judged her en-
.lrely on clrcumstantial evidence He should
nave given her chance to speak, he shouId
nave determined the entire truth as his right
put instead he had denounced her, he had said
horrible things to her, without giving her a
chance to tell her own side of the story,
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