Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-04-21
CHAPTER XXXVU
~ Can't Tell You"
tTv on persist in refusing to tell
where Won have been?'

where you have been?"
81 can't tell you. Dear, won't
you trust me?" Annes voice was pleading:
cit isn't question of trust; it's question
of my right to know"
Then waive that right. Surely you don't
believe that have done anything wrong.
Steele was silent. He was in an agony OF
doubt and suspicion. Anne stood before MIN
in the library. She had been waiting for MIN
when he returned home, and at sight of her
his first impulse had been to sweep her into
his arms, but he had crushed it back
He would not touch her, not until he knew
everything; but his questioning OF her NAG
been futile; she would not speak. She could
not she had said it over and over, ana SUN
he stood there heaping her with scorn, MS
love for her warning with his anger
"John, you don't believe that, 90 you -
GLOW can I tell? Your attitude is very
strange to say the least, and you are asking
the impossible of me. Here are the facts;
You go away and stay over night ana When
you. return you refuse to tell me where you
have been If you have done nothing to pc
ashamed Of then I cannot underS1ano why
you won't tell me the TRUTH
ct can't The words came in whisper
"Then. you force me to believe the worst
He flung the words at her. MS dark eyes
blazing, but instead of cringing before nun,
she drew herself UP TO her sum helShC anu
lifted her head proudly. w
"You must believe whatever you Will. L
cannot prevent that. 1 have done noth1nS
wrong nothing to be ashamed or. nave
told you that over and over and II you cannot
believe me, then l suppose this is the emu
She SPOKE slowly as though weighing every
word and the import of what she said struck
Steele like a sudden blow. Looking at her
as she stood there before him, he knew tnat
she would not yield. She meant exactly WhaG
she said The material advantages he naQ
offered her meant nothing IN the 1sce Oh tnIs
thing that menaced their love. She wouId
60 out of his life as suddenly as she mad
come into it. and he would be poWerless 10
do ANYTHING about it, unless he respected her
wishes and asked no further questions.
Suddenly he cast his prize to the Wlnds
and instead of demanding things as MS rl8nI
he pleaded with her..
Anne don't you see that this thing what
ever it is is coming between us? Cant you
see that? can't get away from'it; it's never
out of my thoughts"
ives T know" she said very slowly.
''That's why I didn't want to love you, ana II
had known when l married you that
would grow up to care l never would nave
come back" -.
Her words struck a new thought in his
mind
"But YOU did marry me, why?"
She shrank away from him, as II ne nao
struck her, and into her white face there
swept burning wave OF Color ~
'Why did you marry me, Anne $500
Because 1 had to have money! But don
you see," she went on WlldIy, Il!0C uiul .
love you then? We made a bargain, and you
said you wanted me on any terms. II hao
loved you, l couldn't have married you.
81 would have gone away out OF your NE,
forever, Just as [ intend to do now. don t
blame you, please don$ think that. realize
your right to know everything, and because
I cannot tell you, it would be better for me
to go away. Things can't go on like thls' we
both know that. But am sorry, sorry Tor
coming into your life and making you I'M
happy. VIII you believe that?"