Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-04-04

| had been necessary to my work No
| woman who gives way to personal
grievances has any chance. in bust
! neSS-Chance to make much of her
| self. But with this thought came an
! other, a bitter one. Had | been young
er. like Annie, would Frank have
| been so tempted? Was it not partly
| owing to my sedateness. my practl-
| cal outlook upon life, that the bright
| beautiful young girl had been a
! temptation to him? l could not be-
| lieEe she had tempted him. Were
! men right? Did business women
| lose their charm? Annie also worked,
but she was so young and as yet
Good night, Frank l think I will
| retire"
Head still ache"
"Yes--a little"
"I'll be along soon."
l hesitated as L passed his chair
! Then [ stopped and impulsively said;
You love me, don't you, Frank
"Of course L love you; What made
YOU ask me that?' with a sha:p
| glance at me.
"Oh-nothing. | am silly tonight"
"You are working too hard with
| that class of yours. Better stay away
| a while and take care of yourself
| This idea of yours, going to work
| every day, is all nonsense. Not that
| care, DQC II is 1OOllSnneSS.
"Oh, 1 couldn't give that up-not
! now"
Suit yourself, of course. But it
seems foolish to make yourself i'll.
You aren't going to make women
equals of men in business"
1 left the room with an added ache
tugging at my heart. Did l want him
to insist l remain at home for bit
because it would show concern for
me? Really I was becoming bunch
of contradictions.
CHAPTER LvI
a LII night L struggled with my
II problem while Frank slept
lous? Did he feel no COM
junction at his, if not faithlessness,
his desire to prove faithless? 1
wondered if Annie were also sleep
ing regardless of what had happen
ed. Once that thought occurred to
me I could not dismiss it. Quietly
I crept from my. bed and into the
na1 stood TOO 9uts sid her no door, r,e and
ing. She was sobbing, strangled
sobs, as if she were afraid she would
be heard. L returned slowly to my
bed comforted. Surely she was guilt
less or she would not be weeping so
bitterly. 1t was just sudden emo
ton InaC FRANK ndu given way ",
l thought, as L shivered between the
sheets.
Then came another thought to tor
ture me:
Suppose-suppose Annie did care
for Frank and that was the reason
she was weeping? I was so startled
I sat up in bed, straining to hear.
Was she sobbing her grief away in
the darkness, grief because she loved
my husband? Why not? Frank was
most attra ctiVe, he was fine looking,
and had been kindness itself to her
partly, 1 had imagined, to please
me.
1t grieved me almost as much to
think Annie faithles5 as it did to
think Frank would so soon desert
me for another. That's what I call
ed it-desertion.
When such things happen to other
women l wonder if they torture
themselves as 1 did by thinking of
all that could possibly hurt them?
Do all women dwell upon the things
which make them unhappy?
In the morning 1 rose tired, wan.
was. My first glimpse of my pale,
drawn face gave me a start.
mo wonder he wants her." L said
to myself, then proceeded with the
aid of toilet requisites to hide the
ravages my sleepless night and my
grief had made. Frank and 1 were
both at breakfast when Annie came
in. / glanced sharply at her as she
said her good morning in llstleSs
voice, so different from her uSuaI
cheerful greeting.
The first glimpse of her face
steadied me. There was an air of
sorrow about her that made it seem
impossible she had willfully done
anything wrong. I did not under
stand the feeling that came to me
that, if Annie loved Frank, she never
would let him know it-and because
of me.
A sudden swift remembrance of
her gratitude always so sweetly eX
pressed came to me. My thoughts
travelled fast as L poured the cot
fee. trying to appear. natural, and
one cup thirstily. Then 1 said:
"You look badly this morning, An
ME; didn't you sleep WeIl?"
mo, Olive; L scarcely closed my
eyes,"
Frank glanced at her but made no
remark. When he finished he got
MS hat and coat, then waited. An
ME had also left the table.
Coming, Annie?" he said as she
heSitated
No; 1 am not quite ready. Don't
wait"
do you want her to suspect?
Don't be a fool
Had L not been SO keenly alive to
what was going on L probably would
have missed Franks whispered warn
ing. But L was watching, listening,
and he had leaned toward her, so
throwing his voice in my direction.
Then aloud he said:
I'm in no particular hurry this
| morning. / can wait a few minutes. ."
Annie made no reply. She went
to her room and almost as quickly
as usual reappeared ready for the
street.
"Good-by. Olive dear" She press
ed a kiss upon my hair. Don't
work SO , hard today i, am a afraid