Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-22
CHAPTER NXXN
The Serpent's Tongue

The Serpents Tongue
7 z ALE an hour after NIiriam's departure
ii from the big gray house, Mrs. Breen,
Miss Oyerton and Anthony stood fac
Ing each ather. Miss Oyerton's thin lips
wore a thinly disguised smile Of triumph,
Mrs. Breen's withered old face was darkly
flushed and indignant and .Anthony's express
sion was inscrutabIe his Fses hidden behidn
narrow lids
"You see her flight proves the truth of
what l have just told YOU she was saying.
IF she had been innocent, wouldn't she
have stayed to plead her own case?"
Mrs. Breen nodded her head slowly. She
was tapping with thin fingers on the arm of
her chair, a trick she had when agitated for
any reason. Anthony did not speak.
"Anthony, my poor boy" Sara Overton
said, quickly turning to the man who still
had not spoken. ''My sympathy goes out to
you. OF course you'll have to invent some
story to account for the broken engagement.
You can trust me not to spread the scandal
any further"
Anthony turned toward Sara Oyerton and
for moment met her prominent blue eyes
full, Then still without word he turned
on his heel and left the room.
The two women did not speak for a time
Sara Oyertons cheeks wore a dull mantle
of red, for Anthony's look had told her ex-
actly what was going on in his mind. She
felt indignant that he should have treated
her this way when she had done him a
favor. Hadn't she saved him from mar
riage with an adventures? What a story 1t
would make, and Miss Overton passed the tip
of her tongue over her thin lips in anticipa-
ton. OF course she must be careful how
she told the tale, she must pledge people to
secrecy as to the source of their information.
But how the world would smile when it
knew. To think Of the arstocratic Anthony
Breen, the man who for so long had looked
at women askanCe, and then had selected a
common adventures to bring into his moth
er's home. 1t was delicious!
what do you suppose Anthony will do %
Miss Overton having struck her blow had
fancy to turn the knife in the wound.
"DO?" Mrs. Breen fairly snorted the word.
'Why, what is there for him to do. He'll
give her up of course Anthony is proud, as
proud as I am. 1 told him when he first
brought her down that you can't make a
silk purse out of a soWs ear"
Perhaps he won't give her up" Miss
OVertOn suggested. "Men are strange crpa-
lures, Blanche, and of course she's just the
kind of woman to inspire passion In
man"
81 guess I know Anthony" Mrs. Breen
returned scathngly. And yet at Sara Over
tons words a strange fear took its place in
her heart Did she know Anthony? For
years he had lived away from her. he had
followed his own life. What reason had she
to believe that he would give up this girl
when he so obviously in love with her?
or course she could wash her hands of him.
she would tell him to go with his creature
and never enter the house again. And yet,
how could she do that? She was growing
Old and Anthony was dear to her She had
actually looked forward to his marriage she
had hoped it would mean a closer compan-
IonShlp with him. And now suppose he re-
fused to give up this girl. Could she take
stand and hold to it when it would mean
parting with Anthony forever? A shudder
passed through her at the very thought of
such thing.
CHAPTER XIV
Mother and Son
"A n ISIS OVERTON, irritated because she
M was not asked to stay for dinner, was
finally forced to depart. Her last
words to her friend were, Don't worry too
much, Blanche; your secret is safe with me
But Mrs Breen hardly heard her Her
thoughts were with Anthony and the minute
Miss Overton's thin figure vanished through
the doorway, she rang the bell for Hastings,
the butler
"Where is Mr.. Anthony, Hastings?" In
spite of all her efforts to control it, her
voice trembIed.
I don't know, Mrs Breen. I haven't
seen him, but I'll look for him Immediately,
madam And Hastings, with his usual dig
nifty, turned to leave the room and its soil
tarY occupant.
Mrs. Breen sat on, a lonely old woman.
she dld not move until AnthOnys footsteps
sounded in the corridor, then she raised her
head eagerly and waited for him to come to
her.
We'll, Anthony"
Yes, mother. what is it?"
haven't you anything to say to me?"
mere was eager pleading in his mothers
voice, quality almost unknown to it, bu+
the sternness Of Anthony's face did not re-
lax.
mo, I think not"
silence again for moment or two and
then Mrs. Breen persisted. At all costs she
must know what he was going to do She
longer. ''''
"Anthony, am hoping you will remember
your position and place in the world You
won play the fool. my son, for the sake
OF woman who isn't worth you?" The
tfemoIlng, eaSer, old voice paused and
Mrs. Breen waited for what seemed eterni-
JeS Tor MN to speak. She could not find If
IN her heart to give him sympathy, there had
never been any sOftness between them NOT
even when he had been a child. But some
now at that moment she longed to have him
hheeI at her side, she wanted to put her
nnEers on MS head, she wanted the assur-
ance that he would not leave her.
i don't know what I'm going to do moth
eF. flrst must see her, l must confront
hef with this thing and see what she has
10 say. am leaving immediately for the
CITY let you know as soon as I can
see my way clear to making plans"
IFemulous anger seized Mrs. Brapn He
was IeaFInS her, he was going to this other
woman, TINS cheap adventures who bbad
"ofmed herself INFO his heart
anthony You don't doubt the fact that
S-e SulIJE. Her absence proves that ocn-
L'uSfe ely. Anthony don't so 10 her Stav
here with me. Anthony. I'm an old u-oraa,
al my life I've hppu a1Ooo r -