Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-06-26
DESTINY'S CHILD
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR


What has gone before. - Courtney
Harrington has queer influence over
Lorry Granville, and when Tom Ran
some the man she has promised to mar
ry proves unworthy Lorry yields to
Herrington's demand that she marry
him. On the day before her marriage
Tom comes to see her. He pleads that
she take him back, but, in spite of her
love for him, Lorry sends him away.
Now go on with the story.
CHAPTER xI
Marriage
T ORRY was a most apathetic bride. She
1 had reached a state of mind on her
- wedding day when she could not lon
ger pretend, and yet Mrs. GrenvilIe attrib-
uted everything to natural girlish shyness.
She liked Courtney Harrington so much that
she could not believe that Lorry as/marry-
ing him for any reason other than the fact
that she loved him, and she imagined, as SO
many older people do that Lorry was feeling
the strain of the past few weeks and would
be all right as soon as she was married
and away.
Lorry had said nothing to her mother
about Toms appearance the day before, and
she had pledged Annie to secrecy. But in
consequence of it she had not closed her eyes
all night, and as the hour of the ceremony
drew near her nervousness approached a
point where she felt that she would scream
aloud.
If she had been weak she probably would
have succumbed to an attack of hysteria but
pride held her up, and, in spite of her nerv-
BUSINESS she was outwardly calm. But when
it came time to dress and her eyes wandered
from her mirror to the bed where lay the
gray going-away gown with its gray fur col
lar and cuffs, she felt for moment that she
would break down.
With what joy and happy expectation had
she planned and, chosen that goingaway
dress. She was to have worn it on the big
day of her life, the day that would have
made her Toms wife, and now--the vision
of Courtney'st dark face rose before her, In
imagination she could feel his arms about
her like bands of Steel his passionate lips
on hers, and that feeling of being engulfed,
swept off her feet, increased her nervousness
to the point of torture.
She could have borne anything more easily
than the fact that he loved her much. She
would have been glad if only she could have
left to him the problem of their happiness.
He was so sure of winning her love- so con-
fdent; then, why worry about her own feel
ings? She was certain of one thing, and that
was of the fact that she would be safe with
him. He would protect her from any more
hurt, he would successfully barricade Tom
from her life. And yet she was afraid be-
cause she knew that she could never love
him. There might have been chance if her
feelings toward him were one of Indifference,
but the dread of she knew not what hung
over her and made her feel stiff and unnat-
ural, like an automaton instead of a living,
breathing woman.
Standing before the altar with Courtney
by her side, she saw everything through a
blur. Her head ached violently, the room
seemed going around and yet all the while
she was conscious of the fact that she was
being married. Courtney was too virile for
her not to be aware Of his presence, and when
the time came for him to take her hand and
slip his ring upon her finger little shock
went through her body at the warm pressure
Of his fingers. Her own hand was cold and
unresponsive, and when 1t was all over and
Courtney took her in his arms she could not
control the little shiver that went through
her The words had been said that changed
LorGy Granville to Mrs. Courtney Harrington.
She was no longer a free agent her will was
subject to her husbands and Tom must be
banished even from her thoughts now that
she was another mans wife
Her mothers arms warm about her, her
mothers SOFT perfumedr cheek against her
own reused Lorry at last from her apathy,
and she chung desperately around Mrs. Gren-
Ville's neck, fighting with all her might for
control.
Mrs. Grenville felt the trembling OF the
slight body, and held Lorry close, but over
the girls bent head her eyes sought the dark
ones of Courtney Harrington and were con-
tent. He would take care of Lorry, he would
make her happy. She had no scruples about
giving Lorry to this man, and she was only
too grateful for the fact that it was not Tom
Ransome.