Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-25
CHAPTER LXXXIN.
NOR the remainder of the time that
| was confined to the house, Har-

y / was confined to the house, Har-
per Carleton never for a moment
allowed me to forget that he thought
of, and sympathiZed with me. Flow
ers, books. fruit-everythln that a
friend could do for another mans wife
he did for me. Occasionally he called
in person to inquire for me and leave
tempted to tell Martha to admit him to
my room. But / refrained until 1 was
down stairs sitting in a big chair in the
living room. Then / saw him; and his
real solicitude, his unaffected delight IN
my recovery. flattered and pleased me.
l looked terribly. 1 was thin to scrag-
giness, and my eyes were sunken far
back in my head. This, added to the
pallor, resulting from my long illness,
made me anything but attractive; but
Harper seemed not to notice, and was
very kind and gentle in his manner, the
while he seemed to understand that any
sort of a lover-like att! tude would dis
please me.
AS l grew better Roberts anxiety
over me grew less and gradually he re-
turned to his old habits. Again he fire.
quently absented himself from home,
and l was almost willing to be i'll again
for the sake Of the time he had spent
with me, reading, and in many ways
making himself agTeea BILE.
remember one night during my con-
valescence 1 crept into the nursery and
knelt beside my babies bed. AS look
ed at their darling faces an unbidden
thought came to me:
why couldn't have married a man
like Harper Carleton-a man who carod
enough for me to make me happy?"
Shocked that such an idea should en-
ter my mind, 1 resolutely put Harper
and all thought of his affection from
me. l felt almost guilty, as If 1 had
already been untrue to Robert. While
1 never had, even IT. my thoughts when
1 had been most unhappy.
BY the time 1 was well enough to
get about the new house was practically
finished. Fortunately for me, no one
had yet rented the house in which we
were living, so we could move and settle
gradually, making 1t easier for me. But
finally, one beautiful June day, we babe
good-by to the old house which had been
our home for over four years, and turn
ed the keys over to the agent
Some way in spite of my pleasure in
the new house, my long and very pos
tive dislike of the old one. 1 felt a
lump rise in my throat as 1 walked
through the rooms TO see that they had
been left in good condition. A mist
door and walked slowly down the flow
and looked back and smiled tearfully as
l remembered my feelings when Robert
brought me, a bride, to the lonely old
house with the tall, leafless bushes
guarding the door, and the rank brown
grass waving in the wind. l recalled
the chill which had come over me at
the sight and wondered how 1 could
have been so childish, so pitifully un-
aware Of what constituted happiness as
to allow such simple things to annoy
me. Then my thoughts reverted to Rob-
ert. 1 looked longingly back to the time
before his clients came, and we were
more together. 1 remembeed his gen.
tleness, his loving care when our babies
were born. Then another thought, an
unwelcome one came; l remembered
the time when he first told me that
nothing, not me nor the children, should
interfere with his business success;
and shuddered as 1 realized how COM
pletely he had kept his word. He had
gone on his own way, and had evidently
been perfectly willing that 1 should go
mine. l knew that he trusted me abso-
lutely. and that so far 1 had never be-
trayed that trust in spite of my loneli-
neses and heart hunger
Yet now as 1 leaned over the ola
gate through which we had so often
passed. 1 wondered how much longer
could endure my life. How much
longer 1 could endure the neglect, the
loneliness and craving for love and I'M
Outstanding that had so long been mine
I closed the gate determinedly.
would dwell on the old life no longer;
even as 1 should no longer remain io
the old home. In the new home would
make a new life for myself. And /
walked briskly up the street toward the
new house.
Robert had given me the house, and
had remarked when he did So
NO matter what happens TO me, keep
your home. Every woman should own
a home If possible. The time may come
when, if she cannot keep it, the house
will keep her"
"Boarders?" 1 queried, laughing. I'D
have to pay them to stay, instead Of be-
ing paid"
Not necessarily boarders," Robert re-
turned, joining in the laugh, although
many women owning their homes make
a comfortable living in that way. But
there are many ways in which house
can be made to support it's owner. Il hope
you never may be obliged to try any of
them. but we never know what may
ha nOen"