Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-18
Don't Fail to Read This Thrilling Story

ask before. What has become OF
the Carlysle grip"
She left the stage. There was q
sort of general conviction that she
was implicated and-I don't know
Lucy. Sometimes, 1 think she
was" He sighed. 1T read something
about her coming back, some months
ago, in The Valley That was the
thing she was playing the spring
before it happened" He turned on
her. Don't get that in your head
That's gone, with the rest"
1T wonder, sometimes"
ST know it,"
Outside, the slamming of an auto
mobile door announced Dicks return
and almost Immediately Minnie rang
the old-fashioned gong that hung in
the lower hall. Mrs. Crosby got up
"She must be in her thirties
now" she said.
"ProbabIy." Then his anger AND
anxiety burst out. What difference
can it make about her? About
Donaldson's wife? About any hang
over from that rotten time? They're
gone, all of them. He's here. He's
safe and happy. He's strong and
fine. That's enough"
In the low hall Dick was taking
off his overcoat.
eli, up there"' he called Justify
"Come and feed a starving man. I'm
going to muffle the doorbell!"
He stood smiling up at them. Very
tidy in his Sunday suit, very boyish
for all his thirty-two years. His face
smiling tender as he watched them
was strong rather than handsome
quietly dependable and family
humorous.
In his eyes there was not only
| tenderness, but a somewhat EN-
phasized affection, as though he
meant to demonstrate, not only to
them but to himself. that this new
thing that had come to him did not
touch their old relationship. For
the new thing had come. He was
still slightly daZed with the knowl
edge of it, and considerably anxious
/ Because he had just taken a glance
at himself in the mirror of the wal
nut hat-rack, and he had seen moth
ing there particularly to inspire
well, to inspire what he wanted tC
inspire.
At the foot Of the stairs he drew
Lucys arm through his, and held
her hand. She seemed very small
and frail beside him.
Some day." he said, "a strong
wind will come along and carry of
Mrs. Lucy Crosby, and the Drs
Livingstone will be obliged to rent
aeroplanes, and search for her al
various elevations"
DR.. David sat down and picked uI
the old-fashioned carving knife.
Get the clubs?" he inquired.
Dick looked almost stricken.
"Oh, I forgot them, David" he
said guiltliy. Jim Wheeler went tt
look them up and TN go back
after dinner. I'm awfully sorry"
1t was some time later during the
meal that Dick, whose thoughts hat
been elsewhere, looked up from his
plate and turning to David said:
"I'd like to cut office hours or
Wednesday night, David. I've asked
Elizabeth Wheeler to go into towr
to the theater."
What are you going to see
Dick?" Mrs. Crosby, asked gently
will you have some dumplings?'
why, it's called The Valley
think. An actress named Carlysle
Beverly Carlysle, is starring in it
and seems to be quite a success"
He ate on, his mind not on his
food, but back in the white house
Ion Palmer lane, and a girl. Lucy
Crosby, fork in air, stared at him
and then glanced at David.
But David did not look up from
his plate.
The wheeler house was good
modern and commonplace. Walter
Wheeler and his wife were like the
house. Just as here and there
among the furniture there was =
fine thing, an antique highboy, E
Sheraton sideboard or some old GU
glass. so they had, with a certain
mediccrity, their own outstanding
virtues. They liked music, believed
in the home as the unit of the
nation, and devoted their lives tt
their children.
But they saw life reaching out anC
taking them, one by one. They saw
them still as children, but as chill
dren determined to bear their owr
burdens, live their own lives. jim
stayed out late sometimes, and con
sidered his manhood in question il
Intercepted. Nina was married ;ant
out of the home. There remained
only Elizabeth, and on her theS
lavished the care and attention
which was formerly divided among
the three. She was tenderer thar
the others, more docile and gentle
They saw her, not as a healthy
normal girl, but as something fragile
and very precious.
Nina was very different from
Elizabeth. They had always wor
ried a little about Nina, although
they had never put their anxiety tt
each other. Nina had always over
run her dress allowance, although
she had never failed to be sweetly
penitent about it, and Nina had al
ways placed an undue emphasis or
things. Her bedroom before hel
marriage was cluttered with odd:
and ends, cotillion favors and photo
graphs, college pennants and small
unwise purchases.
For Nina's passion for things was
inherent, persisting after her mar
riage. She discounted her birthdays
and Christmas in advance, coming
around to his office a couple o.
months before the winter holiday,
and needing something badly.
TITS like this, daddy" she would
say. You're going to give me E
check for Christmas anyhow, aren't
you? And 1t would do me more
good now.
He would get out his check-bool
and write check slowly ant
thoughtfully, and tearing it off hi
would say:
Now, remember, Nina, this is fo1
Christmas. Don't feel aggrieveC