Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-03-31

~ ROM that time on David's statement
n dealt with the situation in the cabin;
- with Jud Clark and the DonaldsOns, and
with the snow storm, which began again and
lasted for days. He spoke at length of his
discovery of Clark's identity, and of the fact
that the boy had lost all memory of what had
happened, and even of who he was He went
into that in DETAIL the peculiar effect of fear
and mental shock on high-strung nature, es-
pecially when the physical condition was low
cred by excess and wrong living; his early at
tempts, as the boy improved, to pierce the
VEIL and then his slow-groWing conviction
that it were an act of mercy not to do so. The
Donaldsons faithfulness, the cessation of the
search under the conviction that Clark Us
dead, both were there and also David's gov
ing liking for Judson himself. But Avld's
own psychology was interesting and clearly
put.
but there is another element which I urge,
not in defense but explanation. The boy Jud-
son Clark was a slate to write on. He
had never had a chance. He had had too much
money, too much liberty, too little RESPONSE
bility. His errors had been wiped away by
the loss of his memory, and he had, felt,
chance for new and useful life.
81 did not come to my decision quickly. 1t
was long fight for his life, for he had con-
tracted pneumonia, and he had the drinkers
heart But in the long days of his con-
valescence while Maggie worked in the lean
to, had time to see what might be done. If
in making an experiment with a mans SOUL
ter, I am sorry. But He knows did it Tor
the best"
Once more David paused, this time to mois
ten his lips, then he continued
81 deliberately built up for Judson Clark-a
new identity. He was my nephew, my broth
er Henry's son. He had the traditions of an
honorable family to carry on, and those ira
ditions were honor, integrity, clean living and
work. I did not stress love, for that felt
must be experienced, not talked about But
love was to be the foundation on which I
built The boy had had no love in his life.
ut has worked out. | may not live to see
it at it's fullest but I defy the world to pro-
duce today finer and more honorable gen
tleman, more useful member of the COM
munity And it will last. The time may come
when Judson Clark will again be Judson
Clark. 1 have expected it for many years.
But he will never again be the Judson Clark
of ten years ago. He may even will to return
to the old reckless ways, but as I lie here,
perhaps never to see him, say this: he can
not go back. His character and habit of
thought are established.
"To convict Judson Clark Of the murder of
| Howard Lucas is to convict probably or at
! least possibly innocent man. To convict Rich
ard Livingstone of that crime, is to convict a
different man, innocent of the crime innocent
| of it's memory, innocent of any single impulse
| to lift his hand against law of God or of
state"
! There had been a long conference behind
closed DOORS when Harrison Miller came back
| from seeing David, and before he went west.
Leslie had been there, and even DR.. Reynolds,
| but they had shut Eliza beth OUT And her
| father had not been the same since. He seem
! ed, sometimes, to be burning with a sort of
| inner anger. Not at all, however. He was
| very gentle with her.
| And there was a curious thing. She had
| always felt that she knew when Dick was
| thinking of her. All at once and without any
warning, there would come glow of happ1-
ness and warmth, and sort of surrounding
| and encircling sense of protection.
| That was completely gone. 1t was as though
! the warm and lighted house of her love had
| turned her out and locked the door, ana she
was alone outside, cold and frightened.
She avoided the village, and from sense
of delicacy it left her alone. The small gale
ties of the summer were on, dinners, dances
and picnics, but her mourning made her alb
sence inconscpicuous. She could not,~how-
ever, avoid Mrs. Sayre. She tried to, at first,
but that lady's insistence and her own apathy
made it easier to accept than to refuse. Then,
after time, she found the house rather a
refuge She seldom saw Willie, and she found
her hostess tactful, kindly and uninqu1slt1Ye.
"Take the scissors and basket, child, and
cut your mother some roses" she would say.
Or they would loot the green houses, and go
ing in the car to the cemetery, make OF J1m's
grave a thing of beauty and remembrance.
Now and then, of course, she saw Wall1e,
but he never reverted to the day she had told
him of her engagement. Mother and son, she
began to feel that only with them could she
be herself.
She waited with sort of desperate cour-
age for word from Harrison Miller. What
she wanted that word to be she did not know.
There were, of course, times when she had to
face the possibility that Dick had deliberate
w cut himself off from her. After all, there
had never been any real reason why he should
care for her.
Then, one night at dinner, telegram was