Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-06

TN HE week that followed was an anxious
one. Davids physical condition slowly
n improved. The slight thickness was
gone from his speech, and he slipped resigned
ly at the broths Lucy or the nurse brought
at regular intervals.
AS it happened, no one in the old house
had seen Margie Donaldson s confession in
the newspaper. Lucy was saved that anxiety,
at least. Appearing, as it did, the morning
after Davids stroke, it came in with the
morning milk, lay about unnoticed and
passed out again, to start a fire or line
pantry shelf.
There came to the house steady process
sion of inquirers and bearers of small trib-
ute, flowers and jellies mostly but other
things also David propped up in his
bed, would cheer little at these votive offer
ings and then relapse again into the heavy,
troubled silence that worried Dick and
frightened Lucy Crosby. Something had hap
pened, she was sure. Something connected
with Dick. She watched David when sDick
was in the room, and she saw that his eyes
followed the younger man with sort of
terror in them
She wondered, sometimes, if it was after
all, because of Dicks growing interest in
Elizabeth Wheeler. She knew that he was
seeing her daily, although he was too busy
| now for more than a hasty call. She felt
that she could even tell when he had seen
her; he would come in, glowing and almost
exalted, and as if to make UP for the mo-
ments stolen from David, would leap up the
stairs two at a time and burst into the in
valid's room like cheerful cyclone. Wasn't
it possible that David had begun to feel as
she did, that the girl was entitled to clean
slate before she pledged herself to Dick?
And the slate-poor Dick-couId never be
cleaned.
Then one day David astonished them He
was propped up in his bed, and he had de-
manded cigar, and been very gently but
HQ had rath lxU
about it, and Dick had been attempting to
rally him into better humor when he sud
denly interrupted.
I've had time to think things over, Dick"
hesaid. Il haven't been fair to you. You're
thrown away here. Besides" he hesitated
| Then: 1--WE might as we'll face it. The day
of general practitioner has gone"
What I've been thinking" David pursued
his own train of thought, sis this: I want
you to go to Johns Hopkins and take up the
special work you've been wanting to do. I'll
be up and around in week.
Call the nurse Aunt Lucy" said Dick
Hes raving."
"Not at all,' David retorted testify. give
told YOU. This whole town only comes here
| now to be told what specialist to go to, and
you know it,
II don't know anything of the Sort
eff you don't, it's because you won't face
the facts
She went out after time, leaving them at
it hammer and tongs. David was vanquished
in the end, but Dick, going down to the office
| later on was puzzled. Somehow, it was borne
on him that behind Davids insistence was a
reason, unspoken but urgent, and the only
reason that occurred to him as possible was
that David did not, after all, want him to
marry Elizabeth Wheeler. He put hte matter
| to the test that night, wondering in, as was
! his custom before going to bed, in dressing
| gown, for a brief chat
| "A few nights ago, David, / asked you if
| you thought it would be right for me to mar
ry; if my situation justified it, and if to your
knowledge there was any other reason why
[ could mot or should not. You said there
was not
! But now you want me to go away To
leave her. You're rather urgent about it..
And feel--well, 1 begin to think you have
a reason for it,"
| David clenched his hands, under the bed
clothing, but his eyes met Dick fairly.
''Shes a godo girl he said. And she's
entitled to more than you give her, the
way things are
"That is presupposing that she cares for
me. I haven't an idea that she does. That
she may, in time. Then, that's the reason Tor
this Johns Hopkins thing, is it"
| - 'That's the reason" David said stoutly'
''She would wait for you. She's that sort
I've known her all my life. She's as steady
| as a rock. But she's been brought up to have