Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-23
THE BREAKING POINT
BY MARY ROBERTS RINEHART


SynOpsis-There is something mys-
terious about the past of DR.. Dick Liv-
ingstone, who lives with his adopted I'M
Gle, DR.. David Livingstone, in the little
suburban village of Haverly. Dick is in
love with Elizabeth, a gentle, self-sacri-
ficing girl, quite different from her mar
ried sister Nina. Wallie Sayre the
wealthiest youth in the town, also is in
love with Elizabeth. Dick and Elizabeth
plan to go to the theater Wednesday
night to see the famous actress, Beverly
Carlysle, in 1.-THE Valley" Dick falls into
a reverie, thinking how he had always
intended to go back to Wyoming to clear
up the mystery in his life, Now go on
with the story.
JUST when he had fallen in love with
Elizabeth Wheeler he did not know. He
~ had gone away to the war, leaving her
little girl, apparently, and he had come
back to find her a woman. He did not even
know he was in love, at first 1t was when,
one day, he found himself driving past the
Wheeler house without occasion that he be-
gan to grow uneasy.
The future at once became extraordinarily
important and so also, but somewhat less vi
tally, the past. Had he the right to marry,
if he could make her care for him?
He sat in his chair by the window the night
after the Homer babys arrival, and faced his
situation. Marriage meant many things. 1t
meant love and cOmpanionship, but it also
meant, should mean, children. Had he the
right to go ahead and live his life fully and
happily? Was there any chance that, out
of the years behind him, there would come
some forgotten thing, some faint or incident,
to spoil the carefully woven fabric of his
life?
Not his life Hers.
On the Monday night after he had asked
Elizabeth to go to the theater, he went into
David's office and closed the door, Lucy
alive In tho oil
heard him go in, and rocking in her chair
overhead, her hands idle in her lap, waited in
tense anxiety for the interview to end She
thought she knew what Dick would ask, and
David would answer. And in a way, David
would be right. Dick, fine. Iovable upstand-
ing Dick, had a right to the things other
men had, to love and home of his own, to
children, to his own full life.
But suppose Dick insisted clearing
everything up before he married? For to
Lucy it was unthinkable that any girl in her
senses would refuse him. Suppose he went
back to Norada? He had not changed great
ly in ten years. He had been well known
there, a conspicuous figure.
Her mind began to turn on the possibility
Of keeping him away from Norada.
Some time later she heard the office door
open and then close with Dicks character
istic slam. He came up the stairs, two at
time as was his custom, and knocked at her
door. When he came in she saw what DAY.
ids answer had been, and she closed her eyes
for instant.
put on your things" he said gaily, land
We'll take a ride on the hill-tops. I've ar
ranged for moon.
"You look happy, Dick" she said visit
fully.
IT am happy, Aunt Lucy" he replied, and
bending over, kissed her.
On Wednesday he was. in state of alter
mating high spirits and periods of silence.
Even Minnie noticed it.
1t was when he was ready to go out that
night that Lucys fears were realized. He
came in, as usual when anything unusual
was afoot, to let her look him over. He knew
that she waited for him, to give his tie a final
pat, to inspect the laundering of his shirt
bosom, to pick imaginary threads off his
dinner coat.
He Strengthened.
"How do you think David is?" he asked,
unexpectedly.
Better than he has been in years. Why?"
Because I'm thinking of taking a little
trip. Only ten days." he added, seeing her
face.
She dropped the brush, and he stopped to
pick it up. That gave her a moment
'Where?" she managed
''To Dry River, by way of Norado.'
"Why should you go there?" she asked
ION the other hand, why shouldn't I go
back to Norada?" he asked, with an affec-
tation of lightness. Then he put his hand on
her shoulder. why shouldn't go back and
clear things up in my own mind? Why
shouldn't I find out, for instance, that I am
a free man."
you are free"
"I've got to know" he said, almost dog
gedly. II can't take a chance. I believe I
am. believe David, of course. But anyhow
I'd like to see the ranch. I want to see Mag
gle Donaldson"
"She's not at the ranch, Her husband died,
you know"
II have an idea can find her." he said.
"Ill make good try, anyhow"
Elizabeth was waiting for him in the liv-
ing-room, in the midst of her family. She
looked absurdly young and very lovely, and
he had momentary misgiving, that he was
old to her, and that-heaven save the mark:
that she looked up to him. He considered
the overcoat incident, and making an exit
ing taken off his overcoat in the hall, tried
| to put on Mr.. Wheelers instead in his excite