Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-19
CHAPTER XIV
A Woman SCOrned

! Woman SCOrned
| ~ GORGE would have been amazed If
I ( he had seen Gail fifteen minutes after
- he had left her.
Because she had shown no emotion while
with him, because her pride had enabled
her to send him away smarting under a
sense of dismissal, he had consoled himself
with The thought that she was cold.
But it was anything but cold woman
who paced up and down the floor or hef
room like wild thing caught in a trap
Gail, the proud, Gail, the self-possessed, was
broken, terrified, miserable. Hot tears
throat, she wrung her hands together I'M
potently and wondered how she was gong
to bear it.
After the first wild burst of emotion was
OYER. wave after wave of shame coursed
over her.
George had cast her off, he was in love
with another woman, gone were her dreams
Of the future vanished her ideal of happI-
ness. She was that unloyely thing, an un-
wanted woman, and life stretched away in
a path so straight that she could see
her own tombstone at the other end.
Fav Morrisons lovely face danced before
her. It beckoned, it a1lured. Imagination
tainted her with the thought OF Fay IN
Georges arms, his kisses on her lips, her
lovely head thrown back against his shout
der, and as though to shut out the picture,
she flung both hands up over her eyes. At
that moment she hated Fay with fury
that made her tremble. She shook from
head to foot with the intensity of it. Fay
was to blame for everything. 1t WASH
strange that George hadn't been able to
withstand her fascination, but why had she
done it? A girl like that must have hun
dred chances to marry, while she, Gail, had
only one George was her world, for two
years he had meant everything to her, and
now he had cast her off as though he had
never cared for her at all!
youct aW9Vl' Gail was hardly. con-
scious that she had spoken the words aloud,
but the next minute she realized the I'M
possibility of escape. Her father would
scott at the idea of her going to the city
to make her way, and she knew better than
to go to him with a request for money.
Then what could she do? Stay on in Dales-
burg, the prey of all the gossiping tongues
in the town? Oh, it unbearaDle, she
couldn't go through with it! And she threw
herself on the bed, burying her face in the
pillow in an effort to stifle the fresh burst
of sobs.
The next morning when she appeared in
the kitchen Mrs. Martin exclaimed at her
appearance.
Gail, What on earth has happened? Have
you quarreled with George? Didn't you
make up with him after all?"
"There was never any reason for making
up Gail returned duly. 'We hadn't quar-
relied He's tired of me, that's all. Last
night he came to tell me that he is in love
with another girl"
Mrs Martin started at Gail incredulously,
and then gradually a yearning pity dawned
in her eyes.
In silence she went to the stove and
poured out cup of strong coffee. This
she carried to the sunny table in the win
dow.
Come on" she said cheerfully you'll
feel better after you've had this" And she
stood by Calls side while the girl slowly
slipped the scalding liquid 70 the last drop.
Better" she asked as Gail pushed the
cup away and to her feet.
Gail nodded slowly, and then as her eyes
met her mothers. her pride gave way. The
next moment the two women were in each
others arms.
Mrs Martin not emotional, but she
was conscious that the tears were coursing
down her cheeks as she held Gail close
against her breast and croOned to her sooth
ingly as though she were a child.