Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-04
CHAPTER XXXXIU

a S gently as she could, Gloria let 90 oil
~ Rolls hands. His hot fingers seemed
to cling to hers as though loath to
release her, and yet she knew that he was
entirely unaware of her presence at that mo-
ment.
Fearful lest she make the slightest noise,
she rose from her seat by the bed. A mo-
ment later she was walking down the cor
rldor to her own rooms. Everything was
just as she had left it. 1t seemed almost as
II she had never been away, and yet what
dlHerence there was in her own heart. She
mad left in tempest of anger and resent
ment, she had returned to find the COM
queror humbled and very ILL., AS for herself
she had changed. Something in her heart
mad melted, and as she closed the door soft
ly behind her. sob rose in her throat
In that moment she did not know why she
was crying, but with rush the tears came
She flung herself on her knees by the side OF
the bed. She dug her fingers into the lace
of the bedspread and sobbed convulsiveIy as
the tempest of emotion shook her. 1t was
a luxury to cry, but after time her sobs
died away and her tears stopped 1t was
then that she began to think, to take stock
of herself.
The reaction of her feelings had been like
flash of lightning. When she had entered
the house that evening, there had been no
lessen1ng of her resentment toward Rolf. She
had been afraid of the seriousness of his ill7
ness, but that was all 1t wasn't until she
Hdu 1OOheu uOWn lnCO Roll lace, ana heard
his p1tlful rawlings, it wasn't until he had
chung to her with his feverish hands, plead
Ing with her to kiss him good-by, that her
resentment toward him had suddenly melted.
In its place had come a feeling of deep pity
If he had been her child she could not have
felt more tender toward him, and now she
realized in the glaring white light of revela-
ton, that for a long time she had purposely
nursed her injury against him, because she
mad been afraid of her own msgivings. He
had taken deeper hold on her imagination
than she had dreamed. That was why she
had resented any reminder of him, even her
Persian cat Ginger she had wanted to hate
because Rolf had given him to her.
AS she probed more deeply into her heart
the last Yestige Of her callousness vanished
and pride humbled to the dust, she admitted
the truth. She loved him. She must have
loved him for long time, for she knew her
self we'll enough to realize that she could not
change hate into love in a moment. She loved
him! That why she had dashed him with
her fury when he seized her in his arms the
night of the Manning's dinner 1t was be-
cause she had been afraid of admitting the
truth to herself, because she had been de-
termined to keep the thought relocated to her
subconscious mind.
What a fool she had been to Judge him so
harshly, and how lacking in good sportsman
ship had been her entire attitude. She had
done to hurt her, refusing to admit that, in
spite of everything, she cared
1t was characteristic of Gloria that having
faced the truth, she went down into the
depths. She suffered as 1t is only possible to
suffer when one Is blessed with a tempera-
ment like hers
Who was | to judge him so severely" she.
said over and over to herself. Selfish con-
ce1ted little prig that I am, I wonder that he
ever saw ANYTHING in me- n admire Put love
doesn't judge it accepts. ! love him in spite
OF what he is, now that it is too late"
In her heart she was convinced that he
would not live. She believed he would die
because she deserved that he should. Even
tonight when she had leaned over him and
listened to his labored breathing and the
constant rattle in his lungs, she had felt that
each breath might be his last. ~
w. Saturday-'The Fight Goes On.''-REhev
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