Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-05-19
THE SUPERIOR SEX
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
CHAPTER 40
Katherine Loses Out

YN THE days that followed, Steele was
I swept alternately by feelings of remorse
- and blind fury
He had reached point where it would, not
| be difficult for him to believe that he had
wronged Anne, but the fact remained that she
had had child by another man. Once, not
so long ago, she had loved some one else;
another mans arms had encircled her Steele
found it impossible to contemplate this fact
sanely try as he would to be sensible about
it. 1t almost killed him to know that he hadn t
been the first man in her life, that her re-
spouse to his kisses hadn't been the first of
its kind, and it was that which hardened him
against her even while his reason told him
he hadn't been fair.
That he loved her still, that he wanted her
as much as he always had maddened him be-
cause he looked upon it as a weakness. But
| as the days went by, he knew that he did
want her, his very soul cried out for her, and
he finally came to realize that no matter what
| she had done, it was too late now to uproot
her from his life. He might live apart from
her, he might never see her again, but he
would never forget her. and life could hold
no happiness for him without her.
! While he was in this frame Of mind, he
went one evening to call on Katherine Cleve-
| land
She was surprised to see him, although she
was clever enough not to show it, and she
eXerted herself to be charming and clever
and brilliant. But tonight Steele did not feel
that contact between their minds that had so
interested him. She did not bring him peace
and serenity because his thoughts were too
full of Anne, and he saw in Katherine only
very beautiful, rather cold woman, who
! talked extremely we'll, but who was too fault
lessly perfect.
AS he talked with her he could not help
wondering whether she would ever be tempt
ed to do anything through blind impulse, and
he decided against it. She was woman
! whose head ruled her heart and always
would while Anne-his heart leaped as it
had in the old days, and he had a sudden
| longing to see her, 4 longing that was like
! the most intense pain.
| Katherine spoke to him, and he realized
with a start that his thoughts had been far
away and he had not heard what she said
| GA penny for your thoughts" she said
gayly, but there was no answering smile on
his face when he spoke
I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I was
! thinking of Mrs. Steele. She hasn't been well
and I sent her to the country for a few
days"
"And, so I am indebted to the fact that
| Mrs. Steele is away for this call" Katherine
said lightly II suppose you've been lonely"
Every lonely" he returned, and then
stopped to wonder at himself for what he
had been saying. What did his words imply?
Certainly when he had come here tonight he
had had no idea of going to Anne of asking
her to come back to him, and yet he realized
now that all his thoughts were turned in that
direction. What had caused the change in
him?
And then suddenly he realized the truth.
He had come to Katherine hoping that in
| advertenly she might point the way out for
him. Through seeing her he had hoped to put
Anne out of his thoughts at least temporarily.
| but it had just the opposite effect, for it had
made him realize just what it was that he
wanted.
AS for Katherine, she realized dimly that
in some way she had failed Steele. Up to that
night she had believed him interested in her,
she had"thought his seeking her out sigpifi-
cant, and she would have had no Objection at
all to stepping into Anne's shoes, if Steele had
realized his mistake in marrying Anne and
was eager to rectify it.
Observation-Disclosures" Renew your sub
scrption now so as not to miss one of the
concluding chapters.