Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-07

J my girl?" angry voice demand
ed and before Bruce could collect
himself he was knocked down. Quickly on his
feet again, he clinched with Downey, and for
a few moments they swayed back and forth,
neither gaining an advantage. Then Bruce
broke loose and the fight was on. DOwney
was big and fat, his heavy frame making
Bruce look even more slender than he was.
But Downey in all save size was no match
for the younger man, who blocked most of
his blows while landing his own solidly. Not
that Bruce escaped punishment. He did not.
His coat was torn and his face cut and bleed
ing. But finally his right fist struck Downey
sQuarely on the point of the chin and sent
him sprawling on the ground.
Bruce leaned over him to see If he was
breathing, then turned and walked rapidly
away. The excitement of the fight over-he
knew Downey would soon recover-he began
to think of the consequences. Would he in
inre Lulu? How he to explain his plight
to Murel? 1t wasn't late and she would be
up, waiting. His face had struck the edge of
the stoop when Downey took him unawares.
He wiped the blood away, arranged his tum-
bled clothes and hurried along. His head
ached and his face would not stop bleeding.
"Oh, Bruce! What is the matter? What has
happened?" MurieI cried, for once forgetting
herself. "Are you hurt, dear?"
Nothing to make a fuss over My head
hurts, that's ALL
She made him lie down, brought cloths and
water and washed the nasty cut with trem-
bling fingers, then bound it up. Then she ques-
toned him again.
II stumbled and fell, he told her, "cut my
head on the curb
\"But how did you tear your coat? Look"
She held it up for his inspection.
II suppose in getting up-don't talk,
please; my head aches fearfully.''
She asked no more questions but fused
over him, petting him, telling him she would
have died if anything had happened to him.
eff you had come home with me it
wouldn't have happened" She said. Those
men always had a bad influence over you"
Bruce sensed that she thought he had been
drinking with his dinner companions and
breathed more easily. Let it go at that He'd
rather she thought him intoxicated than
have her learn about his fight with Downey.
A fight caused by his visit to Lulu.
Duly he hoped Lulu was SAFE, that DOW
nov hadn't annoyed her The big brute, to
talSa him off his guard. He'd have come OH
without scratch had not it been for that
unexpected attack, the nasty fall DoWney
couldn't fight.
After bit he went to bed and sank INTO
a troubled sleep. When he aWoke his heau
still ached and the bandage was clothed with
blood. He would stop at the oocCoI anu
have it dressed
"The boys will think we have been quar-
rolling" he said. trying to make Muriel stop
fussing and hoping to win smile from her
pale lips. IN.
II don't care what they think! 1t is their
fault you were hurt. The idea of letting you
come home alone when you were in no condi-
tion to do SOL!
81 don't often step over the traces, so
don't scold." He encouraged her belief that
he had been drinking. And I am old enough
to know better, so don't blame anyone but
me-"
The doctor dressed the cut then concealed
it as best he could with strips of plaster. But
it was pale, battered looking Bruce that
entered the office a little later than usual,
and his short explanation that he had fallen
the night before was received with doubtful
shrugs. He knew they thought he had been
drinking. All but Hunter, the man with
whom he had dned When Hunter had the
chance he asked:
What happened. Conway"
Nothing much, Hunter. Just a bit of
scrap with man who held me up On the way
home. Don't say anything about it. Let the
boys think I was booty"
"An right old man, just as you say" But
puzzled look was in his eyes. Held up? For
what? Not robbery, or Conway would have
said so. Oh, well, it was none of his business
and with a shrug Of his shoulders, he turned
away. Yet Bruce knew he wasn't satisfied
with the explanation, and it annoyed him He
fight might come out and that his interest in
Lulu, innocent as he knew it to be, would be
misunderstood.
But the days passed; he and Muriel left for
their short visit to his father and he had not
mentioned the encounter. He promised to see
her upon his return, and hung up, relieved.
DoWney had not troubled her, or she would
have told him.
His father welcomed them lovingly seem
ing not to notice Muriels cold aloofness. The
old man chuckled to himself. He had some
thing up his sleeve that would make her
change her tune, or she was different from
other women. Bruce did not try to hide his
delight at being with his father, although his
Judgment warend him not to show too much
affection before Muriel Mr.. Conway had q
loving nature, had always shown his affec-
ton for his son. He had been father and
mother both, save for the few short months
when Bruce had incurred his displeasure by
quitting college to marry. SO it seemed moth
ing strange to him to throw his arms about
the boy. He never imagined that could be the
cause of Murieps GOODNESS to him.
Continued Tuesday. Renew your subscrip-
uon now so as not to miss a chapter