Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-07
CHAPTER XXIU
4 Gift


THE next day Gloria departed from
Tempeton's white stucco palace,
- taking with her only the clothes that
she had bought with her own money. BY
night it was all over the colony that the
TempletOns had separated, but Gloria, al
most delriOus with her new freedom, cared
nothing for the storm Of gossip. Luckily
her bungalow on the edge Of the town hap
pened to be empty. 1t was not easy to
find Tenant for it because people Gem
planned of it's being too far out She
glad to settle down there, and looking
around the living room that same evening,
she tried to imagine that she had never left
its small cOziness. She tried to think Of
her marriage and Rolf Templeton as but
a dream, but it wasn't easy to do this Too
much had happened She could not forget.
Was it because she had changed? Was it
because he had left his mark upon her
life?
One morning early when she was just
finishing breakfast mysterious gift ar
rived by messenger 1t was a huge hammer
and when she opened it black Persian
cat leaped out. Gloria loved cats bat not
a soul knew Of this fact. She had made
no close friends and at the thought of
Iempleton, her lips cured into bitter
smile. He would never choose such a gift.
He would be more likely to select d:a-
mond bracelet, something ornate and
SNOWY, just as his taste in flowers ran to
orchids because they We're expensive rather
IMAM 10 FlOletS or roses because thew were
fragrant.
Gloria named the cat Ginger and in a
day or so when he had grown to know her.
he would run to meet her when she re-
turned home each evening When she
threw herself into a chair he would leap up
INTO her lap waving his long plumy tail
proudly, and when she caught him in her
arms, he would bump his velvet head
against her chin and purr ecstaticallv.
smuggling against her and stretching him
sell out in that diYinely superior way cats
have. N''''
one day on her way to the studio. she
passed shop where dog and cat accessories
were on display. There were all kinds of
FASCINATING collars, harnesses and braided
Ieashes, and as Gloria stopped she saw that
cats and dogs were for sale inside. Enter
ing the shop impulse she examined
tray or imported suede collars and selected
bright scarlet one for Ginger. AS she
gave the purchase to the salesman to he
wrapped he smiled as though he knew her
on are Miss King, aren't you?"
Gloria nodded.
Did you like the cat Mr.. TemnIAton
bought for you? I helped him select II
place" ""0 l." INC
Gloria experienced a sense of shock. She
Snllled at the man and made some remark
ABOUT Ginger although she couldn't re-
nenoer atterWard what she had said Her
one thought was that Rolf had sent her
the the cat Unwittingly She had accented a
sIIC from him, ore that she could not give
t up because she had grown to love Ginger
100 much to part with him If mado bor
tGrlous, 1t was like link binding her to
the past. 0l ~
mat night when Ginger Ieaped lightly into
her her f t"E, she pushed him away. He sat at
el l1et looking up at her with great topaz
e5es, o0t ne made no attempt to come to her
"6aln. Gloria stood it as long as she conId
ana then with little sob, she stopped and
satnered. the soft furry body into her arms
floldlng MIN, she wondered if Rolf had done
tnlS thing deliberately, if it had been his idea
20 seno hef gift that she would not be able
10 return once she discovered the sender This
thought made her wonder if Rolf really did
care Tor her, but she shook her head at the
idea. VI"
Hes too self-centered to care for ANYTHING
out hlmSel'' ran her thoughts "Hes in
capable of feeling unselfish affection for anv
one"