Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-04-06
CHAPTER XII.
CHAPTER XXI.
~ HE door quietly opened and Robert
came in. So absorbed was / in my
thoughts l had not heard the click

came in. So absorbed was ] in my
thoughts l had not heard the click
of his key.
What are you doing up so late? l
thought 1 told you not to wait for me-"
pleased.
Il wasn't waiting for you; l have been
reading" I replied.
1T must have been a mighty interest
ing book" He glanced at the clock,
whose hands pointed TO 1 o'clock.
yes, l imagine it was fully as inter-
esting az your talk with Mr.. Mulhany,"
my eyes also noting the time with
astonishment
We'll. come on to bed. and remember
after this when / am out I want you to
go to bed This idea women have that
they must sit up because a mans out is
ridiculous" and so, with neither ques-
tions nor explanations, We retired.
Not until he was asleep did 1 remem-
Der that Robert had told me nothing of
his interview with Mulhany. Even then
the thought Of that other woman, that
neglected wife had been reading about,
drove away the hurt consciousness that
for the first time he had not made me
his confidante
In the days that followed was doubly
lonely and disheartened. I not only
missed Matilda because she was capable
and made me comfortable, but missed
her breezy presence around the house.
1 found myself listening to hear her
whistling about her work and then being
disappointed when I remembered.
often rebelled, iercely rebelled. Loneli-
ness often drives women to desperate
measures. The daughters of Eve are in
clined to seize upon the first eXpedient
at hand when, left alone, they seek to
forget. Fortunately for me, there was at
this time absolutely no place for me to
look for happiness save in my home,
with Robert.
Then came Myrtle Caldwell She lived
in the big, rambling house on the out
skirts of the town, which had been
closed ever since we came. There were
wonderful gardens attached, and / had
often stopped and looked over the fence
and specialized as to who owned the
place. 1t seemed they had been in
Europe for the last year They had Just
returned, and Myrtle had lost no time in
calling.
"I am so glad to have another young
couple whom we can take into our set"
at times 1t is hard to find enough con-
genial people to make up a party. You
must come and dine with us on Wednes-
day. Just a small affair. I'm positive
Ned-my husband-will be as delighted
as am I when L tell him of you. He
must give your husband his law bust
ness; he has Lombard, but he's an old
fogy." Robert had told me Lombard
had all the best business of the town.
Il shall be charmed to come" 1 told
her, that is, if Robert has no other en-
gagements." My pride would not allow
me to be too eager.
you must make him break them If
he has. L depend on your
I put on my hat as soon as her beau
tifully appointed machine turned the cor
ner, and rushed down to Roberts office
After all these long, lonely months, to
find a congental woman of my own age
was too good to keep until dinner time.
Robert was, as usual, absorbed in his
books, but 1 ratified on telling him all
about Mrs. Caldwell and the invitation
to dinner.
Where? What?" he asked when I
stopped for breath. With masculine abil-
ity to bury himself in his books. he had
not heard a word L had said
Cant you show a little interest In
something that means so much to me?7
| pouted, as usual feeling that his devo-
ton to his books was wasted time. 81
don't suppose you can understand what
even one evening of pleasure will mean
to one shut up in prison as 1 have been!"
ooh, come, Margaret" Robert laugh
ed good naturedly. It's your own fault
you're shut in as you call It. You
can go out every day of your life-un~
less you prefer to remain at home"
where can 1 go? Nowhere but to
market"
ut would be a good idea If you did
go to market. If you watched what you
buy more closely, our bills would be
less"
"Oh, I didn't come down here to talk
about bills,"'I broke in. You know l
don't go anywhere socially, and when
we are invited and l come way down
here to tell you, you don't listen
It's your own fault you have gone
nowhere, but all this is, as you say ir-
relevant. What was it you come down
to tell me? / was so interested in look
ing up point of law I scarcely heard"
II told you that Mrs. Caldwell. who
lives in that big house on the HILL had