Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-11
THE WIFE CHEATER
A NeW Romance
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR


Joan Stockbridge marries Norman Wayne
in spite of many warnings from her friends.
Norman is the kind of a man who has
never been known to care for woman
more than a few weeks at a time, while
Joan is inclined to be too possessive in her
attitude toward marriage. After four weeks
of married life, Joan finds herself jealous
of Norman and her old friend, Alice Wilson.
She asks Norman if there has ever been
anything between himself and Alice in the
past and he tells her no.
CHAPTER VI
Norman Stays in Town
TWOULD have been content to live very
Z Guietly in the pretty little suburb
where we had all settled. We were
fifty minutes from the city, and we had
one of the prettiest country clubs in the
country. The country round about was
beautiful, and it seemed that my days were
filled to the brim with just being married
1t was enough for me- to wake in the
morning, dress quickly and run down
stairs to see if Norman had just what he
liked for breakfast. Afterward there was
marketing to do, and at the stores I always
met other women and we stopped to chat
and gossip. At night 1 was always dressed
and ready for Norman when he returned
from town on the evening train, and after
dinner we visited back and forth among
our neighbors, or we went driving in our
own roadster or in some one Of the larger
cars.
Then came a night when Norman did not
return for dinner.
He telephoned me from the city about
O'Clock in the afternoon and for moment
forgot my resolutions and was tempted
to ask questions, but l stopped myself just
in time.
"Joan, I'll be late tonight. Don't wait
dinner; I'll be out on the eleven-thirty.''
mot till the eleven-thirty?" The words
were out before was aware that had
intended to speak them
Il may be able to make the nne-fifty-
three, but don't count on it, His voice was
crisp, and seemed to detect note of i'm
patience in it, so I fastened to respond
cheerfully.
"All right, dear I'll go to the movies
Goodby.' But as I hung up the receiver
my hand was trembling
Instantly all my suspicious we're aroused
why was Norman staying in town tonight?
This was not the time of year when busi-
ness would hold him in town, and come to
think of it, he had not said word about
business. Then why hadn't he come home
would he tell me where he had BEEN and
to dinner, and when he did come home
what he had been doing?
l ate solitary dinner, prolonging it as
much as possible, and afterward with long
evening stretching drearily ahead of me, I
went to the telephone and rang I'D Alice
Wilson.
Mrs Wilson answered the telephone
Ou, MIS- Wilson, LnlS is Joan wayne"
said, forcing bright note into my voice
SIS Alice there?"
"Alice is in the city," came in Mrs VIII
sons wellbred self-contained tones. "She
went in early this morning to do some shop
ping and she telephoned that she wouldn't
be back to dinner"
Thank you," returned quickly. .'No
it isn't important. "Pll ring up tomorrow
sometime"
The receiver at the other end clinked,
and slowly I replaced my own receiver on
the hook. For long moment did not
move, but my brain was racing with
thoughts and I held my body so rigidly
that my muscles fairly ached when I finally
relaxed. @,e
had little doubt of the fact that Norman
and Alice were together. They had met in
the city, either purposely or by chance, and
were dining together. or course 1T signi-
fled nothing. Alice was my friend and
there was no reason why Norman should
not take her out to dinner. But why did
he prefer Alice to me? Not once since our
marriage had he asked me to meet him in
town. Whenever had gone in to chop or
to visit mother, / had always returned on
an earlier train.
My cheeks burned and my hands clenched
as I thought Of the gossip that would ensue
if any one should happen to see them to-
gether, and yet I must laugh and pretend
not to care no matter what happened.
(To Be Continued