Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-15
The Second Mrs. Strong
BY HAZEL DEYD BACHEI.C.".

What has gone before--Ai.
Strong marries his stenographer,
Benton and when he brings her H.
after the honeymoon his daughter,
Claudia, does everything in her power
to make things unpleasant. Matthew
feels that he has made a mistake when
Julie fails in her social duties, and he
cannot help contrasting her with Mar
saret Davenport, woman in his own
class. Bradford Pierce, friend of
Matthew'S, is kind to Julie and under
takes to help her. Claudia reads
different meaning into this friendship,
and leads her father to suspect the
same thing. Just at this time, how
ever, Claudia falls under the spell of
man named Harris Fiske, who makes
love to her and gets her to admit that
she cares for him. Then she discovers
that he is marred.-Now go with
the story.
CHAPTER XXXVIII
wild Hope
NATURALLY jules next meeting with
N Bradford Pierce was fraught wi h diff
fculty. Of late she had been almost
happy with him. 1t had been almost as il
something had been liberated in her and she
had been free to express her personality
without self-conscousness. But Matthew's
words had robbed her of her freedom. She
greeted Bradford with rather stiff dignity
and he knew in minute that something
had happened.
AS usual, they were in the library, tea be-
tween them. Bradford had brought her a
package of books, but she had put them
aside with rather stilted "thank you, in
stead of her usual gay enthusiasm, and
he watched her now as she bent absorbedly
over the tea things he felt a newly erected
barrier between them.
Julie" he said suddenly what is it,"
She started and dropped the sugar tongs
with little jangle on the glass tray.
Il don't underStand,' she said, lifting
her eyes to his.
"Somethng is wrong" Bradford persisted.
you're not frank with me, and [ had
grown to feel that you could tell me any,
thing"
There isn't anything to tell" she re-
turned slowly, and then suddenly she
dropped her eyes and hot flush crept up
into her cheeks. Bradford stared at her.
Julie was confused, almost shy. Never be-
fore had she been anything but remote from
him. unaware of any self-consciousness Now
she was different and because Bradford was
man and in love with this woman he mis-
took the reason for her confusion.
wild hope leaped up in his heart, hope
that until now he had deliberately crushed.
If she cared for him it might be possible for
things to be adjusted He might some day
take her for his wife, she might belong to
him! The thought intoxicating. 1t
made the blood hum in his temples, and
quite suddenly he found himself leaning for
ward In his CHAIR.
Julie
Again she started There was something
strange in his voice, note she had never
heard before, and this time she looked at
him her eyes were startled, afraid.
Bradford drew back. Had he been mis-
taken after all? He must not brighten her
and most of all he must be sure before he
said anything definite.
Julie tell me what is troubling YOU" he
said very gently.
"Oh, please she began with little futile
gesture of her hands cts nothing nothing
at all, only sometimes I feel that I'm not
making any progress, that I'll never be what
I want to be, that everything is futile and
it. foolish for to try any longer
"Is that all?" he asked searchingly.
She nodded but somehow that single
movement of her head not convincing,
although he did not press the point and with
an effort plunged into conversation that
was general
Julie responded after fashion, but with
nothing like her usual spontaneity. 1t was
almost as if she were guarding herself,
Bradford thought and that was the truth,
He had frightened her. That note in his
voice and the quick CLEAN in his eyes when
he had spoken her name added to Matthew'S
criticism Of her, had put her on her guard.
She was far from being conceited, but her
intuition had told her that Bradfords attl-
tude toward her in that moment had been
changed. Something warmer had crept into
it, something that frightened her. he had
been such splendid friend, such safe bull
wark for her to lean against, while now ev-
erything seemed different. Was it merely
her stupid Imagination playing tricks on her
or had Bradford actually looked at her with
passion in his eyes? She had seen that look
in Matthew's eyes long ago and she loved
Matthew She would never love any one else.
Tuesday-"Julie, Look at Me!' Renew
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