Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-08
CHAPTER XLIV
Bon Voyage

n N lRlAM was StanQ1ng OH the QGCh, lean
M ing on the railing. 1t the mo-
ment before departure, the gang
plank had been showed off, the cries of "All
ashore that's going ashore" still rang in her
ears but she was still scanning the crowded
wharf below. Even now he might make it.,
he might arrive in time, and as she watched
she saw little ripple in the sohdly massed
crowd and a man forced his way to the
front. She started down, and suddenly he
raised his face. At the same moment, little
thrill shook the America, and slowly, slowly
it moved out of the dock and into the slowly
gliding Hudson A cheer rose from the wharf,
there was futtering Of handkerchiefs, but
Miriam staring wildly, had eyes for nothing
but that white face raised to her own, and an
involuntary cry burst from her lips as a strip
of greenish water slowly wdehed between
them.
The tears were hot against her eyelids, and
she reached for her handkerchief and leaned
forward. She was conscious Of waving it
wildly, and of the fact that Anthony had re-
moved his hat, and was standing bare-head-
ed, with the sunlight on his hair.
Then the faces became blurred, she could
no longer distinguish them the sound of the
cheering came to her as from a great dis
lance, and feeling suddenly faint, she clung
| to the railing for support.
| AS she CROPPED her way to her stateroom
she realized that she was crying. And then
at last, she was alone, she was lying face
downward on the bed, sobbing her heart out
but even in the midst Of her agony she was
duly aware of the fact that she had done the
only thing possible. She was convinced that
she and Anthony Breen could never have
been happy together His way and hers led
apart, and she had been right in holding to
her resolution.
The sound Of the luncheon gong pealing
through the corridors, reused her finally to
a knowledge of where she was and she
stirred and sat up. Through the portfolio she
could see that they were already out of the
harbor, and again that feeling of thrilled ex-
element stirred in her. She opened her
travelling case and took out what she needed,
she powdered her nose and touched her
cheeks with color, and then because she was
young and bound for Europe for the first
time, she went in search of the dining sailor
as though bound an adventure.
At the table it was impossible to feel alone.
Gay, chatterng voices filled the large room;
there was an air of coy intimacy and infor-
mality about the atmosphere, and Miriam
realized suddenly that she had had nothing
but coffe9 for breakfast and hungry.
Afterward there her packages to
open, flowers from Christine, which she had
called up at the last moment: huge basket
of fruit from Mr.. Carson and from the en-
pIoyes of the firm; a black leather travelling
case filled with silver, and package OF the
newest books.
How good they had been to her, and how
grateful she ought to be! And vet as she
sat there the edge of her bed, she could
not help remembering Anthony's remark when
she had told him that the firm wanted to
send her abroad in their interests.
We'll go to Europe on our honeymoon"
he had said, eagerly, and here she was
bound for Europe, and Anthony was~not with
her: she was alone. She felt her throat
tighten, and suddenly determining not to cry
again she wrapped her steamer cloak around
her and went on deck A long line of steam
er chairs met her eyes, and beyond them the
shining deck and the open sea. Here was
peace, here was a chance to forget Crowds
no longer filled every available space, there
was plenty of room to move about, and after
few turns up and down, Miriam curled up
in her chair and with her eyes fixed on the
wavering horizon line, finally dropped
asleep.
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