Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-12
CHAPTER XVIII
Vlha nivine Fire

The Divine Fire
~ ACK in town Lorry was hardly settled
* in her new home, when Coralie Wells
announced her engagement She brought
her iance to call on Lorry, who maryeled at
this strange new Coralie; this flushed and RAJ
diant girl who had nevertheless shyness
about her, starriness in her eyes that had
never been there before and a dignity that sat
strangely on her shoulders
Lorry always had been fond of Coralie, but
she had never dreamed that Corale possessed
depths of character. She had always been a
creature Of gay enthuSiasmS Lorry had
never seen her serious, but now everything
was changed. She was no longer a girl; she
was woman In love. Her voice had deep
er cadence she had aslook of secrets in her
eyes, and when by chance her look encounter
ed that of her lover, she flushed to the roots
OF her hair. and in spite of herself her voice
would shake little as she tried to go on
with what she had been saying.
To see Coralie this way filled Lorry with a
sharp pain, and puzzled her not a little. Cora
lie loved Jim Ford in such a strange breath
less way, she was so ecstaticalIy happy and
Lorry. who had no other standard of COM
parison save her own love for Tom, could not
understand such love. Her love for Tom
had been quiet, serene, steady affection, and
still was, for her heart told her that she still
cared. But Coralie's love was different 1t
was heady. unrestrained emotion, the depths
of which Lorry could not probe, and, al
though Lorry was glad of Coralie's happiness
it only served to intensity her own misery
and the futility of trying to play the game as
Courtney's wife.
Once, when the two girls were alone to-
gether, Coralie stammered out hating con-
fession to Lorry. Coralie, shy and difideNt!
Coralie, who had always scattered her con-
fidences to the four winds; who had never
before seemed to possess any discretion.
1T makes me little ashamed, when
think of the way used to talk about love- .
she said very slowly. 'Of course, I suppose
all girls rave about things they know moth
ing about-but, oh, Lorry, that this should
have come to me. Jims want of me! can
not understand 1t. Oh, shouldn't be talk
ing like this, but somehow / feel that you
understand, and know that you will never
speak of it. And, dear, hope you will for
give me for saying this, but now that | know
what love can mean between man and a
woman. I'm so glad that you didn't make the
mistake of marrying Tom Tom could never
have aroused any depths of feeling in you.
or course, you know all that. You're mar
ried to the man you love. Lorry just think,
some day I'll be Jim's wife, I'll belong to
him!"
And Corahe, with flaming cheeks, seemed
to be looking into a future that held visions
too wonderful to be shared
Lorry felt as if Coralie had plunged a sharp
knife into her heart. and was turning it slow
ly with every word she spoke. II came to
Lorry in flash that Coralies love for Jim
was very much like Courtney's love for her.
1t wasn't a serene, steady affection; it was a
sharp, driving need, flaming. glowing thing,
before which Lorry's heart quailed. 1t was
that in Courtney that terrified her most. She
had never experienced such feeling. Even
with Toms arms about her, she had felt only
a supreme contentment, a serene. quiet kind
of Joy, and she was satisfied with that, she
had never wanted anything more
Was it possible that her love for Tom had
been wanting in certain things? Was this
love, this flaming, restless thing that Coralie
felt? Or wasn't it possible that love was diff
ferent in different people? That was it! And
Lorry tried to believe that she was entirely
satisfied with her own explanation Of it.
Continued Saturday. Renew your subscrip-
ton now. so as not to miss chapter of this
captivating story.