Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-06-25
: S6e :
|UNWELCONE
: WIFE, :
CHAPTER LII
81 HAZEL DEyG2 1A7CHEZOS-,
/9o/ 70 1luslhe I e1Ee/p co

~ HARLOTTE slept. Her nerves
had been stretched to the
" breaking point and she needed
rest. When she awoke at last.
dim light burned over near the
dressing table and she was alone.
She felt refreshed and there was a
gladness in her heart that made her
spring up, throw on a dressing gown
and hurry out to the nursery.
A dim light was burning there. too.
and the nurse sat nodding in her
chair. Char otte bent over the crib
and saw her baby lying there safe
and sound. His breathing was nat
ura1, his face was only normally
flushed, his pink fists were thrown
back against the pillow in a way
ba bies have. and Charlotte stood and
gazed for j long time without NOV
ing.
Then she went over and touched
the nurse on the arm.
You'd better go TO bed. Norah. "
she said, as the woman started up.
How do you feel. Mrs. Hartman;
all right now"
Charlotte nodded.
"When is the doctor coming fack?"
"He will look in tomorrow morn
ing, but the baby is all right. It's al
ways that way with Group. Fighting
for breath one minute and all right
the next if it's taken in time"
Charlotte shuddered. She did not
want to think of the afternoon, she
wanted to forget everything that had
happened. And yet, she unused, but
for the afternoons agony, her heart
might have remained rs it had been
for so long, cold and unresponsive.
For weeks she had doubted her abili-
ty ever to feel deeply again. and
like a shot. emotion had awakened
in her and she was alive.
AS she stole out Of the nursery. a
feeling of shyness crept over her.
She wanted to see Tony and yet she
dreaded it. She remembered her ten
derness when he had knelt at her
bed, it had been easy then to show her
feeling, now she was afraid. In the
living room. she paused. Her ap-
proach in light slippers had been
noiseless, the heavy rugs deadenlng
all sound. and now she was suddenly
conscious that she was very lightly
clad, and Tony seemed stranger.
He was sitting before the table and
some blueprints were spread out be-
fore him. which he was studying
closely. Charlotte wondered what
thew were and crept nearer. A loose
board creaked and Tony looked up
and saw her standing there. Her ash
blond hair was loose around her ana
her blue eyes were dark in the half
light. He saw her as he naQ dreamed
of seeing her, eager. Dalpitating, and
yet he could not believe that feeling
| for him had come back to her heart.
| He did not dare to hope too much.
He sprang to his feet. and they
both stood hesitating. When he spoke
| it was not at all what he wanted
to say. but the merest common
place.
"You ought not to run around like
| This vO1l'll take cold
1--WE just been in to see the baby"
Charlotte returned, craving her
| light silk robe more closely about
her. What have you there"
TONY turned and looked down at
the loose sheets. They're plans" he
said slowly. "Plans For a house"
For house?"
eyes; for our house. little CO.
lonial bungalow down by the sea. |
! wanted to surprise you. I've had
them for a long time. l thought we
| could steal away in May some time.
and be alone. [ thought maybe |
could win you back that way"
| Tony's voice faltered.
"Why, Tony" Charlotte'S own
voice was firm, and there was lit
tie trill of gladness in it. II am
back. 1 don't think I was ever very
far away"
She caught her breath as his arms
closed around her. but she did not
| finch. She wanted TO be there. She
| felt that nothing could ever come be-
tween them again.