Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-06
CHAPTER .XXXIV
In Spite of Herself


n nee safely home and away from Harris
Z } Fiske, Claudia found herself possessed
of a longing to see him again. This
feeling grew upon her, until the man was
constantly in her thoughts, 1t was as
though he were drawing her to him, against
her will, 1t was almost as if he eXerted
some charm over her, against which she was
helpless.
She longed to see him, and yet feared to
do SO. She wanted him to take her in his
arms again, she trembled at the memory or
his kisses, and when on the day following
her tea engagement with him she received
letter from him, she trembled so that she
could hardly open the envelope.
Over and over again she read the few
words he had written.
He was sorry that he had upset her go
terribly sorry even while he could not help
being glad. For he was glad that he had
made her feel how much he cared, he did
care more than she knew, and he must see
her soon, very soon. They had many things
to discuss
Claudia wanted to see him, and yet, some
how, she could not rid herself of that
strange feeling that possessed her. 1t was
as though there were something not quite
nice about the situation, something wrong
in the feeling that she had for this man.
And yet when she tried to analyze her feel
ings, she could get nowhere with them.
Was it because he had not followed up
kind? Was that what she wanted?
But such an idea was ridiculous. She
had never felt that way before when any
one made love to her. She wasn't at all
sure that she wanted to marry Harris Fiske,
and if he asked her to be his wife, the situ-
alton would have to be settled one way or
another
Then why did she have such an absurd
reaction, such feeling of having done some
thing h9cdnSl
before experienced such emotion? Was it
because no man had stirred her to the quick
response that Fiske had? She did not know.
And then suddenly she remembered the
picture of the floridly handsome woman in
the hand-Carved frame. She had asked
Harris who it was, and he had looked en-
barrassed Then, before she could question
him again, he had seized her in his arms.
or course, she might have been mistaken
about that expression on his face, and yet
the memory Of it persisted; she could not
shake it from her mind.
Had he seized her in his arms because
he hadn't wanted to answer her question?
But that, tOoA was absurd. Why shouldn't
he want to tell her who that woman was
unless-uness-
Like flash the thought occurred to
her. What was that woman to him? Could
it be that ne was married? She remem-
bered suddenly that the Bradleys knew very
little about him. The fact that he lived in
Suppose that woman were his wife, and they
were not living together? 1t was quite
probable. And yet what difference did it
make. She, Claudia, was not in love with
Harris Fislle; she had no desire to marry
him. Hadn't she admitted that to herself
just moment ago? Hadn't she been glad
that he had made definite declaration?
And yet the memory of his love-making
was vaguely disturbing. She could not for
get that, nor the fact that he had stirred
her uHbeieVably She would not see him
again; that would be the best way of set
| Ting the matter. 1t was safer, too, for,
under the circumstances, there was no doubt
but what she was playing with fire. No,
she would not see him again, and she was
rather proud of herself for coming to this
decision. But when, two days later, he
called her on the telephone, a weakness
seized upon her. His voice conjured up
his presence to her, made her want to see
him. She was once more under the influ-
ence Of his charm.
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