Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-12

BY the end of September he felt that he
had gained real Roadway with Elizabeth. He
had come to point where she needed him
more than she realized, where the call in her
of youth for youth, even in trouble, was in
sistent. In return he felt his responsibility
and responded to it. In the vernacular of the
town, he had "settled down." and the general
trend of"opinion, which had previously disap-
proved him. was now that Elizabeth might
do worse.
On a crisp night early in October Wallace
had brought her home from Nina's and be-
cause the moon was full they sat for time
on the steps of the verandah, when she shiv-
cred little, he reached up and touched her
hand.
You're cold," he said almost roughly. IL
was sometimes rather savage, for fear lie
might be tender.
He went in and came out in moment with
her fathers overcoat.
Here" he said peremptorily, put this on
I'm not going to be called on the carpet for
giving you a sniffle."
She stood up obediently and he put the
big coat around her. Then, obeying an ire
sistible impulse, he caught her to him. He
released her Immediately, however, and
stepped back.
'T love you So" he stammered. "Tm sorry
I'll not do it again."
She was startled, but not angry.
81 don't like it, was all she said. And be-
cause she did not want him to think she was
angry, she sat down again. But the boy was
shaken He got out a cigarette and lighted
it, his hands trembling. He could not think
of anything to say. 1t was as though by that
one act he had cut bridge behind him, and
on the tther side lay all the platitudes, the
small give and take of their hours together.
What to her was a regrettable incident was
to him q great dramatic climax. Boylike, he
refused to recognize it's unimportance to her.
He wanted to talk about it.
"When you said just now that you didn't
like what I did Just then, do you mean you
didn't like me to do it? Or that you don't
care for that sort of thing. Of course, I
know" he added hastily, you're not that
kind of girl. /"
He turned and looked at her.
"You know I'm still in love with you, don
you, Elizabeth"
She returned his gaze frankly.
81 don't see how you can be when you know
what you do know"
81 know how you feel now. But know
that people don't go on, living hOpelessly, all
their lives. You're young. You've got" he
figured quckly-"You got about fifty odd
years to live yet, and some of these days
you'll be-not forgetting" he changed, when
he saw her quick movement. 81 know you'll
not forget him. But remembering and loving
are different"
81 wonder, "she said, her eyes on the moon,
and full of tragedy. eff they are, if one can
remember without loving, then couldn't one
love without remember1ng?
He stared at her.
you're too deep for me sometimes" lie
said. I'm not subtle, Elizabeth. L daresay
I'm stupid in lots of things But I'm not
stupid about this. I'm not trying to get
promise, you know 1 only want you to know
how things are. I don't want to know why
he went away why he doesn't come back
only want you to face the facts. Id be
good to you,'' he finished, in low tone. I'D
spend my life thinking of ways to make you
happy"
She was touched. She reached down and
put her hand on his shoulder.
asking for a second best. Even that-Im
just not made that way, I suppose. Fifty
years or a hundred, it would be all the same"
you'd always care for him, you mean?'
eyes. I'm afraid So" .
When he looked at her her eyes had again
that PARKWAY and yet flaming look which he