Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-22
HER MONEY p: N
BY CAROLYN BEECHER

BY CAROLYN BEECHER Il
What has gone befope.-Althea Cros- =
by inherits fortune on condition that I
she marry before she is thirty-five. Il
She falls in love with handsome young
DR.. Peter Graham and marres him f
without telling him about the condi-t,1
ton in the will. Eventually he hears 4
gossips discussing\ it and assumes she
married him to get possession Of the =
fortune. He becomes cool and she as y
sumes he married her for her money.
She becomes very jealous of her hus-
bands attentions to Mrs. Ruth Will :
liams, a wealthy patient. Althea meets -
Kenneth Moore and his gaiety attracts
her-Now go with the story.
CHAPTER XXXIV
LOT only Peter was wondering. Althea
M herself found herself wondering II she
- might not come to care for Moore:
IF she could not take from him the love
Peter had denied her-and IN time retutr
it. She would be so much napier Will
someone who cared for her.
She accented an invitation to motor in"
to the country with Moore. She took pains
to tell the maid to say|to DR.. Graham that
she had gone out with Mr.. Moore
They rode for some time. then seeing
some wild flowers in a wood at the edge
of the road, they drove close ana got ols
of the car After gathering all she wished
thew sat down on grassy mound to rest.
Moore lighted cigar.
At first they chatted in desultory FASH
ion then suddenly Moore said, not fierce
ly, but with low tense concentration:
81 love you, Althea! You know do! You
are not happy Is it selfish of me to ask
Won to give up Graham? I will take you
away-France, England, anywhere! L Will
make you happy! We can be all the Worlh
to each Other!
Alhea has listened, dazed. He had strain--
i'm kissing her before
she could gather her wits to resist him. But
she pushed him from her, incensed and troz-
en- at the same time. She saw how entlrey
she was misunderstood; she felt as perhaps
a woman always feels with a man she mas
encouraged when he oversteps. She resentea
his embrace; things had suddenly changed.
She was white trembling with anger as she
faced him. Conquering herself, she SAID: -
"You don't seem to understand me at ALL
Kenneth" She spoke with stormy en-
phasis What contemplate creature you
seem to think I am. To imagine L Wou1d
welcome another mans kisses while married
to Peter! Don't you know that as long as
live with him l would die before Ia dls-
honor him-even, if as you say, we, are not
happy? While I am his wife and he trusts
me l shall be his wife"
Moore was contrite in an instant.
please forgive me-" he said, taking her
hand and lifting it to his lips. Il was be-
side myself | am not blind. I know YOU
and Graham are not suited to each other,
not happy. Thinking of it-and loving YOU
l lost my head. 1t shan't happen again
only say you forgive mel"
Althea's anger left her, her heart melted
as she saw his real distress, yet sense OF
wrong doing oppressed her.
Il forgive you, but please take me home,",
she said, her face white and drawn. Sh9
felt she more to blame than he, that
she had given him the encouragement to de-
clare himself.
1--WE shall be friends as before? You
won't Danish me?" he asked they rolled
smoothly homeward, ne
NO won't Danish you-but-you
i.-
81 shant offend again." he said through
set lips. mot until you give me leave"
At home Althea reproached herself, hated
herself, for having led him on-even though
it was to make Peter jealous. But how
could she know that Moore cared so much?
Perhaps if she hadn't been so kind he would
have fallen in love with her just the same.
Peter was waiting Git was near the dinner
hour quietly reading.
Did you have a pleasant ride?" he ask,
ed, then added: "You look little pale,
Don't tire yourself too much. You haven't
quite your usual strength yet"
81 wandered about bit gathering these
flowers and now they are all wilted. PER-.
haps they will revive in water" ~
wild flowers seldom do. Once dead they
seldom come to life"
cut the stems of the blooms and arranged
them in vase. "Once dead there is no use
trying to resurrect it," -
Peter watched her closely all through dim
ner. His keen eyes had noted her suppress-
ed excitement; he OWNED something of IFS
cause. He set his lips tightly. His life seem
ed worthless without her. Nothing of all the
interests he engaged in invited him as he
looked at her sitting opposite him; nothing
but her companionship through life-even, -
if he could not have her loge-intrigued
him.
Not easily would he relinquish his hold
on her. So
AS they left the table she brushed
against him and he bent down and kissed
her. A sharp contraction of her brows was
the only sign he noticed There was no
pleasure of her face, no movement to return
to caress To her it had seemed cold kiss
of duty-as she compared it with the burn-.r
ing kisses Moore had pressed upon her that
compared it unconsciously-then
flushed crimson as she realized she had done
SO.
"a husbands kiss-and a. lovers" she
said cynically to herself as he went down -
to his office without speaking. "Yet-I'dn,
rather have Peters cold one than all other
kisses in the world" 80
Continued Tuesday. Renew your subscrip-
ion now so as not to miss chapter of this.
absorbing story
L.. 'i..ta