Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-18
THE WIFE CHEATER |
A New Romance I
BY HAZEL DEYO BACHELOR

u 11fALAL LII i - A|1A ~ ~
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 one woman more than few weeks
at a time, while Joan is inclined to be
too possessive. She is determined,
however, not to show her jealousy, and
even when she has reason to suspect J
that Norman ha staken mutual friend,
Alice Wilson, to dinner only four weeks
after her marriage, she fights against
the Jealous feelings that sweep over her, :
CHAPTER VIII
Woman Against Woman
r TIP in my room had taken off my clothes
Dt and was standing in nightgown and
- kimono brushing out my hair when
heard footsteps on the porch.N
My heart leaped in my throat and involun-
tarily my eyes flew to the little French clock
on my dressing table.
the 1858 after all, for there had been just
enough time for him to have walked up from
the station
1 stood there with my brush poised, wait.
ing for his key in the lock- and then sudden
ly to my amazement, there came a sudden
sharp ring at the bell. Without stopping to
think I stood absolutely still waiting for
Mary to open the door, and then, as the bell
rang again, realized that Mary had gone
out that evening. I myself had told her to
go to the MOVIES.
With my kimono held around me-
hurried down the stairs, my mules clicking
ON the polished wood at every STEP but when
! reached the door hesitated. was alone
IN the house. Was it wise to open the door
at this time of the night to any one?
Who is it?" I demanded suddenly and
was rewarded instantly by Alice's gay tones.
JUS L, dear / saw your light and had
the taxi man drop me here
In a minute I had flung open the door and
oil 0cyb She
just emerged from the competent hands of
French maid, came into the hall.
She exclaimed at my negligee.
Il didn't get you out of bed, did II"
1 shook my head. "Of course not Come
on into the library" And I led the way
switching on lights as I went.
Was 1t my fancy or was Alice too glib, too
eager to talk? AS soon as we were seated
opposite each other she began to chatter
almost feverishly x
i've been in town shopping, and knew
you were alone, because ran into Norman
this afternoon, and he told me he was stay
Ing in for dinner My DEAR bought the
most rav1sh1ng new gown for the dance next
week. couldn't resist dropping III to tell
you about it, And she began a detailed dn
scrfption of the dress in question. leaving mo
little chance for anything in the way of
conversation but an occasional monosyllable
OF exclamation. T'Tc II
When she rose to go about Is minutes
later SHe Kissed me aLTecClOnatoly, and adj
vised me to hurry upstairs so as not to miss
my beauty sleep. could not help admiring
the way she had handled the entire situation
even while my blood boiled at the thought
OF the cool way she had attempted to de-
ceive me-
OF course saw through everything.
She and Norman had dined together, and
then, in order to throw me off the track
Alice had returned to Hilton on the 9:53
in order to establish an alibi. /%s
How clevarly she had mentioned seeing
Norman in the city before had a chanceNto
say anything. In that way she had thought
to rob me of all suspicion, for, from the way
she had spoken, would naturally suppose
that she had seen Norman for only a very
few moments. 1t was quite clever, very
clever, but not quite clever enough. There
had been moments while she sat there talk
ing about her new gown, when l had wanted
to laugh outright, but had kept a straight
face, although hardly knew why.
Upstairs in my room again, faced the
situation with a new pain in my heart The
thought that Alice and Norman had deliber-
ately planned to deceive me was intoIerable
1t was one thing to determine not to be jeal-
Gus, but was quite another to believe Norman
capable of plotting with another woman
against his own wife. MY pride was up in
arms, but was so angry that it was almost
impossible to decide what to do. rf
(Next-Confession.