Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-12

r II e saw that she was profoundly moved,
ii and suddenly he was sorry for the
burden she had carried for the tears
in her eyes.
Dear old Bev!" he said.
She put her head against his shoulder and
cried unrestrainedly, and he held her there,
saying small, gentle soothing things. smooth
ing her hair. But all the time he knew that
life had been playing him another trick; he
felt great tenderness for her and profound
pity, but he did not love her, or want her.
He saw that after all the suffering and walt
ing, the death and exile he was left at the
end with nothing. Nothing at all.
What do you mean to do?" she asked,
after while.
"I don't know. I'll find something
"You won't go back to your work."
II don't see how I can. I'm in hi ling, in
a sort of casual fashion"
To his intense discontinue she began to
cry again. She couldn't go through with it.
She would go back to Norada and tell the
whole thing. She had let Fred influence her,
but she saw now she couldn't do it. But for
the first time she felt that in this one thing
she was not sincere Her grief and abase-
ment had been real enough, but now he felt
she was acting.
Suppose we don't go into that now" he
said gently. you've had about all you can
stand" He got up awkwardy. 81 suppose
you are playing tonight?'
She nodded, looking up at him dumby.
Better lie down, then, and-forget me-"
He smiled down at her.
1--WE never forgotten you, Jud. And now,
seeing you again-I-"
Her face worked. She continued to look
up at him piteously. The appalling truth
came to him then and that part of him which
had remained detached and aloof, watching,
almost smiled at the irony She cared for
him. Out of her memories she had built up
something to care for, something no more
himself than she was the woman of his
dreams; but with this difference, that she
was clinging woman-fashion, to the thing
she had built, and he had watched it crumble
before his eyes.
will you promise to go and rest?"
Eyes. If you say So"
She was acquiescent and humble. Her eyes
were soft, faithful, child-like.
<"Tve suffered so, Jud"
II know"
"You don't hate me, do you?"
/''Why should 1? Just remember this:
while you we're carrying this burden, 1 was
happier than I'd ever been. I'll tell you
about it SOME time"
She got up, and he perceived that she ex-
pected him again to take her in his arms. He
felt ridiculous and resentful and rather as
though he was expected to kiss the hand that
had beaten him, but when she came close to
him he put an arm around her shoulders.
poor Bev!" he said. We've made pretty
much of a mess of it, haven't WEI"
He patted her and let her go, and her eyes
followed him as he left the room. The elder
brotherliness of that embrace had told her
the truth as he could never have hurt her in
words. She went back to the chair where
he had sat, and leaned her cheek against it.
After a time she went slowly upstairs and
into her room. When her maid came in she
found her before the mirror of her dressing
table, staring at her reflection with hard
appraising eyes. 49,.
Leslie went home the following day, leav-
ing Joe to finish the business in New York
His going rather resembled flight. Tossing
sleepless the night before, he had found what
many a man had discovered before him, that