Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-03
THE SUPERIOR SEX
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR


What has gone before-John Steele
marries Anne Temple knowing that she
has secret In her past which she re-
fuses to divulge. He knows, too that
she does not love him, but during their
honeymoon, they are swept irresistibly
together and for time are very happy
Then Steele begins to think about
Anne's secret, the more so because at
times she disappears mysteriously and
refuses to say where she has been.
Steele finally yields to the temptation to
spy on her and he discovers that she Is
supporting a child. In the first flame of
his wrath he seeks her out and de-
nounces her~Now go on with the story.
CHAPTER XIII
The Acid Test
Y 7 seemed to Anne as though Steeles voice
/ went on endlessly. She heard what he
said, but somehow she could not reply to
it. She felt shut within herself. 1t was as
though she were enduring a horrible night
mare, and that some time she would wake
up and be glad that she had dreamed it ALL
But in the meantime she went on suffering
1t couldn't be true that he was talking to her
like this, that he was accusing her of such
unspeakable things.
But his ruthless words cut deeper and
deeper and the terrible dream went on and
on, and she stood there before him frozen
and very white, without making the slightest
attempt to refute anything he had said What
was the use? Her brain kept repeating that
over and over If he could bel4eye that f
her, then he had never loved her and even
if she took the trouble to explain, it woudn t
matter one way or another.
81 would have given you money for the
child came in that terrible voice eff you
ha hooinninp
would have helped you. But you wanted a
stronger hold on me, didn't you? Having
made one mistake, you decided to go through
the marriage ceremony this time, and I made
an easy VICTIM.
He did not care what he said Tow. His one
thought was to make her cringe, but still she
faced him with wide eyes fixed on his, and
proud lips that did not answer.
When the first storm of his anger had
passed and he was silent, she spoke, but it
was not to deny anything that he had said.
Dusk had fallen outside and the room was
dim and shadowy. He could no longer see
her face distinctly, only the outline of her
slim figure in its dress of dull blue, and her
words fell like cold water on the leaping fires
of his wrath
\"This is the proof of your love for me,
John, this is the acid test. Do you remember
the night we talked about it,"
He did remember. With sudden sharp
pain in his heart he recalled the leaping fire
light, before which they too had been alone
in the gloom of the big room. He recalled his
eager protestations when she had said that
woman always loved more than men.
81 want to prove to you that my love is
as great as yours" These had been his
words, and for the moment he wondered if
perhaps after all he had been too quick to
judge her. Perhaps she could explain, but
the next moment the hope that had sprung up
in his heart was banished by the knowledge
that she had made no attempt to deny any
thing. No, there was no doubt Of the fact
ceived him from the first, and of course
her cue now was to brazen it out.
That was what she was doing she
was stalking everything on sentiment. She
hoped by reminding him of that night to
rouse his passion for her, to make him realize
that no matter what she had done he could
not live without her, Well, she would see
This time there would be no cdpitulation on
his part.
"Of course you will admit that you had the
advantage of me- he said with sheer. 'You
had good cause to know how I would feel if
ever I learned the TRUTH"
His eyes were no longer blazing. They
were cold as ice as they looked into hers. and
after a long moment, she said very simply:
Eyes, I knew
That was ALL and with the words she turn
ed away and slipped quietly out of the room.
He did not know where she was going. He
did not care His brain felt numb and in
his heart there was no pity for her. He
wondered duly that he had so little feeling
of any kind, and he suddenly realized that
he was very tired, too tired even to think
about it any longer.
Saturday-"A Little Journey" Renew
your substitution now so as not to miss .
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