Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-17
CHAPTER Xxx
Depression

fk/N F course I'm happy" Lorrys tone
~ was almost defiant. why shouldn't
be? Haven't everything to make
me happy?"
Don't misunderstood me, dear" Coralie
spoke very gently, "but I just wondered. You
made up your mind about Courtney so soon
after you decided not to marry Tom, and npne
of us knew the reason why the wedding was
called off"
"I think you could have guessed the
reason. You didn't any of you approve of
Tom. You must have decided that it was some
delinquency of his" Lorrys remark was so
bitter that, Coralie drew back, shocked
"LorryI don't tell me that you still think
Of Tom; that you're sorry you didn't marry
him.
"And if I ann"
ooh, Lorry, Lorry darling, you make me
afraid for you!"
Instantly Lorry threw back her head and
laughed
Don't be a goose. Coralie. How easy you
are to string along. Where's your sense of hu-
NOR? I swear you've lost it entirely since
you've become engaged to Jim
Coralie dimpled and drew long breath of
relief.
'Wel1. I was frightened. For moment
YOU spoke as if you were in earnest"
Lorry forced another gay laugh, and for
the rest of Coralie's stay she was almost her
old self. She talked animatedly, she laughed
often. Spots of reat color rose in her cheeks
under the rouge, and her eyes were very
bright as Coralie's own. although it was the
brightness of forced excitement rather than
actual enthusiasm.
The minute Coralie left however, the re-
action set in. That brief period of forced ami
nation had seemingly exhausted all Lorry's
powers, and she dropped visibly. Her bright
hair ruffed about her face looked as though
it had drawn all the vitality of the girls body
up into the shining waves, and as she sank
back on her couch she realized that it was
growing late.
The days since her return to the city had
seemed like years, and the hours of each day
had been only respite, time of waiting for
Courtney to come home.
1t did not matter what she did, nor where
she was jusha soon as it was late afternoon
she began to feel the pull of Courtney's COM
polling personality drawing her back to the
apartment. The thing had begun to get on her
nerves; it was sapping her strength, and yet
whenever she was with her husband she
managed to hide her dread from him. She
was still making an effort to play the game.
Now as she lay on the couch with her head
buried in the bright chintz pillows, her
Thoughts wandered to Tom. How different
everything would be if she were married to
him. How different would be her feelings as
she waited for him to come home to dinner.
Even with the knowledge that he was I'M
worthy, that she could not trust him. she
could not possibly feel as she did now. There
would be no dread of him. There had never
been any Oppressiveness about Toms love, no
demand, fiery intensity such as there was
about Courtney's And yet there were times
when she fought this feeling in herself for
her attitude. Why should she blame Courtney
for his love for her? 1t was Just a silly no
ton on her part She ought to be able to con-
troll her nerves, she ought TO bring her sense
Of humor to bear on the situation. Courtney
was fine, he was splendid she trusted him
she even admired him. If he had been an &C
qualntance she would have liked him, but she
had never known him save as lover and hus-
band, and the intensity of his love for her
prevented her from Judging him dispassion-
ately as she would have any other man
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