Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-10
CHAPTER, XVI

CHAPTER XVI
first Peter often asked Althea, before
~ he started on his calls, if she were
sure she wouldn't like to use the car,
but as she invariably said no he had told her:
Il won't bother you by asking, but / wish
you would be sure to use it without reference
to me. 1t is really your car, you know and
l am wearing it out" the last lightly.
I'll take it when I want it," she had
rather ungraciously replied, and there had
, been no further discussion.
To tell the truth Althea would not leave
the house during his office hours, the time
she would naturally have used the car be-
cause she had formed a habit of watching
who came and who went Mrs. Williams
especially had awakened distrust that she
could not rid herself of, jealousy that would
not down -1 ~
Ruth Williams was handsome blonde
about thirty, woman who would attract at
tention anywhere. Her husband was a very
wealthy man and Peter had been very pleased
when she came to him. Doctorng is a busi-
ness like everything else and a woman in her
position, If pleased could send him many
| patients. She had been pleased No one
could be with Peter Graham for any reason
without realizing that his intellect was
sharply alert that he knew his business.
| He might, of course when Althea spoke of
Mrs. Williams or others, put his point, OF
view plainly before her But he never talked
|
| his practice meant financially In fact, he
never mentioned money to Althea at all,
except when he asked her for the monthly
| mousse bills, which he invariably paid.
Otten he looked at Althea. wondering She
mad changed so utterly from the girl he had
known and married. Even when her ewes
laughed they never lost entirely their under
! look OF distress. Did she dislike him SO
! much? Had she paid too dearly for her for. :
! tune in marrying him? ~
When these thoughts came to him. as they
frequently did. he tried by thoughtfulness
| and kindness to make things easier for her
| Ills IDEA of making them easy was to with
oraW himself as much as possible from her.
Although not conceited man. that he was
| hKed as a man as well as a physician was
OBVIOUS even to him. 1t was delightful
Ieenng' yet it made Althea's GOODNESS stand
out more sharply by contrast.
Mrs. Williams had a son. a delicate how.
| given into Peters charge 1t necessitated
many calls of which Althea knew In de-
sire to interest her Peter one day had told
ner some of the quaint things the boy said
| to him. S'%
| You like and understand boys?" she re-
marked-th1nking he now saw Mrs Williams
| IN her home as well as at the office
| Better than I understand women, 7 ex~,
| pect," Peter returned. Hes very delicate
poy' I'm afraid for him. His heart isn't
|
pleased He had spoken frankly about a
patient Then came the thought that 1t awas
| only little boy, almost baby of whom he
mad spoken not one of his attractive woman
patients, and she stiffened
: AS Peters practice grew he was OFTEN
! called out late at night, and disiking to dis.
| turb Althea he had his things moved into
another room. He begged her to go to bed,
| TO get her rest. She had a habit of sitting
| up until he came in and he thought perhaps
the change would obviate her restless wait
| ing. She took it as another proof of his lack
of feeling for her.
He thought he had shown kindness in The
act but it only hurt her cruelty
| Althea had formed new acquaintance,
mostly through Nell Langford Mollie' was
| now the only link with her old workaday life
| the life of the store Sometimes she looked
! longingly back to those days when her great
est trouble was to make ends meet. Butt she
enjoyed the society of Nell and her friends,
would have been very lonely without them
! Peter joined them when he could---but
| that was not often A dinner or theater
party would be planned, only to have hiin
called out at the last moment sometimes
| after he was dressed. 49,
| He doesn't love me and l don't even Have
him an escort" Althea grumbled to herr
self; to others she only grumbled because>he
| wasn't to be depended upon to accompany
her. ss+a-
Il might as well have no husband" she
said once to Nell She had been piqued be-
cause she made the odd one at dinner l-
you'll have no trouble to get rid of him
If you want to- Nell answered in her care
! less way, not meaning to be cruel. 81 saw
him going into that lovely Mrs. Williams
house the other day and they say she and
her husband don't get along at ALL"
| This was news to Althea, distressing news.
Mrs. Williams had reused her jealousy far
more than any other patient. She was I'M
| usually gay that night, and for the first tins
since their marriage Peter found her in bed
! when he came in.
Continued Tuesday. Renew your ssub-
scriptiOn now as not to miss chapter OF
this splendid story. ...''''" -
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