Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-08
CHAPTER Xiv
The Vigil

TIME doctor came, and as he examined
the child, his face grew serious
Pneumonia he announced gravely
II was afraid of this. Are you the child's
mother"
He stared at Anne curiously, at the slim
figure in the dull blue dress, at the childish
head with its clustering curls and the wide
agoniZed eyes: And as he looked his keen
eyes softened. There was mystery of some
kind here, but that this was the mother, and
that she loved the child devotedly, was self
evident.
We'll do what we can" he said kindly,
"but it's only fair to tell you that 1t will be
battle
Anne nodded. She had not spoken save
to murmur love words into the baby's ears
as she had held the little body close in her
arms before the doctors arrival. But Elinor
had not known her. Her cheeks were flushed
with fever, and her dark eyes, so unlike
Annes tawny ones, were glazed and dull.
She moved her head restlessly on the pillow
and occasionally little whimpers came from
her, small sounds that tore Anne's heart,
and were almost more than she could bear.
"Can you take care of herr" The doctor S
tone again was professional. IF you think
it will be too much for you We'll get nurse. -
But Anne shook hear head quickly and as
fierce.
81 want to do it, want TO do everything
can" Her eyes met his for moment and
then went back to the small restless body in
felt panic of fear we'll up in her, but she
crushed it back Elinor shouldn't die. 1t was
unthinkable!
And through the night, after the doctor had
gone, and Mrs. Higgins was asleep in the next
room, Anne sat lowering over her baby with
that one thought in her heart. God couldn t
take Elinor now, because if He did she would
go mad!
Mercifully, Anne's memory of what had
taken place that afternoon was blurred. For
he no had
tered on the baby, and as she sat there beside
the bed, or went about mechanically fulfill
ing the doctors orders her thoughts travelled
back to the time before she had met John
Steele, that time that she had shuddered away
from even in her thoughts and that even now
brought look of concentrated fear into her
eyes.
One picture after another rose before her
as though to mock her for believing that she
could ever bury the past. She saw herself as
she had been three years ago, girlishly inno-
cent, and eager for whatever life had in store
for her. Then she had married Stanley Bar
ton, and for three years had dragged out an
existence of such utter degradation that her
! girlhood had left her forever and she had
| become a woman, wise in the ways of the
world, and utterly skeptical concerning love.
! What she had not known of men, Stanley had
| taught her, for she learned to think of all men
| as she thought of him--With utter lOathlng.
Every dream of beauty that had ever been
| hers, he crushed ruthlessly beneath his heel,
and if it had not been for her pride, some
thing in her that Stanley couldn't reach, she
would never have survived her life with him.
Hundreds of times she had been on the point
of running away, but she had been afraid
to do that. afraid that he would find her and
bring her back, afraid of the punishment that
he might devise for her when he had her
again in his power
Stanley Barton was not only crude and
brutal; he was cunning and sly He had no
intention of letting Anne get away from him
and he emphasized that fact by telling her
that she'd better not try anything of the
kind if she knew what was good for her.
Next, Facing the Past" Renew your sub
scription now, so rs not to miss chapter OF
this fine story.