Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-01-11
CHAPTER XXXHI
Edith PLAYS the VamD

mentioning it. That made me feel, and
not unnaturally, that it was more than a cas-
ual incident to him. Otherwise he would
have said something about it when we were
alone.
Of course Edith said nothing about it eth
er, but her friendship with Norman develop
ed as the days went on.
Norman took to coming home on an earlier
train in the afternoon and we began to use
the country club for tennis and golf Of
course 1 was always included in their
gagements, at least I was at first, but it was
understood in advance that Edith and Nor
man would pair off together, and if it had
not been for Herbert l would have been left
alone the country club porch situation
that no woman enjoys.
1 realized that with Edith's arrival Nor
mans admiration for Mrs. Benedict had mi
raculOusly cooled
The night after the dinner party Edith
made laughing remark about her. 1t was
no worse than the things 1 had said after
l had first met Vivien, but although Nor
man had been furious with me- he took what
Edith had to say without comment, in fact,
he tacitly agreed with Rer
In a way l was glad that Norman had
dropped Vivien Benedict but it was harder
in way to have him admire Edith so ex-
travagantly. Edith was my own little sister
and was staying at our house. The flirta-
ton between them was flung at me constant
ly and there was nothing | could do If /
wanted to keep my dignity intact. l suppose
most women hearing my story would be dis
gusted with me for allowing Norman to treat
me as he did. l know that if any other wom-
an had cOnfided in me the things that could
have told about Normars 1 should have been
disguised and called her fool
But | was trying out an experiment. I
felt that. I had married Norman, and that
must hold him through new and modern
methods if | intended to hold him at ALL
linz nrin ans in
fatuation for Alice Wilson, but since the
coming of Edith I had begun to despair of
being able to hold him. There was an cleo
tricity in the air that made me feel the ap-
proach of a climax. There were times when
felt that if 1 did break under the strain, l
would do something desperate, and all this
time. Herbert was standing back of me
ready to give me the attention that Norman
preferred to give to some one else.
I had never been fond of sports, but be-
cause Edith and Norman played tennis every
afternoon, l took it up. Herbert offered to
teach me. but the afternoon that l took
my first lesson, Edith elected not to play.
Sometimes | could not help feeling that Edith
planned these things deliberately, for when
l returned from the courts hot and as red
as a lobster, Edith was sitting in a corner
of the porch with Norman and some of the
younger men. She wore a cool frock of
cOrn-colored organdie, and looked as usual
like a flower. Her appraising glance swept
me from head to foot and there was an in
solent look in her eyes as with apparent in
nocense, she called Norman's attention to
me.
isn't it Joan?" Were her words, and they
were apparently without malice, but Nor
man looked up at and then back to
Edith's cool feminine beauty, and my cheeks
burned hotter because 1 knew he was con-
trasting US and the odds were in Ediths ia
A MT
my heart that almost frightened me with
its intensity. 1t was a feeling dangerous
ly near to hate and / had never known my
self capable of anything like that.
CHAPTER XXXIV
Edith and Herbert
My days began to be filled with kind of
sick fear, as l kept wondering what was
to be the outcome Of all this If Norman
liked Edith as q companion so much more
than he did me, perhaps the time would come
when he would realize that he had made
mistake in marrying me. If that time ever
came 1 would not fight l would give him
his freedom gladly and admit my failure. But
the scandal OF it, and the knowledge that
every one would pity me were things 1 could
not bare to contemplate.
And all this time antipathy between Her
bert and Edith had increased. Herbert was
courteous, but he had a way of ignoring
Edith that was very noticeable and, although
Sn6 was 100 CI6V6F TO let any one suspect
that she noticed this, l could not help but
feel that she did and that it piqued her pride
whether she cared anything about Herbert
or not.
One night when we were all at the club
at an informal dance, I had stolen outside
to be alone with my thoughts. I sat on the
balustrade behind huge pillar, and I heard
voices behind me before l could move and
let it be known that I was there.
Edith's purring voice paralyZed me for
the moment and, after they were seated,
hated to appear from the darkness and inter
rupt them, so I just kept still and invOlun-
tarily heard what was said.
I could hear the creak of the chairs as
they seated themselves, and then there came
a short silence, broken finally by Edith.
1T would be interesting to know, Mr.. Liv-
lngston, why you hate so much!
1 held my breath. Herbert was with her.
PunctiliOusly at every dance, he asked Edith
to dance with him just once, after which he
avoided her for the rest of the evening. Evil
IDENTIFY this was the dance and Edith was
determined to make an effort to draw Her
bert into her tolls. I could have laughed
aloud to think what she would have said If
she had known 1 was behind the pillar list
ening, and 1 fairly held my breath as I wait
ed for Herbert's answer. 1t came at last
81 don't hate you, Miss Stockbrdge, what
an absurd idea"
"Ah," Edith returned softly, mot so alb
surd You see I have had chance to OBJ
serve you with Joan, and your manner to-
ward her is very different"
Ny hands clenched in the darkness. What
a little cat Edith was, and how INSCRIPTIONS
in her tactics. That she could speak of me
that way to any one when [ had refraned
from any interference in the affair between
Norman and her was worse than disloyal, it
was malicious.
II have known your sister for a very long