Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-18
DESTINY'S CHILD
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR

BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
What has gone befOre-COurtney
Harrington induces Lorry. Granville to
marry him just after she has discovered
that Tom RansOme, the man she really
loves, is unworthy. Lorry does not love
her husband and his love for her is so
intense that it frightens her. After her
marriage LOrry still yearns over Tom,
and when she discovers finally that she
is to become a mother she is very re-
bellious. COurtney's love is so intense
that it frightensher, and as the time
passes his vitality seems to sap her
strength. The night her baby is born
she scretams out in her delirium al her
aversion to her husband, and Courtney
resolves to make no further attempt to
hold her. He moves over to the club,
but during her cOnvalescence, LOrry
seems to have forgotten her fear Of her
husband in the ecstasy of motherhood.
She realizes, too, that her love for Tom
has been swallowed up in her love for
her son. One evening Courtney calls up
and asks if she is well enough TO give
him a short interview, inasmuch as
there is a great deal to be settled
Now go on with the story.
CHAPTER XLVII
Playing With Fire
"THY was she taking the trouble to be
Nv so nice to him? 1t actually seemed
W as if she were in no hurry for him
to depart and certainly he had never known
her to be 50 friendly, so entirely unafraid.
Of course, the fact that she was once more
physically we'll had something to do with
it, but in the past when he had first known
her, she had never been at ease with him
as she was now.
Was it because she had so entirely made
up her mind, and was so sure of herself that
she could bring herself to treat him as she
would any ordinary acquaintance? That
seemed
was he could not let her try him too far,
He was too aware Of his own limitations
he did not dare take chances lest he lose
self-control, and that would mean throw
ing his pride to the winds.
Courtney" Lorry's voice was very soft.
IT don't want to be selfish about this thing.
There's the baby, you know; he's half you15.
want you to feel that you can see him
whenever you like"
"I've never seen him!" he said abruptly
you've never seen him?" Lorry repeated
the words incredulously. 81 thought, of
course, that you had been here. "Why-l
don't understand"
Il left the house before he was born"
But why?"
He looked at her from under narrowed
lids. She didn't know then! She had no
memory of what she had said in her de-
lirium.
Lorry leaned forward, her slim body tense.
Courtney, there's something you're keeping
from me, what is ito"
You were delirious, you know" he said
deliberately, "you wanted NE to go.1
oh" Lorry sank back in her chair her
cheeks suddenly scarlet. No one lad told
her that she had said things in her de-
lirium. And what had she said? How far
had she gone in revealing the absurd fear
that she had always had where her husband
was concerned Those queer f2pcics that
kad Obsessed her, hal she talked Of them?
t., Io. ,ir,fJ cha |, ~,
eagle who at any moment would swo0p
Gown on her; even now, her heart leaped in
her throat at Tho mcmory Of his arms
1cund her like bands Of steel, his c&ge".
insistent lips. But for some strange reason
she was no longer afraid, and that fac was
incredible.
I'm sorry" she said, "sorry ana
ashamed. 1 wouldn't have had it happen
for anything in the world. You believe me,
don't you? Oh, say you do!' In her eager
ness she again leaning forward.
81 believe you" he said very quietly, and
for a moment there was silence between
them. Then Lorry spoke again.
"WOuld you like 10 see the bTby?"
Emotion leaped up in him. Hhe baby
His son and hers! The link that was to
have bound her more closely to him, that
was to have given her more entirely into
his keeping, but that instead had been the
means of her freedom and now stood as q
successful barrier between them.
He raised his head slowly AMI his gesture
of Indifference was supreme in it's arrogance.
Il think not. The baby is yours, and in tbs
years to come l want no thought of me
hanging over your head There must be a
clean cut, that your freedom will be
complete. When you have thought it ove&.
am sure you will agree with me-" His
voice was devoid of all feeling, and in
Lorrys eyes there slowly dawned a look
of hurt amazement, which Courtney because
bn Mt bpr i11ct
see.
Thursday-"LThe Boomerang" Renew
your supbscriptiOn now so as not to miss an
installmcnt of this splendid story.