Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-08-04
CHAPTER XVIII
A Last GOOd-by

I OUCH leave-takingi
~ If ever in the past he had thought
at all of leaving her after he had made
her his wife, how different would have been
his idea of gOod-by Warm arms, clinging
around his neck, wet lashes under his lips
trembling mouth that babe him stay, or
begged that if he must go why not take her
| with him? And instead, what?
Frightened gray eyes that for a moment
had filled with JOY at the thought of his
| departure, shrinking little body held in
| his arms by force, and a mouth that trem-
| bled it is true. but only with the fear that
| he might kiss her lips against her will.
AS he dressed the next morning in the
| cold gray dawn, Courtney went over in his
mind every moment of last evening and as
he thought, his eyes strayed often to Lor-
rvs closed door. Behind that door she lay
asleep, curled up like kitten as he had
! often seen her in the early days of their
marriage. She was adorable in sleep, and
as this thought occurred to him, there came
| the impulse to go into her room, catch her
| up in his arms for last good-by, cover her
| face with kisses before she was scarcely
| awake, and then leave with the memory of
her lips under his
The thought stirred him. After all he had
the right to enter her room to hold her
whenever he wished, but even while every
| impulse urged him forward, something held
him back.
Resolutely he put the thought out OF his
! mind and went with his preparations.
The last thing slowed away in his suitcase,
he snapped it shut and then again his eyes
fell on the closed door.
Striding across the room, he softly turned
the knob. The door opened inward and so
certain had he been of finding it locked that
almost before he knew it he was standing on
the threshold of Lorry's room.
There she lay, unconscious of his eyes
upon her. The light cleaning through the
rose-colored curtains fell on her loosened
hair, her up-dung white arms but meh ow
in that searching light of early morning, her
face looked unnaturaly white Was that the
shadow of her Iashes on her cheek, or were
there purple marks under her eyes? Court
ney felt his heart leap with quick fear as
he looked at her, but he made attempt
to go closer he was too fearful of waking
| her.
Poor little girl! She was like bird in a
cage. She was a prisoner held against her
will Had he done this to her, had he
| brought that look to her face? And even
as he stood there gazing at her, she stirred
restlessly and cried out in her sleep, while
little spasm of terror contracted her fea-
| lures.
| Courtneys hands clenched and he turned
away. 1t wasn't fair to stand there staring
at her, she would hate him more than ever
| if she knew it, and it was with the mem
DRY of Lorrys closed eyes and her fright
ened crying out in her sleep, that he left
the mans indomtable will that even with
the knowledge that thus far he had brought
her only unhappiness, he had no intention
of giving her up.
Some time after Courtney had left, Lorry
opened her eyes and sat UP in bed. Usually
when she woke, it was to the knowledge
that another long dreary day stretched ahead
of her, but today everything was different,
Memory rushed over her, thrilling her with
new life. She was free! The jailer had
| n1 h. u If fAr
tie time she could escape into the bright
sunlight. In that moment of realization she
was almost happy.
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