Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-09-04
HIS BROTHERS WIFE
BY RUBY IA. AYRES
CHAPTER LII
Saved From an Impulse


it?"
Her soft skirts brushed his feet-the scent
IF her hair seemed to fill his senses.
For a moment he looked away and tried
. believe that it was Mary standing beside
him; that he had only to put out his hand
to take hers-only to turn his head, and
meet the shy sweetness of her eyes.
When a man is in love, and unhappy,
even the sympathy of a woman for whom
he cares nothing is sweet. David might have
said or done anything during the next few
minutes had not Fisher saved the situation
by walking into the room and switching on
the electric light.
He started when he saw the two at the
window.
Sorry I thought the room was empty"
He caught the scowI his sisters face
and wondered if he had interrupted any
thing of much moment. He came forward
aWkWardly, and made some plattudinous re-
mark about the weather.
He would have gone away again, only he
know that it would look too pointed. He
flashed a whimscally smiling apology at
Dora.
Afterwards she rayed at him.
He could have asked me to marry him
if you hadn't come laundering in You real
ly are perfect idiot, switching on the light
in that manner. 1 believe you are delber-
atey trying to spoil my chances"
She broke into the usual storm of tears.
Just when everything was going so well.
I believe in his heart that he really does
care for me-"
Fisher listened unmOved.
eff he does, be can find time'and place to
tell you so, without any assistance from me-
he said dryly.
She stamped her foot.
81 think I am beginning to hate you!" she
stormed.
Fisher walked out of the room
His sympathies were all with David, Per-
haps he realized at last something Of Dora's
shallowness and utter selfshness.
He passed restless night, wondering. how
he could help him; he did not for moment
believe DOra's story Of having seen Mary
with man. He would have liked to tell
David that he did not believe it, only it
seemed impossible to give his own sister
away.
That promised letter from the Argentine
| seemed to be their only hope Of ever solving
/ the whole mystery, but it was cold comfort
to look forward to another month of wait
! ing before the mail could possibly arrive
David went down to the Red Grange for
! the weekend. 1t was so lonely Miss Varney
| complained to him in one of the many letters
she wrote. Nobody knows how miss that
poor child. David, why can't you find her?
| Is London so very easy to hide in?"
| Apparently it was, David thought wretch
! edly as he went off home to try and cheer
her up; in his heart he was beginning to
! think that Dora had been right, and that
! Mary did not mean or wish to come back to
+ them any more.
81 have done NV best" he told Miss Var
new. as she rushed to the door to meet him,
and ply him with questions 1.-THE only thing
is to believe that she does not wish to see
any of us again, dear, am afraid
81 don't believe it," said the old lady
''She loved being here. She loved US ALL
~ AVID turned away.
J "Perhaps we flatter ourselves TOO
- much" he said
He felt restless and unhappy at the Red
! Grange. He had wished to be there ana
vet now he back once more, ne lett
that he would give anything to be IN LONDON
again.
Down here in the country one was so out
of touch with things. Any day Fisher might
have news of her, and then it would mean
an elapse of hours before he, David, could
be communicated with and anything could
be done.
He was back in town again on the Tues
day. He went straight to Fishers office.
'Have you any news for me?"
But there was none. Monty tried to say
what he had been thinking for the past fort
night
"Give it up, David-shed come back if
she wanted to. She must have recognized
the advertisements I have had inserted"
David set his jaw doggedly.
81 mean to find her, if it takes year.
mean to hear the truth from her own lips
before | give in.*
There was a tap at the door. clerk
entered with letters
Fisher glanced up.
''Put them down, Evans; thank you You
need not wait"
But the young man still fingered
There is one, sir, not meant for this Of
flee, 1 think"
He indicated thick envelope on the top
of the others
caught his eye when he was sorting them
miss Mary FurnivaI," and beneath it Fish
er's office address.
Mary FurnivaI! The name of the girl he
had so Economically met in the omnibus the
night the MuItane went down. He had
thought about her so often since, and Won
dered if he would ever see her again. 1t
had given him little stab of pain to so
unexpectedly see her name written there
Fisher glanced at it, and for a moment
! his eyes flashed into excitement. Then he
j said quietly:
"Oh yes, thank you-that will do" He
looked at the young man curiously as he
left the room. He was sure now that Evans
knew something of Mary or of NigeTs wifi
He had felt sure of it all along even when
Evans had denied knowledge of that cable
When the door closed, he pushed the let
ter over to David.
This may help US" he said.
David snatched it up.
For Mary! Why-I shall open it, of
course"
He slit the flap agitatedly and drew out
the contents. They were badly written, and
smeared as if with tears
Dear Mary have written to you ever
so many times, and never had one answer
n1kln6 oil hot