Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-25


hlance I'm darned if I know. Look at
the facts! He's supposed to be dead Ten
years dead. His moneys been split up d
dozen ways from the ace Then-l Kno"
him. you know don't think even ne
would have the courage to come here and
sit through a performance. Although Jud
Clark had the nerve for anything.
Bassett gave him a cigar and went out
into the aleywGy that led to the street.
Once there, he stood still and softly whis-
led. Jud Clark! If that was Dudson
Clark, he had the story of lifetime
For some time he walked the deserted
streets of the city, thinking and puzzling
over the possibility of Gregory's being
right Sometime after midnight he went
back to the office, and to the filing room.
There, for two hours, he sat reading closely
old files of the paper.
1t was all there; the fabulous Clark for
tune inherited by boy who had gone mad
about this same Beverly Carlysle, her mar
riage to her leading man. Howard Lucas.
the subsequent killing of Lucas by Clark
at his Wyoming ranch, and Clark's escape
into the mountains. Immense wealth, gifts
of ropes of pearls, the sensational details
of Clark's infatuation, the drama of his
escape, and the later certainty of his death
in a mountain Storm. The story had filled
the newspapers of the time for weeks. JUDI
son Clark had been famous, notorious, in
A shameful and somehow pitiful story.
But if Judson Clark had died, the story
still lived. Every so often it came up
again. Three years before, he had been de-
clared legally dead, and his, vast estates,
as provided by the will of old Elihu Clark,
had gone to universities and hospitals, but
now and then came a rumor. Jud Clark
was alive. He was living in India; he had
cattle ranch in Venezuela. He had been
seen on the streets of New Orleans.
Bassett ran over the situation in his
mind.
First then, grant that Clark was still liv.
ing, and had been in the theater that night.
grant, for instance, that Clark was capable
OF sitting, with a girl beside him, through a
performance by the woman for whom he had
wrecked his life, of a play he had once
known from the opening line to the tag. To
grant that he could laugh and applaud, and
at the drop of the curtain go calmly away,
with such memories behind him as must be
his.
At half-past two he closed hi memorandum
book, stuffed it into his pocket, and started
for home. AS he passed the Ardmore hotel
he looked up at it's windows. Gregory would
have told her, probably.
No. What they might see and dread, know
ing he had had hint of a possible situation,
was the revival of the old story she had tried
so hard to live down. She was ambitious and
there are some types of publicity that are
not assets in a stage career. There might be
other reasons, too That long retirement of
hers, for instance. Had j. been entirely
grief?
\ He slowed down, absorbed in deep thought
1t was queer story. 1t might be even more
queer than it seemed Gregory had been
frightened rather than startled
He wondered what she had done when
GergOry had told her.
AS matter of fact, she had shown less anx-
iety than her brother. Still pale and shock.
ed, he had gone directly to her dressing room
when the curtain was rung down, had tapped
and gone in. She was sitting YEARLY in a
chair, cigarette between her fingers. Around
was the usual litter of stage dressing room
after the play, the long shelf beneath the mir
ror crowded with powders, rouge and pencils,
bunch of roses in the corner washstand
basin, a great wardrobe trunk, and maid
covering with cheesecloth bags the evenings
costumes
cit went all right. I think, Fred
eyes, he said absently. GO on out, Alice.
I'll let you come back in few minutes"
He waited until the door closed.
whats the matter?" she asked rather
eff IT'S more quarreling in the
company don't want to hear it. I'm tired
Then she took full look at him and sat up.
Fired! What is it,"
He gave her the truth, brutally and at once.
81 think Judson Clark was in the house
tonight
81 don't believe it,"
Neither would I, if somebody told me-"
he agreed sullenly. 81 saw him. Don't you
suppose l know him? And if you don't be-
1ieve me, call Saunders. I got him out front.
He knows"
"You called Saunders!"
'Why not? I tell you. Bev, was nearly
crazy. I'm nearly crazy now"
"What did Saunders say?"
eff he didn't know Clark was dead, he'd
say it was Clark"
"Continued in the next issue. Renew J
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ply back issues.)
Copyright, 1929 by Mary Roberts Rfne+
hart Published by arrangement with Me-
Clures Magazine.)