Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-24
CHAPTER xxi

CHAPTER XXI
II ENNETH MOORE had called and had
~ had tea with Althea. Peter was out
- - and they chatted pleasantly for an
hour He came often. nearly always at the
tea hour usually finding her alone or sur
rounded by her women friends. He had
found Peter there but once. Peter had re-
ceived him in friendly fashion, apologizing
for being so busy that he had little time for
social amenities
Nell LaHgford leased Althea numerically:
Hes falling in love with you, Althea,"
/ she warned.
A dim warning had begun to sound within
her when she was with Moore, vague feel
ing of alarm awakening, but as yet shS
had not needed its meaning.
<Who is falling in love?" she asked, trying
to laugh.
"It's what's happening to Ken Moore. You
admire him, too. He interests you. watch
out, your fingers will get burned"
Il do admire Mr.. Moore Immensely He
is very handsome. very gay. l like to look
at him. be with him. But that's not LOVING
him"
That very night Peter also spoke OF Moore.
He comes often" he said.
"Yes-what of it," Althea querled, at
once on the defensive.
EeNothing-much But I thought"
"'Why shouldn't let him come? we nave
not made particular success of our lives
together, have we? We don't seem rart1c-
ularly happy. Perhaps it has all been
mistake
There was a long pause. Althea was not
looking at Peter or she would have seen
pset look on his face redness grow about
his ssyelids; uoon aon,+ ouito under.
stand" he finally said.
81 mean that don't care" responded~Al~
thea passionately. II want some one to be
nice to me, act as if 1 meant something TO
them. Our being together seems to have
been a muddle from the beginning.
The silence came down again between them
like pail and there seemed to be no desire
on the part of either to break it. Half an
hour went by, then Peter rose
''It's late. l think will go to bed,' he said
heavily. Good night"
GOOD night" Althea replied without NOV
ing. and he went to his own room.
Filled with a rage of passionate feelings
Althea sat crouched in her chair. she telt
sensation of pain all through her. she mao
not meant to say what she did, yet he had
not seemed to care, to - surprised He
wasn't even jealous.
She went to her room and prepaed for bed.
AS on so many other nights she lay sleepless,
longing for his love, for tenderness. But
never before, it seemed to her, had she longed
so pOignantly
She thought of Moore. of his chances of adj
miration. She rose lighted the bulb over
her dressing table and studied herself, her
features She could discover nothing with
which to find fault. She had youth, health,
certain beauty of feature and expression
Why couldn't Peter admire her as Moore
evidently did? sudden pang went through
her It was too late-Peter's admiration was
given to others-Mrs' Williams! Why
shouldn't she take a little pleasure with
Moore? Have few gay hourSto enllVen her
arid life2
In those moments before the mirror
great resentment against Peter filled her
heart. For three years she had been beside
him, hungering for his love, striving to earn
it, and for three years she had met with no
return.
"Al 1 care about is living with some one
who cares about mel" she muttered, to her
reflection, knowing she lied. Then:
don't want anyone but you Peter! 1 don't
When again she sought her bed tears wet
her pillow
ceedingly kind and gentle in manner. always
scrupuously polite. He possessed an innate
gentle breeding that never failed him.
In the morning his manner was unchanged,
but for the entire night he had felt cold'
black terror about him, an icy paralyzing
dread that he had lost her, ,lrretrlevably
lost her.
He asked no questions-he was afraid He
knew nothing of her views, her intentions.
Was she fond of Moore? Never would he let
her go from Observation-Disclosures.
His disturbing thoughts lent an unusual
harshness to his face. When he spoke his
voice was low but almost strident in the eff
fort to hide his feelings. A vague sense or
humiliation weighed upon him. Until they
met Moore no thought of another man mad
entered his mind. Now he was perplexed,
frightened.
His life now seemed worthless without
her. Nothing invited him. pleased him. His
success as a physician, his love for his pro-
fession fell far into the background. He felt
that her companionship in his life, even with
out her love, gave it something he never
could find elsewhere. But when he arose
from the table he left her as usual with a
simple Goodbye, for the present Althea,"
to which she, as usual, responded, Good
bye"
Continued Tuesday. Renew your subs
scriptiOn now so as not to miss chapter of
this absorbing story.
is not definitely known just who was the first
nerSOn tn wear Marco Polo. the fa-