Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-07-17
CHAPTER LIZ.


home he remarked:
| just met DR.. Adler. and he
says Mrs. Carleton is very ill, pneu-
monia. He is doubtful as TO her re-
covery."
was sho,ke Had Harper Carleton
realized his wife was so ill when We
were walking in the park?
How long has she been sick"'
asked. then waited preathlessly for the
answer Did the doctor tell you?"
Yes. not seriously until today. She
has mad hard cold. ana hasn't taken
proper care of herself. These suddenly
severe cases are hard TO handle.
All day was restless. l felt guilty,
though | could not have explained why.
looked at the evening paper the mo-
ment it was thrown on the stoop l had
been watching for it. To my Keller
there was no mention of Mrs. Carleton.
When Robert came-home l asked II he
had heard anything further OF Mrs.
Carleton.
NO" he answered, and l thought he
seemed surprised at the interest ! had
shown. 81 imagine she must be getting
along all right"
But she wasn't, for the very next
morning the first thing when | opened
the paper saw an announcement or
her death. ] had intended to call up
Immediately after breakfast and in
quire for her: instead l now called up
florist and left an order for some
flowers.
So now Harper Carleton. the man who
wanted to be my friend, was a widower.
| found myself thinking often of him
and what the loss of his wife would
mean to that friendship Robert and
both went to the services; the inter-
ment was in a distant city.
l can truly say that there was moth
ing at this time with which to condemn
myself in my feeling for Harper Garlic
ton. had no faintest idea of ever be-
ing more to him than 1 now was, nor
Of his being more to me. Yet he occu-
pied my thoughts more constantly than
perhaps / realized, entered more into
my scheme of things than l was aware.
short time afterward in the shin
ing lateness of the afternoon l returned
from a call on Mrs. Mulhany. great
friendship had grown up between us,
and Robert was delighted because of it.
| started up the steps just as man
turned to come down. l paused, start
led. The dark eyes of Harper Carleton
gaZed down at me.
| made the rest of my way up sur
prised, and little bit frightened at
the wave of gladness that rushed over
me.
When did you return? How do you
do?" | asked namely, as l took his out
stretched hand.
81 came back about a week ago"
He made no apology for coming to
see me so soon. l was glad that he did
not.
Wont you come in?" I had opened
the door with my latch key.
mo. thank you, it is late. / called
once before, earlier in the afternoon. 1
will call soon, however. if / may"
When I went in Matilda met me with
a boy of orchids.
"Mr Carleton left them ma'am. Shall
[ arrange them?"
mo, / will attend to them myself"
/ answered, taking the box from her
I went directlyto my room. ASH lift
ed the delicate blooms from the box I
thought bitterly of how long it had
been since Robert had brought me any
flowers. And as / arranged them l Won
dered what he would think of my ac-
ceptinS them from Harper Carleton. But
I might have saved myself the trouble,
for about an hour afterward a mes
senger boy came with a note from him
ness and might be away a day or two.
He asked me to pack his bag and give
it to the boy.
With heart full of bitterness | put
the necessary articles in his bag. AS
L laid them in one after another l
thought of the curt note. Not one word
of regret at leaving me and the chill
dren, no word of farewell Just a note
h might have written to Matilda in
stead of to me.
I wondered if the business which was
taking him away had anything to do
with Phyllis Lawson. If she was so IN
his mind that it excluded all thought
of me and the children. I tormented my
self with the thought that perhaps she
was going with him. 1 had become OBJ
sessed with the idea that she was to
prove my nemesis---and perhaps Rob-
erts.
The orchids had faded. still l kept
them in a vase on the living room table,
when the second day after Robert went
away Harper Carleton again called.
Here al least was one man who APP
preciated ME. This knowledge was a
balm to my wounded pride. my lonely
soul. He at oEce noticed the faded flow
ers and laUgkingly said that If l didn't
throw them out he would.
The freshest flowers should always
be for YOU" he told me. and the tone
not the words drew tears to my eyes.
Don't. Don't do that he said, his
voice husky with feeling.
TITS nothing" | smiled up at him.
nothing but Stiffness. But I do so
love flowers. and to be-remembered."
Then. realizing that once more l had
made an unwise remark to this man.
7 adGeu. "the day is so gloomy l guess
IT has given me the blues"
But you should not remain here alone
such a dark day. 1t is enough to give
any one the blues"
"I had thought of going out and call
ed up Myrtle Caldwell, but she was not
nj home. so l gave ii up | replied.
Harper remained with me about an
hour lie talked we'll and was unusual
ly entertaining. When he left the world
looked 4 little brighter. and l felt that
perhaps after all my doll wasn't stuffed
with sawdust.