Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-11-17
CHAPTER XIX

CHAPTER XIX
IkY WAS sorry to have to leave last
night" Peter said at breakfast.
WAS it necessary" Althea asked.
her voice hard and lifeless.
Yes. Otherwise l should not have left
Mr. Williams had been drinking was in an
ugly mood, picked quarrel with the wait
ers as you saw, and then when we got him d
outside he collapsed. His heart isn't good
and the stuff they drink nowadays is suicide
for him."
1T was a long explanation for Peter TO
make. He never had mentioned Mr. Will
Hams to her, had refused to answer her ques-
tlons about Mrs. Williams. She did not UNDER
stand that Peter was trying to make his de-
sertlon of her look as though it had been a
necessity; that he had grasped the reason
for her indignation, understood why he had
found hor sitting up the night before
Is Mr.. Williams patient OF yours?" she
asked.
NO Cobb is his doctor" naming famous
specialist, but his wife and boy are my
patients, I could not leave him"
So he had left her because Of Mrs will.
hams. He might have called Dr. Cobb and
turned Williams over to him. But by going
nome with them, caring for her husband IL
mad given him hours with the beautiful
woman who was unhappily married and
whom she believed he cared for-that she
Neither said anything more. but Althea
did not forget. George Williams had heart
trouble. Perhaps his wife would soon be
Tree. SO Althea tormented herself as the
days passed.
what was the rumpus the night of my
party?' Nell Langford asked her.
Mr.. Williams was drunk" Althea answer
ed shortly.
I thought it was something like that.
He's an awful brute, they say when he's
been drinking, quarrelsome and noisy. It
must be awful to be tied to such a man. Ia
Peter his physcian too?"
No. He goes to Dr. Cobb"
"Then why didn't Peter come back? wait
until see him, I'll give him the dickens for
deserving my party to take care of another
doctors patient. l suppose he did it for her
sake" %,
Probably" responded Althea dryly. HE
happened to be On the spot and considered 1t
his duty to help" p1
Well, as I have often said. / wouldn't
marry the best man living if he were a doc,
tor. You never be sure of them
should be horribly jealous, shouldn't take it
calmly as you do. If I had a doctor for ,
husband / would make him swear he would
have only men PATIENTS
Althea Writhed. Nell vas a dear, but she
would always talk in that manner making
her more distrustful, increasing her jealousy.
8
1t had been proven by statistics that doctors
were particularly susceptible to feminine in
fluences Why should she think Peter, hand
some, not loving her, would be immune?
I'D do it over again" she muttered Z
fiercely. I'D marry him--because l love
him So" she ended with sob -.a'
Love thrown back upon itself dies. we are
told, but Althea's love, kept carefully hidden
in her heart grew stronger until she felt
there could be no happiness for her unless
it were returned Nothing else was worth liv-
ing for-no<hing but Peters love, ~
Peters practice had gown amazingly ana
among Il fine and paying class of people,
although he also did a good deal of charita-
ole work. No one however poor was ever re-
fused attendance. He ent all the time he
could spare at the hospital, always in the
back of his mind the idea that some day he
would give up general practice and devote
himself to surgery.
He had paid back what his father had
spent on his college education and now was
able not only to pay all house bills, etc, but
often to make Althea a gift. He had bought
her an exquisite wrist watch bar pin and
some other things. And while she accepted
them graciously, she would far rather he
would have taken her in his arms and kissed
her told her he cared for her. The things
he gave her were but the expression of his
success, not given because he loved her-so
she thought t,f.
He had several children patients and when
they came to the office with mother or nurse
Althea would stand at the head of the stairs
and watch Peter. He was gay so tender
with them, so affectionate She felt as If
even they were rObbing her.
Little Glen Williams never came to the
office and she knew Peter still visited the
child at his home. Once her desire to be sure
de her as.::
"How is luat little Williams boy?"
Il think he is a little BETTER" he replied,
his IL gr ing serious, "but he is very
frail child His mother is completely wrapped
up in hi i. Should anything happen to the
boy should fear for her" -t-t
Always back to Ruth Williams, Althea
thought bitterly 1t was the mother he was
worried orc", OF the boy.
"She wor,d have to bear it as c,Hcrs have
to bear trouble" Althea replied. "She has !,
her husband"
"A l..,: stick to can . in trouble yet
he is f01d of the boy" Peter replied. -
Continued Tuesday. Renew your subscrip-
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splendid story. >.t