Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-08
CHAPTER VIII
He Who Laughs Last

~ GORGE, having made UP his mind to
see Gail, felt that he could not put
~ the matter off a single day. He had
reached a point where it made him i'm
patient to think of Gail She a dis
| agreeable encumbrance; the time spent in
seeing her would be taken away from his
golden hours with Fay. But. unpleasant as
it was, he had to see her, and he appeared
at the house on Cherry street about z
o 'clock one evening.
He had the grace to feel ashamed when,
having rung the bell, Mrs. Martin appeared
at the door.
'Is Gail in, Mrs. MARTINI" he was try
ing to speak easily, to appear as though
nothing had happened.
Mrs. Martins response was cordial, al
most eager 1t gave George courage. Evil
IDENTIFY she hadn't heard, and, If Gail knew,
she hadn't told her mother.
"Why, yes, George; she's upstairs. VIII
you come in, or would you rather wait for
her out on the porch? III call her down
right away"
At Georges muttered reply that he would
wait on the porch, she hurried away. Her
heart felt suddenly light. Although Gail
hadn't confided in her, Mrs. Martin had
seen that something was wrong. She could
not help noticing Calls Redeemed eyes, the
hopeless droop to her figure. but she had
put it down to lovers quarrel, and
Georges appearance meant only one thing
he had come to ask forgiveness.
Five minutes later Gail walking
downstairs her heart like lead in her
breast. She was going bravely to meet her
ordeal. At first, when her mother had
whispered that George was on the porch,
the impulse had occurred to her to refuse
to see him. She knew why he had come;
she knew exactly what lay before her, but
something, perhaps the last remnants of her
pride, made her decide to see him. At least
she would have the satisfaction of showing
him how little she cared.
He rose to his feet as she came out on
the porch, and for moment his impotence
was swallowed up in shame. Memory
stirred in him somewhere; a ghost of the
tenderness he had felt in the past rose up
in his heart, and for just an instant Of time
he sorry. He did not want to hurt her;
Gail was good sort; he was still fond of
her in way, but Fay, the woman of mys-
tery-in a second she was before him. The
allure of her caught at his senses; he was
breathless before the spell of her green eyes;
he wanted her; he wanted her, and Gail
would have to be decent and let him go.
Hot words rushed I to his lips, and he
opened his mouth to speak. But before he
could utter syllable, Gail was talking.
Il know why you have come, George.
You didn't think it was really necessary to
tell me about it, did you? The whole town
is alive with gossip; every one knows"
She took him so by surprise that he stood
there before her in awkward silence. He
had not expected anything like this; in fact,
something in him was disappointed because
she took it calmly. Man-like, although
he had dreaded the thought of her tears
and reproaChes, his own estimate of himself
would have been greater if she had pleaded
with him, if she had shown emotion. 1t
wasn't natural for her to be big and broad
about it, it made the situation less dramatic
for him.
I'm sorry, Call he began, but abruptly
she cut him off.
"Oh, let's not go into that" she said,
almost lightly. And then she was holding
out her hand, and something cold and hard
touched his palm. His fingers closed
around it. 1t was her ring-the opal he had
given her two years ago, when they had
first become engaged. At the time she had
said something about opaIs bringing bad
luck and he had laughed. How long ago it
seemed.
I'm sure you'll be happy, George" And
then, as he stood there inarticuIate, unable
to say word she laughed, and with
swift little movement, turned away and went
into the house.
Thursday-"George's Reaction" Renew
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M III