Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-15
FLOWING GOLD
BY REX BEACH $50
CHAPTER XX-COntinued


- see her. not havin anything to talk
| about but schools an oil wells, but she took
an interest right away, specially in the wells.
You'd ought to hear the.-story- of her life,
| Mr.. Gray It's as sad as any noEel.v You, see,
| her folks had lots Of money! but her ma died
ana her pa was too busy to, be bothered, SO
he sent her off to convent. Them nuns at
the convent was so cruel to her that she ran
away"
"And went on the stage"
How'd you knoY?' ... .... -...
I 81 didn't. But-zthe stage Is the usual
refuge for conventLbred girls who are abused,
I've met several. Did she---was the old home
| in Virginia?' ....
'"sure! Mebbe you know herl1" Buddy
cried. .-.. 90 ,...-.
perhaps. I seem to remember the story,
What is her name?" - .
| airline Montague"
The elder man shook his head. You said
something about marriage. I dare say she
married SOME rich John whose family disap-
proved of the match-so many show girls
have been deceived like that. You can't i'm
agine the prejudice Of those Fifth Avenue
! parents-"
'"rhat's wlsat she done. NJ he went eff
ar" joined the tvcnc1 Legion ca Hor0m an
was killed. r''--.''' ~- .'''
:.Whst is tie estate you centioned?',a
'Oh, that's her own! It's all sha had to
| fall back on. It's bein' settled up now an
she'll have her money before long T.. 49,.
"The old Virginia homestead and the
slaves-?"
GOOD thing she met me when she did, for
them lawyers had it all tied up in court and
wouldn't let go till she paid their fees.'' " ~
ga provide1tial meetingj truly. You fixed
that up, of course, and got rid of the wretch
ed bloodcuckers.> I've done muchc the same
thing, more than once. Now, one other ques-
tion--how Goes she happen to be in Dallas?
infer from your account that she,is model
of virtue, and that's accepted your aid only
upon the condition that your attentions to
her should be characterized by the deepest re-
spect. So? Well then, how Gomez"
'That was Just lucky change. She's got
some interests here; stocks an things, be-
longin' to the estate. She dunno, herself
how valuable they are, but me comm right
from Texas an bein' in oil an all, she asst
me to hep her out. So I got her to come
All that had KEEP her back was the expense
Mind you"-Buddy's to- became one of
deeper az .-ion-''she amt blue Or any
thing No stree! Her LIES been sad, but
you'd never k1-0w it. She's full of pep; allus
out for fun, an'-that's what 1 like about
her Gee! You gotta meet her, Mr.. Gray"
"Well, rather! Put meanwhile, we, must
telegraph your parents not only that you
have been found, but also the further good
news"
Give better not say anything about my
gcttin' mated"
"Why not? they'd nike o know"
| BuddJ stirred uneasIy, "Why, it's this
way: I haven't asst her yet. Mebbe she
won't have me. If she says yes-I'll let 'em
know"
Good! Well make it, for the time be-
ing, mere message of reinsurance. Tonight
you and Miss Montague shall dine with me
and we'll go to theater
Gray was prepared to find his young
friends light o. love specifically attractive.
and she was all of that. He was not pre-
pared however, to find her quite as good an
actress as she appeared to be. In spite OF
the fact that she probably took less pleasure
in the meeting than did he, she admirably
covered her feelings.
Gray's heart sank as she studied Miss Mon
tague. She was blonde-to his suspicious
eye trifie too blonde-and she wore her hair
bobbed. She was petite and, both in APP
pearance and in mannerism she was girlish
nevertheless, she was self-reliant, and there
was a certain maturity to her welf-rounded
/ figure, suggestion of WEAKNESS about her
eyes that told a story
Following his first critical appraisal, Gray
was vaguely conscious of something familiar
about her; somewhere within him the chords
of remembrance were lightly brushed but try
as he would he could not make himself
believe that he had ever seen her
The elder man played host in his best
and easiest style, both at dinner and at the
theater; then he passed the burden of en-
tertainment over to Buddy first cheerfully
declaring that he would not be sidetracked
and that he intended to impose his company
upon the young couple whether they wanted
him not This was precisely to young
Briskow's liking, and soon they were speed
ing out to a road house mentioned earlier in
| the evening.
| The resort was run on rather liberal prin-
| ciples; a number of flushed and noisy couples
were dancing to the music of a colored
| orchestra. 1t was "hip-pocket'' crowd and
while there was no public drinking, the high
| pitched volubility of the merrymakers was
plainly of alcoholic origin.
Gray realized that he was in for an ordeal,
! for he had become to we'll known to escape
| notice. CONSERVATION filled him, therefore
| at thought of the effect his presence here
might have. But the music went straight to
| Buddy's feet; syncopation intoxicated him
| much as the throbbing of midnight drums
| and the pounding of tom-toms mesmerize {
| voodoo worshiper and he whirIed Miss Mon
| tague away in his arms without so much as
an apology to his other guest.
| There was nothing conservative about
| Buddys dancing. He embellished his steps
with capricious figures, and when he led his
| partner back to the table where he had left
Gray, like sailor marooned upon thirsty
atoll, he was red-faced and perspiring: his
| enthusiasm was boiling over.
| "Dawg- gone!" he cried "Now, if we had
something wet, Ell? These pants is cut pur-
pose for brace of form-fittin' TASKS but
! left em in the room on account of you not
drinkin', Mr.. Gray"
In spite of the fact that Ozark BriskoN
was compelled to sit out every alternate
dance IN distressing condition of sobriety