Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-07-28
A WOMAN OBSESSED
BY CAROLYN BEECHER
CHAPTER XVIII
<kA RE you asleep, Bruce?" Muriel asked
y when after bit she went upstairs.

4
n mo"
do you love me?"
"Of course! Better get to bed. It's
late"
did you get that Hammond woman a po-
sition?"
mo" Bruce sighed thankfully. This at
least was an honest answer
Where does she work."
"In some millinery store, I believe. Now
If you are through questioning me I'll go to
sleep"
What millinery store?"
~ don't know" Again he could answer
truthfully. He had forgotten to ask Lulu.
You are sure you love me! 1 love you
so, dear" She leaned over and kissed him.
do stop worrying and get to bed. I'll
never get to sleep If you don't turn out that
light" he said impatiently as he returned
her kiss. ~
Muriel said no more, but she was far from
being satisfied.
IF my baby had lived I never would have
had cause to doubt him. she whispered to
herself. HE would have loved us both so
much no one could influence him.
She loved Bruce with a painful longing
which forced tears from her eyes; a longing
to possess him utterly; his every thought.
He could not seem to realize. the strength of
her love; the intensity of her desire She
was shaken by sobs, sobs she muffed in
the bedcIothes. She asked so little-just
all of him as she gave all of herself. Why
COulu Sno not make MIN understand 1t was
for their happiness to give her what she
asked?
Again at breakfast Muriel spoke of Lulu
Hammond. this time in casual way, blam-
ing Ann Mason for talking of this girl to
Bruce. He said little, but the talk of Lulu
aroused a desire to see her, to be with her.
He thought of the warm, kindly heart.
She had strength for devotion and sacrifice,
this girl whom the world had buffeted. He
thought of her clear skin, her wonderful
black eyes, her softly curving, laughing lips
and she had so little to laugh about His
longing to see her grew with every step he
took toward the office He argued with him
self and declared it was Silly within. But
what harm could there be in seeing her.
talking to her? If Muriel only were differ
ent- like Ann Mason, for instance, he could
talk of Lulu and perhaps interest Muriel in
her. Poor girl, she must be lonely without
friends to help her!
If only Muriel would have one moment of
forgetfulness of self If only one act was
not determined because of her insistence
that he give up everything and every one to
devote himself to her. He was tired of this
continual demand, a demand he knew he
never could satisfy.
He threw himself with zest into his work
at the office, He had q very natural pride
in his success, and great ambition to do
even better Perhaps before long Mr. Long
worth might allow him to buy into the firm
His fathers generosity made this possible
and the business was growing constantly.
The greetings of the men in the office
cheered him up. Work, after ALL was the
best thing in life! 1t gave a certain happi-
ness: it made one forget unhappiness. And
Muriel thought he would give up this pam
acea? Not he!
And Muriel.
Bruce had scarcely arrived at the office
before she hurried to keep a resolution she
had formed in the night. She would visit
the different millinery stores in town She
would see for herself where the girl in
whom Bruce was interested worked. Per-
haps she would talk to her, tell her 1t was
bad for her reputation to allow a married
man to do favOrs for her; that. Bruce was
quixotic in some things and that he didn t
mean she attracted him. He would do the
same for any one who was needy.
In the second place she visited she found
Lulu. She was waiting upon a customer
Murel said she would wait until Miss Ham
mond was at liberty, and had plenty of time
to study her. She noted the beautiful
coiffed black hair, the delicately curvng eye
brows, the long lashes. She watched the
tact with which she handled the customer,
one hard to please, and the dizziness with
which she fitted her. Her whole manner
gave Muriel a moments. doubt If her pre-
pared mode of attack were feasible. But
this feeling was only momentary. This girl
had tried to impose upon Bruce's good ma
.ture 1t was UP to her, Bruces wife, to pre-
vent continuance of anything of the sort
To prohibit further acquaintance, to make
this girl know her place.
Continued Tuesday. Renew your subscrip-
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