Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-30
THE BREAKING POINT
BY Mary ROBERTS RINEHART

dren to see, and makes good. 1t isn't hard to
suppose that neither of those two people
wants the thing revived, is it"
David cleared his throat.
'You mean, then that there Is danger OF
such a revival?"
81 think there is" Gregory said bitterly.
ct recognized this man last night, and called
a fellow who knew him in the old days Saun-
ders, our stage manager. And newspaper
man named Bassett wormed it out OF Saun-
ders You know what that means"
David heard him clearly but though from
a great distance
you can see how it appears to Bassett. If
he's found it, it's the big story OF lifetime.
l thought he'd better be warned"
When David said nothing, but sat holding
tight to the arms of his old chair, Gregory
reached for his hat and got up.
"The thing for him to do" he said, is to
leave town for a while. This Bassett is
hound-dog on a scent. They all are. He is
Bassett of the Times-Republican. And he
took Jud-he took your nephew's automobile
license number
Still David sat silent, and Gregory moved
to the door.
"Get him away tonight if you can"
THANK you David said. His voice was
thick. II appreciate your coming"
He got up dizzily, as Gregory said, Good
evening"" and went out. The room seemed
very dark, and unsteady, and not quite fami-
liar. So this what had happened, after
all the safe years! A man could work and
build and pray, but if his house was built on
the sand
AS the outer door closed with a slam Da.
vid fell to the floor with crash.
" ASSET lounged outside the neat privet
X hedge which it was Harrison Miller's
custom to clip with his own bachelor
hands, and waited.
He was tempted to ring the bell again.
pretend to have forgotten something, and
perhaps happen in one what might be drama
of rather high order; providing the man
was Clark after all, it was fairly sure to be
drama. He discarded the idea however, and
began his interestd survey of the premises.
He smiled, rather grimly, as he reflected
that, If Gregory had been right in his iden-
tifcaton, he was beyond those windows just ,
then, very possibly warning Clark against
himself. Gregory would know his type, that
he never let go. He drew himself up lit
tie.
The house door opened, and Gregory came
out, turning toward the station. Bassett
caught up with him and put hand on his
arm.
'wen?" he said cheerfully. cit was,
wasn't it?"
Gregory stopped dead and stared at him.
Then:
"Old dog Tray" he said sneeringly.
If your brain was as good as your nose,
Bassett, you'd be a whale of a newspaper
man"
Don't bother about my brain. It's work
ing fine today, anyhow. Well what had he
to say for himself?"
Gregory's mind was busy, and he had had
a moment to pull himself together.
eve both get off together he said more
amiably. THAT fellow isn't Jud Clark and
never was. He's doctor, and the nephew
of the old doctor there. They're in practice
together
did you see them both?"
Bassett eyed him. Either Gregory was a
good actor, or the whole trail ended there
after all. He himself had felt, after his in
teryiew with Dick, that the scent was false.
'|Well that's that. He certainly looked
like Clark to me-"
"I'll say he did,
Rather surprised him. didn't your"
ooh, he was all right" Gregory said. tI
didn't tell him anything, of course"
II was after you, all right" he said, cheer
fully. But if I was barking up the wrong
tree, I'm done. don't have to be hit on the
head to make me stop"
He turned and started back up the street
again, walking idly. His chargrin was very
real. He hated to be fooled and fooled he
had been. Then, Unexpectedly, he was hailed
from the curbstone, and he saw with amaze
ment that it was Dick Livingstone.
'Take you anywhere?" Dick asked. How's
the headache?"
Better, thanks Bassett stared at him.
"No, I'm just walking around until train
time. Are you starting out or going home,
at this hour?''
"Going home. Well, glad the heads bet
ter"
He drove on, leaving the reporter gazing
after him. So Gregory had been lying. He
hadn't seen this chap at all. Then why
He walked on, turning this new phase of the
situation over in his mind. Why this fiction,
II Gregory had merely gone in, waited for
ten minutes and come out again?
IF
Something had happened inside the house to
convince Gregory that he was right. He had
seen somebody, or something.
He saw Dick stop in front Of the house. get
out and enter. And coming to decision,
he followed him and rang the door-beIl.
For long time no one answered. Then the
maid opened the door, her eyes red with cry
ing and looked at him with hostility.
''Dr. Richard Livingstone?"
"You can't see him"
cts important.
WELL you can't see him. DR. David has
just had a stroke. He's in the office now, on
the floor
She closed the door on him, and he turned
md went away. 1t was all clear to him. Greg
Dry had SEEN not Clark but the older man:
had told him and gone away. And under the
shock the older man had collapsed. That
was sad. It was very sad. But it was also
extremely convincing.
Continued I'm the next Issue. Renew your
now. We canont supply back
issues.
Copyright, 1923, by Mary Roberts Rine-
hart. Published by arrangement with Nc
Clure's Magazine)