Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-27
CHAPTER /
Suspicion
r J. he isn't there by eight,
l thirty I'll know he isn't
coming" Gail said this over

/
coming" Gail said this over
and over 20 herself rs she helped
her mother carrying in the dinner
things, and then quietly slipped into
her chair at the table.
The words kept repeating them
selves in her mind as she watched
her father carve the Saturday night
steak, and in spite of herself, her
eyes kept wandering to the clock,
and her ears strained toward the
telephone in the hall.
| Last Saturday he had telephoned
| just about this time. She could re-
member every word he had said, and
was it her fancy, or was it true,
that his voice had sounded strange,
and his excuses rather lame?
What was the matter? What had
she done? Surely it couldn't be true
that George was growing tired of
her, that he no longer wanted to
come and see her, and that he was
perhaps seeking a way our of their
engagement.
Il won't believe THAR Gail told
herself stoutly. I'm imagining
things, I'm being foolish"
And yet these thoughts had oc-
Cured to her more and more fire.
quently of late, and they were
strengthened by the fact that for
weeks George had said nothing at
all about their marriage.
At first they had talked of it every
time they were alone together.
Just as soon as I am on my feet
and can see q clear way ahead, we'll
be married" How often George had
said those words. and every time he
had spoken them Gail had dreamily
agreed. She had been sure of him
then, and they had all Of life before
them. Secure in her enga cement it
was pleasant to look ahead and
dream, but of late she had had that
nagging little thought that George
was" slipping through her fingers;
that he did not feel toward her as
he had in the, beginning. After all,
they had been engaged two years;
perhaps they had been foolish to
wait SO long. Not that she herself
felt any different, but men were diff
ferent ard sometimes she was sure
that George had changed.
The jangling of the telephone
broke in on her thoughts, and sent
the blood in a rush to her heurt
iii answer it," she said quickly,
and then conscious that the dinner
table conversation had stopped, and
the eyes Of every one were upon her,
r6' c-4tYy INI
ried out into the hall.
The telephone stood on a little ia.
BILE near the door. Gail was con-
scious that her hands were trem-
bling as she CROPPED for it in the
dark, an her voice shook little as
she said Hello"
This you, CALI"
Yes"
Il won't be over tonight.> Works
been piling up all week, and I'll
have to stay at the office late"
IN wait for YOU" Her voice was
eager, and pitched very low lest any
one overhear. III be on the porch.
come over when lure through. =
don't mind how late it is
She was humbling herself She was
begging him to come to her, but she
didn't care. She had to see him, if
only to ask him frankly what was
wrong, but the hot shamed blood
dyed her cheeks as his voice came
back to her brusque and impatient.
Il can't do that. 1 haven't an
idea how late I'll be-" And then as
though making an effort to atone
for his impotence, he went on quick !
ly, III try to get in tomorrow for
a few minutes All right, then
And the receiver clicked as he
hung up.
Gail stood there, thankful for the
friendly darkness of the hall. She
oteaded going back into the dining
room; she shranI1 from the curious
looks of the family, and for a. mo-
ment she almost yielded to the inn
pulse to steal upstairs and lock her.
self up in her room