Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-06-05

! death.
"Died from wounds!"
Mary wondered, as she lay back on the
pillows with closed eyes, if she would ever
be able to get those words out of her brain
her heart!
Nigel was dead the brief chapter Of his
life was written and finished. kindly COM
rade had sent back his few little POSSESSIONS;
| they still lay on the table in the pretty draw
ing room across the hall-a few letters,
pocket case a broken pipe.
clock on the shelf struck s.
Mary sat up in bed, and looked through
the window at the drenched weeping world.
Someone tapped softly on her door. She
reused herself.
The little maidservant entered.
"Oh, please, miss, the mistress Is not in
her ROOM"
Mary smiled involuntarly.
Il expect she is in the dining room-or
she may have got up early and gone out"
But oh, please, miss he. bed hasn't been
slept in; it's all just as I turned it down
last night"
For a moment Mary sat very still, then
she threw back the bedclothes.
She put on her dressing gown and crossed
the narrow hall to the open door of Dolly's
room.
She looked round the room with dread
1t was quite tidy. Nothing had been dis
turbed, but the mantel shelf-she felt
suddenly weak, if she must fall, for there
propped up against the clock, was letter
directed in Dolly's fourishing hand
"Mary-"
Her own named stared at her across the
gray light of the room; she went over and
took it down with shaking hand
From the doorway the little maid watched
her with scared eyes.
She broke the seal, and read the first
few lines-there was no beginning.
Il know you will hate and despise me
for what 1 am going to do but I can't see
that it matters.
Robert, and he has always loved me- He is
going to leave England today, and I am go
Ing with him. | ought to have married him
instead of Nigel. We shall be married in
London this morning
you can tell people what you like Good
by, and thank you for all your kindness to
me. suppose L haven't deserved it.
DOLLY"
"P. S.-You may have everything I have
left. The furniture is good; sell it if you
don't want it,"
The voice of the little maid reused Mary
from the depths of horror into which she
seemed to have fallen.
She brushed her hand across her eyes; she
urea TO force herself to speak, even to smile
CHAPTER VI
Nigels Widow
| r N the little silence following David Breth-
| erton words, sudden gust of wind
! laShed the window with cold rain like
| storm of woman's petulant tears
Mary's hands lad fallen from her face
and hung Imply at the sides of her black
trock; she stared at the man opposite her
with blank eyes.
or course h was mstaking her for Dolly
Dolly, who had run away-DOlly who had
! married another man almost before her
! WidowhOod was a certainty
Bretherton was speaking again. He did
| not seem to expect an answer to his ques-
ton; he was taking her silence for consent
Il came straight to you. I am afraid YOU
must have thought me unkind-unfeeIing.
if you saw the letter 1 wrote. I was sorry
! as soon as it had gone I came home earlier
! than | had really intended, in the hope of
! seeing Nigel before he went to France, If he
| got my letter."
1T was sent here; he never saw it,"
Il am glad"
The silence fell again; the mans eyes
! were wandering round the room. 1t was
! comfortable and tastefuly furnished, but he
! thought of the Red Grange-its lofty rooms
| and priceless ctures, and thought that his
! brother must have loved this woman very
| much to be content
Mary's eyes followed the direction of his
! gaze; it had fallen on the little table where
lay the few possessions of Nigel's that had
! been sent home after he died.
She indicated them with a hand that
trembled.
"a friend of his sent those back after
!
amongst them-we have not opened it! 1t
was written the night before he was killed"
Bretherton walked over to the table, and
stood looking down at the little collection
They might have belonged to any mantle
pipe, the shabby tobacco pouch, the little
| bundle of letters. David Bretherton put out
his hand and picked up little gold Iocket
| lying conspicuously there
rms was our Mothers" he said.
Yes, said Mary duly. She could remem-
Der in happier days when Nigel had worn it
| from his watch chain; she had not touched
1t since it came hCme-she had not been able
to bring herself to move any of the little
things since Dolly had put them there.
David was lingering the little locket: It
was fiat and engraved with a worn mono
gram.
He touched the little spring, and the case
opened.
Mary was watching him lstlessly.
CHAPTER VII
The Photograph
\ tTER moment he turned and looked
| n across at her.
This is your photogrc phi in here"
he said.
She started, wave of color rushed to her
pale face.
MY photograph! Oh no"
He came across to where she stood. He
held the little trinket to her, open on the
/ palm of his hand.
II am sure this is your photograph" he
said again.
Its all right-Nrs. Bretherton has gone
away. She-she couldn't bear to stay here
no hrol-a' off