Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-12-04
HER MONEY
BY CAROLYN BEECHER

BY CAROLYN BEECHER
What has gone before.-Althea Cros-
by inherits fortune on condition that
she marry before she is 35. She falls in
love with handsome young DR.. Peter
Graham and marries him without telling
him about the condition in the will.
Eventually he hears gossips discussing it
and assumes she married him to get pos
session of the fortune. He becomes cool
and she assumes he married her for her
money. She becomes very jealous of her
husbands attentions to Mrs. Ruth Will
liams wealthy patient. Althea meets
Kenneth Moore and his gayety attracts
her.-NOw 60 on with the story.
CHAPTER XXVI
tn HE rift between Althea and Peter VII
dened daily, yet to all outward APP
pearance they were as other couples
the husbands business preventing him acting
often as an escort. They never really quar-
relied, although often on the verge. Peter
had great self-control and when he felt.
quarrel imminent invariably left the
room. Pride and a certain growing bitter.
ness also helped Althea to pretend compos-
ure she did not feel; to answer quietly and
codly when she longed to give vent to the
irritating feeling that so often possessed her.
Her inner revolt never ceased. In her
heart was a great emptiness. She did miss
Moore, confessed it to herself when alone.
much, should she care for the society of an
other man? Think of him? She did not
realize her longing for affection made her
| turn to whoever gave it, as flower. turns 10
the sun and with no more conscious intention.
Moore was unusually handsome, so I'M
mensely good-tempered and bright. He really
was delightful man. 1t was this his good
nature his anxiety to please her, that MADE
| her think of him. So she decided, dlsmlsslng
| the feeling of uneasiness aroused by Nell
Lam gfOrds chatter
| Perhaps Jane the maid, realized more per-
| fectly than anyone else that there was some
| thing unusual in the attitude of Peter ana
Althea toward each other. To the young
plumber who visited her twice week in her
| spotless kitchen she said:
They're too polite to each other Jim.
Something wrong between them that's sure:
When they are alone they never laugh and
| talk much, and they never have bit of
squabble. 1t amt natural for married folks
| to live that way
ooh. I don't know" Jim, who was very
| much in love with Jane, replied. They
might like each other too we'll to quarrel I'd
! never fight with you Jane, if you'd have me-
"Oh, you wouldn't! Well, Jim Fagn,
never knew two Irish to get together and not
squabble. But they are so cold-like. Seems
as if neither of them cared a bit what the
| other done. yet sometimes she looks awful
! sad-like, and sometimes he looks at her as II
he wanted to say something and didn't dast
81 guess a man like him, doctor, amt
! afraid of saying what he wants to-" Jim re-
! turned with confidence Il guess you SORT OIL
| imagine things, Jane"
| NO [ don't! And there's another man
| comes here a lot-a Mr.. Moore. He's aw-
| full handsome, and so jolly He makes her
/ laugh and talk fast enough. She seems 10
| like him too Yet she amt the flirty, kind
| one bit wait on them and [ see more n
| they think 1 do. She cries sometimes too
Not much She amt that kind either, but
they amt happy know they amt"
| ooh, we'll, never mind them! Let's talk
| about ourselves, the little flat [ am going to
| fix up for you, Jane, as soon as you say
the word. Well be happy if they amt
Moore had not returned when Peter and
! Althea accepted an invitation for Sunday
| afternoon in the country. 1t was to be a
picnic supper in certain stretch of woods.
| Peter had an urgent call just before, the
| time to go and they were late in starting,
but with directions as to where to meet the
| others they promised to join them. -,
| Althea was delighted at the thought OF
| the long ride with Peter. When they started
! half an hour after the others, she chatted
| quite gaily with him. They found the woods
but no trace of the party. They seemed quite
| alone.
| Come" she said suddenly realizing this.
| eve must find them. 1t would be easy to
wander about here until we were quite lost:
You'd better call" .e4
| 81 think | could take care OF you~-eVeh
| if we shouldn't find them" Peter said:
Althea glanced quickly at him. There was
nothing in the words, and the tone was
| very quiet His face was grave and calm.
Yet. she felt something stirring in him that
made the color ebb from her face, leaving
it quite white; strange excitement made
her heart rise suddenly as If a hand had
| pushed it from underneath.
| Peter looked at her, smiling a little.
| eff we were lost here, together, would
! YOU very much mind?" he asked in an Or
binary tone. Then without waiting for an
| answer he put his hands to his Eps and
| called loudly. An answering shout led them
to the others and although they had very
gay picnic the feeling of unerality fingered
with Althea.
She had known she would not care IL
she were lost with Peter would feel no
fear, no sense of danger, only joy at an ad-
venture shared with him.
| On the ride home both were very quiet,
| evidently busy with their thoughts. AS he
| helped her from the car he said:
| Every much-mOre than [ have enjoyed
| anything in a long time" she answered, re-
| Numbering what he had said-he could
| take care of her.
| Continued Thursday. Renew your sub
| scription now so not to miss a chapter OF
! this absorbing story.