Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-06-05
CHAPTER XXX.
- RUCE showed his disapprOVal,
both that night and the next
- morning, so plainly it made me
.....,o,,, for ble

- morning, so plainly 1t made me
a uncomfortable
..lvhat's he matter. Bruce" | asked
innoccntly. after Robert had left for
pouch this morning. Didn't you sleep
well""
Il slept well enough, Margaret. but
I don't like it,
Like what
You know we'll enough! 1 don't like
I Cd Freeman hanging around here. II
Won wanted him, why didn't you marry
him? l understood he asked YOU"
He did But because 3 girl doesn't
want to marry man does not prove
she cannot like him as q. friend"
But you're married now. Margaret.
Just because I'm married I'm not
going to sit home and never see any
body," / exploded
DOCS ne send you flowers"
sometimes
81 thought so. Orchids and Ameri-
can beauties cost a pile of money. More
than Robert could afford. Don't let
him do it, Sis. and don't receive him
when Roberts away-thats good
girl"
eff Robert doesn't object--nor care
II don't see why you should" ] return
ed hotly.
he is so straightforward himself he
never looks for wrong in others"
Wrong" I snapped. the color flood
ing my face and neck.
Yes. wrong" Bruce answered, as al
ways unCompromising.
"I can't see much difference between
Robert spending his time with Holland
Lansing. and Tod Freeman coming to
see me. l may be very stupid, but I'm
not quite a fool And in this family
what's sauce for the gander is also
sauce for the goose"
| was becoming angry at the attitude
my brother had taken, and did not
care what I said.
you are way off, Sis, Robert is
Miss Lausing's lawyer. She is his best
paying client. He told me If ii were
not for her he could not make things
as comfortable for you. Do be sensible,
Margaret, and stop getting fool notions
in your head"
"They are not fool notions. He con-
stantly neglects me for her"
81 don't believe it, declared Bruce
bluntly.
II didn't suppose YOU would. or
should have told you when you first
came. But Philip said before 1 was
married that IL we ever had any trouble
you would take Roberts part"
phil said that?"
Yes" | answered bitterly.
well. Margaret. he was right. I
know Robert Drayton, and nothing
could make me believe him disIoyal"
al wish I had your faith" l replied
bitterly.
I'm sorry. Margaret" Bruce return
ed soberly, but kindly. 81 had hoped
o find you perfectly happy"
1--WE had precious little to make me
happy" 1 sputtered, first. poor as
mice, not much better now and left
alone in this forlorn house most of the
time, going nowhere, having nothing,
no clothes no amusements Why, if it
hadn't been for Myrtle and Ned Caldwell
| Just couldn't have endured it,
us it as bad as that?"
"Worse, Bruce. I'm so glad to get
away for while, and yet I've nothing
to wear home, no new fashionable clothes
like all the girls 1 know will be wearing.
1T seems 20 me that clothes are the
bette noir of every woman. You look
very sweet, Sis. 1 haven't noticed any
thing wrong with your clothes" Just
then Martha brought little Bruce in and
our conversation anent my troubles was
over.
"You see you have something" Bruce
smiled as l Rugged my precious baby
ling.
"Oh, he's everything! If it wasn't
for him''-I stopped
BE thankful for what you have Mar
garet. Give Robert time. He'll make
good"
Bruce took the boy and played with
him for an hour. l couldn't help feeling
glad that my big brother knew at last
how / felt Neither could I avoid being
chargrined that he should insist that
was in the wrong.
l determined to tell Tod Freeman how
angry | was because he disregarded my
wishes and came to call i'm spite of what
told him, and how | hated the lie he
had told. | was positive Bruce had
known he was lying, and that it had
been the cause of his arraignment of
me.
Bruce's vacation was nearly over In
another week he was going home, and
the boy and were going with him.
I longed yet dreaded to see father.
had been so miserably unhappy over his
marriage had shown my feelings so
plainly, that / feared ! should be embar-
ra ssed
All that week / saw little of Bruce
save at meals, and less of Robert He
was attending court in a neighborins
town, and Bruce went motoring with the
Caldwells or Holland Lansing nearly ev-
cry day. Myrtle asked me but ] was
too busy getting ready TO go home to ac-
cept. Tod Freeman, too, often made
glad l couldn't go.