Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-01
CHAPTER XII
Deliriun1

THERE came night when Lorry, with
out word, slipped from her chair at
the table into a tumbed little heap on
the floor. Courtney lifted her in his arms,
and carrying her into her ROOM put her
down gently the bed. Then he went to
the telephone and as calmly as possible
called up DR.. Moore In half hour the
entire atmosphere OF the apartment had
changed.
Miss FIowerton, the nurse, was calmly
efficient person of about thirty years of age.
She seemed incredibly cool and maddeningly
professional, just as though this thing that
was about to happen had nothing g of impor-
lance about it, and her attitude drove Court
ney to the point of frenzy. He was glad
when Mrs. Granville finally arrived. She
was Lorry's mother, and to her Lorry was
something more than a mere woman about
to give birth to child, and yet tonight,
Mrs. Granville seemed different somehow,
more nervously excited less gloriopsy sane
than usual
Courtney paced the living room, mad
thoughts seethng in his brain When the
knowledge had first come to him that Lorry
was to give him child eXaltation had
surged up in him, he had experienced all
the triumph of the dominant arrogant male
that was SO much a part of his makeup At
that time one thought had been uppermost
in his mind the woman he adored was to be
more securely bound to him through her
motherhood, but tonight his exaltation was
swallowed up in his fear for her safety.
Lorry had not been physically well for a
long time. Suppose the feeble flame of her
life were to flicker out. Had he any reason
to suppose that she would not prefer death
to life with him?
Endless moments dragged away. Once he
went to the door of the living room, and out
of the darkness of the hall Miss Flowerton
suddenly appeared. She smiled at him reas-
suringly. !.
Everything is going as well as can be
expected, Mr.. Harrington" she said good
naturally, but Courtney turned away from
her almost rudely, and with little shrug of
her shoulders she went down the corridor to
Lorry's room, Then after what seemed an
interminable length Of time, Mrs. Granville
came, Mrs. Granville came swiftly into the
room. Courtney wheeled about from his
position at the window, where he had been
gazing with unseeng eyes into the street,
but Mrs Grenviles face was strained and
white, there was nothing Of encouragement
in its expression
Courtney" she said, speaking very rap
idly, "Lorry is delrious, out of her mind,
she's saying thing, things she has evidently
repressed for months, and her condition is
critical"
Courtney's hands clenched until the nails
cut into the palms.
"Yes?" he said hoarsely.
'She seems to feel your presence in the
house, Mrs. Granville went on quickly, land
for some reason she's afraid, terribly afraid.
Over and over she keeps saying, Ask him
to go, ask him to 60 You can't fool me by
pretending he isn't here; I'll know it the
minute he's gone' Of course she's delirious,
but DR.. Moore thinks we ought to humor
her. He says delirium sharpens the intu-
ition, and makes people more than ordinarily
psychic; he really thinks that Lorfy will feel
the difference just as soon as you are gone"
'I'll go!" /Courtney's tone was quiet, but
there was something in it that brought the
quick tears to Mrs. Grenville's eyes. Even
in the midst Of her agonizing fear for Lorry,
her heart was stabbed through and through
with pity for this man who was LOrry's hus-
band and who for some strange reason had
failed to make his wife happy.
Tuesday, "Remorse." Renew your SUBJ
-scriptiOn not to miss an Install
ment of this splendid story.