Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-02-27
CHAPTER XIV
Marcia Tries Again

= n THE days that followed Marcia found
I it difficult to look at Anne without a feel
ing of hatred surging up in her heart.
Since that night in Johns ROOM Marcia
had not referred to the subject in any way,
but she had suffered a great deal. She real
lied that if John put through this thing and
of course he would, for the girl would jump
at the chance to marry him, her pride would
be struck a terrific blow. She would be
forced to welcome this girl as a daughter-in-
law, and in order to stop the gossip that
would be sure to ensue from such mar
riage, she would have to pretend that she
favored the match, and she might even con-
coct a story of kind that would &C
count for the girls past, and it was all so
different from the brilliant marriage she had
dreamed of. To think that he would stoop
to look at a girl like Anne Temple when he
might have had Katherine Cleveland was
something Marcia could never understand
1t was on Anne's first day up that she
said something to Marcia that for the first
time reused hope in the older woman's
heart.
Marcia had dropped in late in the after
noon to find Anne seated in the window in
a low basket chair. She wore a dress of
dull blue wuol and above it her small head
with its clustering curls looked like that of
of a child.
Marcia sat down near her and Anne smiled
wistfully, miss Hudson thinks I'll be we'll
enough to leave in a few days." she said
slowly.
Marcia was suddenly ashamed of the feel
ing of joy that leaped up in her heart. She
realized ever since JOhn~told her his inten-
lions she had blamed the girl, called her in
her thought a scheming little adventures.
She found it necessary to exert an effort to
speak calmly as she answered the girls re-
mark.
you mustn't think of leaving here until
you are strong enough, and l want to help
you find something to do"
"Thank you, Mrs. Steele, I would be very
grateful for any help that you might give
me-"
Marcia scrutinzed the girls face closely.
Was there something behind that childish
mask OF expression? 1t seemed incredible
that she could speak so calmly of leaving
when Marcia knew the truth. She did not
know exactly what had happened between
John and the girl, but she did know that he
had made his intentions clear enough to up
set Anne terribly. What was going in the
girls mind? Surely she couldn't be fool
enough to go out into the world and fight
her battle Of life alone when she might mar
ry man who had money enough to give
her every luxury. No, if Anne chose to leave.
there was some reason, for it. There was
something connected with her past that
made it impossible for her to accept a pro-
pOsal of marriage.
Sitting there opposite her. Marcia had a
sudden impulse to try again to probe the
girls heart to find out something of the
truth if it were in any way possible.
Anne" she said suddenly, don't you
think you owe it to me to tell me something
of yourself? Remember, [ intend to stand
sponsor for you, and I promise to treat as
confidential anything you may tell me-
Marcia found herself searching the girls
eyes for a return of that abject fear, but this
time, although Anne whitened, she did not
finch.
I'm sorry that 1 can't tell you anything,
but believe me, Mrs. Steele, it would do no
good. L don't want to talk about myself
the past is dead, and although I can never
In all the world repay you for what you have
done, can never tell you or anyone about
my life" Her voice faltered and her studied
composure suddenly broke down. please
don't ask me again." she cried out. 'If you
cruel"