Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-12-26
THE WIFE CHEATER
A NeW Romance
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR
CHAPTER XIV
A New Interest;


| could not account for that feeling Of
panic that swept over me when Norman
preached the subject that evening, but two
or three days later l knew that intuition had
warned me, for he announced with elaborate
casualness that he wanted me to meet him
in town the following evening and go to
dinner with some friends of his.
You'll like them,' he said en- Enthusiastically,
and you know, Joan, we don't want to let
ourselves go to seed in this small town. Ruth
and Arthur and Margaret and Jim are All
right, but they're too contented They're
satisfied to live in rut. We're different.
We ought to get about more. and come up
against interesting personalities"
Tell me about your friends" / said
quietly, and he was off in minute on his
new enthusiasm
"Wel, to tell you the truth, don't l,now
them so very WE'LL" he began; Sin fact, I've
just met Mrs. Benedict But Bonnie as we
call him, is artist; he has been doing
some advertising work for our firm, and he
and his wife live down in the village. She's
on the Evening Star"
I longed to ask him when he had met Mrs.
Benedict but l shut my lips tightly against
a question of this kind lest he think me sus-
picious and entered into his plans with as
much enthusiasm l could force. But in
spite of myself the old unhappiness settled
down on me- Was Norman interested in this
Mrs Benedict? And did this interest in her
mean another period of agony for me! l
kept thinking of this all evening, although
it comforted me to think that this time Nor
man had asked me to go with him to meet
these people, and if were clever might be
able to manage things and TO keep MS lHler"
est in me alive.
We were to meet the Benedicts at their
apartment and 60 from there to one or the
village places to eat, and the next evening
when / met Norman at his office was con-
scious of the fact that at least looked we'll.
We took the subway uptown, and got OH
at Sheridan square. From there we threaded
our way through twisting narrow streets un-
til finally came to row OF old-tashloned
homes that had at one time seen better Gays.
felt hot and uncomfortable from the long
walk but Norman had never been In better
spirits.
ever been in the village, Toan?" he asked
as he led the way up one of the flight OF
stone steps and rang the bell.
l shook my head
"Some quaint old places down here" he
went on "The Benedicts have peach OF
place. great big rooms. It's worth while put
ting up with some inconvenience in order 10
live in place like this.
swering, but did not know the Benedlcts
and did not share Normans enthusiasm Tor
many reasons. Perhaps it was just as We'll.
We went up three flights of stairs through
dark, rather musty halls, and when we reach
ed the top landing L was nreathless. Almost
instantly the door was flung open and
a woman stood on the threshold.
She gave one hand to Norman and one to
me in an unconv tional, rather charming,
way, without waiting for Nornan's introduce
ton and the next moment she was draw
ing me into the apartment and I was being
introduced to "Bennie,' as they called him.
"Mrs. Wayne will never forgive us LOT nv
ING nm SO high. will she, Norman" heard
Mrs Benedict say as I shook hands with Mr.
Benedict and l realized that already this
woman was calling my husband by his flrst
name. 1t made me feel unpleasantly ike an
outsider. ' Z"
Next: Bohemian Crowd.