Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-03-15
CHAPTER iii
A Strange Proposal

( ( Y 4 7
- w sound logical" he began, in
deep voice that was somehow not
quite steady. Il didn't mean to tell you so
soon. | wanted to wait until was sure of
you, but in the face of what has happened,
want to know how l feel. I love you.
Wait; hear me out. I'm not saying this be-
cause | was careless enough to get you into
this mess, but because it's the truth If you
could see your way clear to marrying me, it
might make matters easier for you tonight
In the half light that came through the
windows and fell across the porch his face
was very white; there was unmistakable sin
cerity in his voice, but Miriam was too over
wrought to notice these things.
$50 that people would say that 1 had to
marry you she said bitterly. us that what
you want me to do? No. thank you. l don't
know anything about you; l don't care for
you in that way. 1 never could. l suppose
ought to thank you for your offer to pro-
tect my good name but somehow 1 can't.
You make me feel so degraded just as
though I had really done something wrong.
"You misunderstood me- he said stiffly.
ooh, no." Miriam persisted II think I
understand perfectly. / was frightened at
first and lost my head, but want to be SEN
sible about it and, OF course, the thing to
do is to make the best of it. CaN we get ac-
commodatiOns here?"
Il think so; yes"
Would you mind seeing about rooms?"
She spoke almost imperiously and with far
more self-assurance than she felt. Her one
desire was to show him that she had no need
OF his protection; that she was able to stand
on her own feet and make light of the s1tu-
alton if necessary But after he had bowed
and left her she felt somehow ashamed of
the way she had spoken to him, After all,
he had asked her to marry him. OF course,
all that talk of loving her was nonsense.
Why, he hardly knew her. But it had been
nice of him to put it that way, and she might
have been kinder to him.
She was turning these thoughts over in
her mind when she heard his footsteps be-
hind her and rose to her feet
II hope you'll find everything all right"
he said. Here's your key. You can go right
up; you must be very tired"
She hesitated a moment and then, with
quick smile, she held out her hand. I'm
afraid you'll think l haven't been very good
sport, but do appreciate your effort to make
the best of bad situation. I know it wasn't
your fault, any of it, and I don't blame you
for anything, really"
For a moment his strong fingers closed
tightly over hers, then he released her and
she walked quickly %across the porch and into
the brightly-lighted lobby. She tried not to
feel furtive as she crossed the room to the
stairs but she felt the eyes of every one
fixed upon her and for the first time in her
life she felt ashamed. In an agony Of resent
ment she realized what was going on in the
mind Of the fat proprietor. He had seemed
jovial and kindly during the day when she
and Warren had had tea on the porch, but
now it seemed to Miriam that he leered at
her and as she passed the desk she looked
up for a moment and met the glance Of a
woman who was standing there. The wOm-
ans face was hard. She had prominent light
blue eyes and thin lips. She looked at Miriam
as only one woman can look at another, and,
although the girls eyes did not falter, the
burning color rushed up into her face and
her throat felt dry and hot.
You have no cause to feel ashamed" she
told herself fiercely, you haven't done any
thing wrong" But by the time she had
reached the friendly darkness. of the stairs
the tears were streaming down her cheeks.
Blindly, she CROPPED her way upward, cling
ing to the balustrade as though for support.
Monday: Back to the Past" and The
Morning After" This serial by Miss
Bachelor will appear in cOpious installments