Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-21
CHAPTER XXXIVj
Tbo TopJiCt

vt SEEMED to Gloria afterward as
though each happening of that after
noon was engraved indeliby on her
mind The atmosphere of quiet in the
great high-ceiIinged hospital, the smell Of
antiseptic, vaguely terrifying, the censoring
looks on the faces of the doctors and nurses
who failed to be impressed by the fact that
she ordered the child placed in private
room with a night and day nurse in at
tendance.
He was alive, that all they could tell
her. And then there came long moments
of suspense in the dreary reception room,
while Vivian wept and Gloria paced the
room, white to the lips and very quiet.
Dimly she aware of the fact that the
others had remained with her, and she felt
this strange. She 7emembered with fierce
revulsion Bobby Clydes hurried warning,
his Callous, almost brutal words. 1t an
nOyed her to feel that he was here she
wanted to tell him so, and yet, when she
saw his face, she somehow found it impos-
sible to tell him to go. There was shamed
look about it, as though he had come to
his senses and regretted the impulse that
had prompted those words.
Vivian, too, was showing a different side
Of her nature Her weeping had washed
away the grotesque black makeup she used
around her eyes, and strangely enough she
made no attempt to replace it. Once she
crept up to Gloria and touched her almost
timidly on the arm. Gloria, looking at her
suddenly, sensed a warm frendliness in
Vivians manner, and for a moment the
two girls chung together, just like any two
young things sharing for the first time
common tragedy.
Gloria, you mustn't blame yourself too
much" Vivian whispered through her tears.
1--WE were all to blame. oh, Gloria!" and
she chung close weeping bitterly, while Gloria
longed for the relief of tears and looked
with stony eyes that saw nothing, over
Vivians shoulder.
yrbo uriO bn
tor came into the room. His face was
stern with prejudice, but when he saw
Gloras eyes, his features softened some
what.
He'll live" he said brusquey Gust
this once you won't have a death on your
conscience"
Gloria, who had rushed up to him i'm
petuously, drew back as if she had been
struck. Her gr6enish-brown eyes were.
wide and stricken. She tried to speak,
but at the first no words would come.
Then she said verify slowly:
81 supposed I deserved that. And !
suppose too. you wouldn't belive me if
[ told you 1 would never drive a car
again.
She was suddenly shaking all over as
If from cold, and moment later she
aged and would have pitched forward
to the floor if the doctor had not caught
her in his arms
For while everything was blurred,
"IiNt IllCl ouI VI NOlu OIL DldcKn6SS,
Gloria struggled back to consciousness.
Some one had carried her over to the
couch, and somewhere in the room a
mans voice was speaking.
Il was driving the car Dr. Holt
am responsible for everything. You mustn't
nIame Miss King she had nothing at
Larry Carr, that isn't true and YOU,
know it. Gloria. was struggling to a
sitting posture and as she did so fight
ing the physical nausea that swept over
her wave on wave
was driving the car, doctor. Tt
was my fault" And as she gasped tha
words, the tears came with a rush. There
was something about Barry's unexpected
defense that overwhelmed her. She hadn't
thought him capable of taking the blame
on himself, His loyalty broke the ice
around her heart, made her feel not so
much alone, and she sobbed and sobhed
great tearing sobs that left her weak and
exhausted anu
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