Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-27
THE BREAKING POINT
BY MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

ter" Dick offered good-naturedly. lie rose,
and glanced again at the clock. II those
headaches continue you'd better nave your
eyes examined"
Bassett was puzzled. 1t seemed to him
that there had been shade of evasion IN
the other mans manner, slightly less frank
ness in his eyes. But he showed no excite
ment nothing furtive or alarmed. And the
open and unsolicited statement as to Norado
baffled him. He had to admit to h1mself
either that man strongly resembling Judson
Clark had come from the same neighborhood,
"Norada?" he said. That's where the big
Clark ranch was located, wasn't 1t? Ever nap
pen to meet Judson Clarke"
'FOur place was very Isolated.
His confusion was not decreased by the
calm voice behind him which said
Better drink considerable water when you
take that stuff. Some stomachs don't toll
crate it very we'll"
Bassett was disappointed and trltle sheep-
ish. Life was full of queer chances that was
all No resemblance on earth, no coincidence
of birthplace, could make him believe that
Judson Clark, waster profligate and fugitive
from the law, was now sitting up at night
with sick children, or delivering babies.
After a time he remembered the prescrip-
ton in his hand, and was about to destroy it,
He stopped and examined it, and then care
fully placed it in his pocketbook. After all,
there were things that looked queer. The
ton of his.
He had ten minutes to wait, and he wan
dered to the news stand He made casual
inspection of it's display, bought magazine
and was turning away, when he stopped and
gazed after man who had just passed him
from an outbound train.
The reporter looked after him with amused
interest. Gregory, too! The Livingstone
chap had certainly started something. But
it was told, too. How had Gregory traced
him? Wasn't there something more in Greg
ory's presence there than met the eye? Greg
orys visit might be like his own, the desire
to satisfy himself that the man was or was
not Clark. Or it might be the result of
convention that 1t was Clark, and warning
against himself But if he had traced him,
didn't that indicate that Clark himself had
got into communication with him? In other
words, that the chap was Clark, after all?
u REGORY, having made an inquiry of
a hackman, had started along the
- street, and after moments thought,
Bassett fell into line behind him. He was
extremely interested and increasingly cheer
full. He remained we'll behind and with his
newspaper rolled in his hand, assumed the
easy yet brisk walk of the commuters around
him, bound for home.
Halfway along Station street, Gregory
stopped before the Livingstone house, read
the sign and rang the doorbell. The report
er slowed down to give him time for admis-
Harrison Miller's house, however, he stopped
and waited.
A doctorl A pill shooter! Jud Clark?
Elizabeth had gone about all day with a
smile on her lips and sort of exaltation in
her eyes. She had, girl fashion, gone over
and over the totally uneventful evening they
had spent together, remembering small
speeches and gestures; what Dick had said
and she had answered.
She had, for instance, mentioned Glare
ROssiter, very casually. Oh, very very casual
ly. And he had said: "Clare Rossiter? oh,
yes, the tall blonde girl isn't she?'
She was very happy. He had not seemed
to find her too young particularly imma-
ture. She felt, though, that she knew about
one-tenth as much he did, and she de-
termined to read very seriously from that
time on. Her mother, missing her that aft
ernoon, found her curled up in the library,
beginning the first volume of Gibbons Rome
with an air of determined concentration, and
wearing her best summer frock. ~
She did not intend to depend purely on
Gibbons Rome ct al.
care you expecting any one Elizabeth"
she asked, with the frank directness char
acteristic of mothers, and Elizabeth, fixing
date in her mind with terrible frmness look
ed up absentIy and said:
mo one in particular"
Nevertheless, when the postman rang her
heart gave small leap and then stood quite
still. When Annie slowly mounted the stairs
she was already on her feet, but it was only
card announcing: MRS. Sayre, Wednes-
day, May IS, luncheon at 1880"
However, at half-past four the bell rang
again, and a masculine voice informed An
ME, moment later, that it would put its
overcoat here, because lately dog had eaten
a piece out of it and got most awful indi-
gestion.
The time 1t took Annie to get up the stairs
again gave her a moment so that she could
breathe more naturally, and she went down
very deliberately and so dreadfully poised
that at first he thought she was not glad to
see him.
'I came, you see,'' he said. ct intended
to wait until tomorrow, but had a little
time. But if you're doing anything"
II was reading Gibbons Rome" she in"
formed him. "I think every one should know
it. Don't you?'
Good heavens, what for?" he inquired.
81 don't know" They looked at each 9TH
er, and suddenly they laughed.
II wanted to improve my mind" she ex-
planned. "I felt, last night, that you knew
SO many things, and that I was frightfully
stupid
"Do you mean to say" he asked, aghasts
"that 1! Great Scott"
Settled in the living room, they got back
rather quickly to their status of the night
before
They talked, those small highly significant
nothings which are only the barrier delivers
ed go on the eager questionings and unspoken
answers of youth and love. They had known,
each other for years, had exchanged thei
same give and take Of neighborhood talk
when they met as now Today nothing was
changed and everything.
Then, out of a clear sky, he said:
Il may be going away before long, Eliza
BETH
He was watching her intently. She had