Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-21
CHAPTER TX

Confession
twas lying in bed, wide-eyed ind nervous
4 when at last / heard Norman come in.
This was the first night he had been
away from me since our marriage. Would
he speak to me, even though my light was
out! Wouldn't he feel any stirring Of re-
morse due to the fact that he and Alice had
plotted against me that evening?
could hear him stirring around down.
stairs, and then finally his footsteps on
the stairs, cautious and slow. He thought,
OF course, that I was asleep and he was
being careful When I heard him go into
his room and close the door 1 knew that
ne had no intention of speaking to me. On
top OF my misery this fact gave me queer
feeling of loneliness, and it seemed hours
before l dropped asleep.
At breakfast the next morning Norman
was tac1turn and quiet. l was glad of this
because it enabled me to be cheerful and
gay I carefully avoided anything that
might lead to the question Of where he had
been last night, and I had the satisfaction
Of knowing that my attitude puzzled him.
Evidently he had expected me to ask ques-
lions, to exhibit Jealousy, and inasmuch aS
was doing nothing of the kind he was
vaguely troubled.
When he finally rose from the table fol-
lowed him into the hall as usual, and in a
minute he had swept me into his arms.
There was a fierce possessiveness in the
way he held me, and for a few moments
the aching in my heart was relieved as If by
magic.
He put his hand beneath my chin and
raised my face to his. His eyes searched
mine, and for minute I was tempted
to throw my pride to the winds and make
an effort to clear up this mystery between
u.s. but I refrained
81 love you, little JOAN, he said. And
moment later he was gone.
suppose that most women would con.
slider that remark Of Norman's poor con.
ISOLATION for what had happened, but iEcom-
forted me. Our marriage was not an aver
age union, and I sure that in his way
Norman loved me. realized that even
now, in spite Of the fact that was facing
rather perilous future, I was not sorry
that had chosen him in preference to Her
bert Livingston. The short moments ON
the heights with Norman would be worth a
lifetime of peaceful content with man I
was sure would never do the slightest thing
| to make me unhappy. 4
That night when my husband returned
from the city he was all devotion. It was
as though he was making an effort to atone
| for what he had done, and we were very
gay, He wasn't willing 10 have me out of
his sight a moment, and after dinner he
| drew me out to the porch and we sat in
silence; his arms around me, and my head
| on his shoulder. III
Finally he spoke.
"Joan, I had dinner with Alice Wilson
| last night"
My heart gave great leap. At last it
| had come! I had been willing to wait and
now I was about to reap my reward.
"Did your" I said, quietly.
| His arm frightened. Didn't you know"
eyes," returned
''Then why didn't you say something
about it,"
'Why should ~"
Because most women would have said
something"
| 1 laughed aloud. It wouldn't do to make
| it easy for him, he must never know that
had suffered.
| Don't you care?"- he persisted
"Why, no, Norman, I want to be free"
Joan, you're wonderful I'm not worthy
| of you I'm sorry that tried to deceive
| you about it. told Alice it was absurd,
| but she said that for the sake OF Hilton
gossip we oughtn't to return on the same
| train"
Again that leap of my heart. SO 1t had
been Alices idea to deceive me. was glad
to know that. What would she say II she
knew that of his own free will Norman had
told me the truth? 1t struck me as rather
a good omen for the future.
(Next, Getting Even)