Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-24
FLOWING GOLD
BY REX BEACH
CHAPTER XXU-CONTINUED

but old of face a boy insouciant, impudent,
staggering. 1t was this boy who spoke
first
| s'Hello, nominal" he cried. r
At sound of his. voice Buddy recoiled, for
it was deeper than his own. His expression
of dismay was no doubt ludicrous, at any
rate the urchin's lively eyes leaped to his
| face and remained there, while grin
spread over his features.
"Hully Gee" rumbled the lad. Here's
| another one that ought to be buried!
Mrs Fulton"-it was Gray speaking
| ST took the liberty of asking your son
| Buddy Briskow heard more, for his
ears were roaring. Her son! That voice!
Being little more than boy himself, moth
ing could have hurt him more cruelty than
J this; his impulse was to leave the room for
his world had come down in crashing ruin
| She had died! She had made a fool of him.
| Gray had been right.
broke in family. His battered visage was
white his lips were colorless. 81 reckon
| this-ends my part of the entertainment,
said he. Slowly he seated himself and
bowed his head in his hands, for he had
become quite i'll.
Airline Observation-Disclosures Fulton-once
the blow had fallen, behaved rather we'll;
she took Bonnie in her arms and kissed
him, then in answer to his quick look of
dismay at her agitation, she patted him on
the shoulder and said: Its all right, son.
You didn't know"
Didn't know what?i' demanded the lad.
Say He stared angrly from one face
to another. "Is it plant?''
'Take my key Here!" The mother
thrust her room key into the boys hand.
run along I'LL see you in a few min
utes. To Mallow she said: "Take him out,
please. You brought him."
Mallow, flushing uncomfortably, took
~, To
the door
Margie turned to Briskow, but in his at
titude his averted gaze, she read the doom
of her hopes One final chance remained,
however, and desperately she snatched at
it. "Buddy!" she cried. Buddy" Her
voice was poignant as she pleaded. y
couldn't tell you the truth. | wanted to
laid awake nights trying to get the cour-
age, but I was afraid you wouldn't under
stand. I'd have told you the whole thing, if
you'd ever given me the chance. You know
I've been married. does it make so much
difference that l have a SOM" When the
object of her appeal only stirred, she went
on, reproachfully: Are you going to allow
this-this man to-come between us?"
81 wouldn't believe you now, if" Buddy
choked. Pm through!'
You mean that?" The young fellow
nodded Very WE'LL" Something in the
tone of the last words, some accent of des-
He was in time to Margie tumble with
her purse and extract something therefrom;
to Buddys eyes it resembled bottle.
There is no use fighting any more You
have ruined my life
my Cod" young Briskow yelled, in dis
may. Don't do that! Stop her." He leaped
to his feet and lunged for the poison vial
which was trembling upon Arline's lips.
Gray, too, had been galvanized into action
but of an unexpected nature, he grappled
with Buddy and held him.
Nonsense! Water won't hurt her; and
that's all it is She's known as the Suicide
Blonde" Gray explained
Say. You're bursting with information,
aren't your" 1t was Montague, tottering
upon the brink of the grave, who voiced this
explosive inquiry. Her dropping shoulders
Strengthened, she raised her head and flung
the empty bottle violently from her With
head erect and with firm tread she moved to
the door; she turned there and blazed forth
in bitter scorn her bobbed curls shaking
as she spoke: "Take that selling platter back
to the car barn. where he belongs. I'm off
boobs for life"
The door slammed to behind the dfminu-
tive fury, and Gray sank feebly into a chair.
He was laughing silently.
by Jove! She's splendid." he chuckled.
Buddy, II like that woman"
1t was midafternoon of the next day. Mrs.
Fulton, after restless night, was packing
her trunks. She halted her labors for sec
ond time to scan a brief note that had
rived a few moments before and ran as fol-
lows:
Dear Mrs. Fulton: I am not really such
a bad sort as you consider me, and I'm gem
timely interested in that boy of yours. Let's
cry quits and have serious talk about him
and-perhaps other things
"Sincerey yours.
"CALVIN GRAY"
She was thus engaged when there came a
knock, and in answer to her voice the writer
entered
Mrs. Fulton, I have learned that life is
a mixed affair." and that most of our actions
are the results of conflicting motives. Yes,
and that we ourselves are products of con-
1icting forces, good and evil. Few of us are
as good as we would like to have people be-
lieve nor as bad as we appear. l wonder
if you will believe me when l say that l.
like you"
Certainly not
Nevertheless, I do For one thing, you
ere good fighter and a good loser 1 try to
be, but I fear I lack your spirit. l would
not have hurt you willingly"
The woman tossed her head and turned
away; when she spoke, it was YEARLY: 81
might have known | couldn't make the
jump. l never did win a big race A good
loser, Ell? Well. I've had enough practice at
it. How is Buddy? Hurt, I suppose. His
young life is blasted he'll never trust an
other woman
greatly cheered by the fact that he can see
out of his left eye practically as we'll as ever
He is going back to the oil fields and learn
the business. I am going to put him to
work What are you going to do with Ben
nie?"
do with him? What can I do with him."
He is bright boy