Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-15
CHAPTER /
Vague Doubts

M lay beside hers on the railing of the
bridge and in contrast with its sim
envy strength her own looked more than ever
white and fragile.
her. She raised her eyes suddenly and looked
straight ahead into the massed trees and be-
yOnd to the mountains, and then she turned
her head and smiled UP at him suddenly.
ITS been perfect day, hasn't t?'
'If you've enjoyed It halt as much as
have" he began eagerly.
"Oh but l have" she interrupted. Its
been perfect"
Lets stroll up to the end of this path"
he suggested There's a clear space Just
beyond and We'll be able to see the last Of
the sunset"
But have we timer"
plenty of time" he treasured her. I'VE
have nearly an hour and a half before the
train leaves
In silence they walked up the leafy path.
their footsteps making no sound on the thick
carpet Of pine needles, and when they reach
ed the clearing they stood for long time
looking into the west 1t was with reluctance
that Miriam spoke first
Il think we ought to go back. 1t would
be rather disastrous if missed the train.
You say it is the last one"
Eyes, and what shame, If it weren't for
that we could stay on and wait for the
moon"
ing Of premonition was stirring in her The
dusk was falling and somehow she felt un-
accountably alone with this man. She kept
thinking OF his hand, sinewy and powerful.
She felt it against her bare arm as from
time to time he helped her over the rough
places in their way, and something in the
girl drew back from his touch, although She
had no reason for this absurd feeling.
She liked Warren Holmes. She had liked
him from the very first day she had met him.
There something about him that inspired
confidence in her, and yet at times she
glimpsed a strange look in his intense blue
eyes that was rather discOncertng. She did
not like him to look at her that way. She
wanted to be friends with him and nothing
more. And as this thought swept over her
she wished vaguely that she hadn't accepted
his invitation to make this trip today. She
should have remained at the hotel instead of
coming all this distance with man she
knew only slightly.
Unconsciously she hurried her footsteps.
Suppose they missed the train. Suppose they
arrived at the station just too late. The
thought was suddenly terrifying In quick
alarm she caught her breath and at the same
time he spoke.
1--WE have plenty of time, really. Just a
minute and I'll convince you" In spite of
her unwilingness to stop, she was forced to
wait while he lighted a match and held up
his watch for her to see 1t was with a sense
of relief that her eyes noted the time. Not
that she didn't believe him. but she felt that
there might be a mistake. Now she felt
suddenly absurd for having worried; her
heart nghtened and the lights began to
CLEAN just ahead of her she began to chatter
happily.
There was small inn at the foot OF the
mountain. The railroad station lay just be-
yond. That afternoon they had had tea in a
secluded nook of the hotel porch and she re-
membered thinking she looked at him
across the small table how much she liked
him. She darted a look at him now as he
walked beside her He was really fine and
she had been right to trust him. Che simply
could not account for the queer feeling that
had swept over her the mountain, but 1t
was gone now and she was herself again.
They reached the station and with a
laughing word he left her on the platform
while he went into the waiting room She
was still Illuminating happily on the events
of the day, when he came back to her. The
moment she looked up into his face the old
fear rushed over her and she knew that
something was wrong.