Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-05-22
CHAPTER XVII

KNEW verv little of what Natalie did
| during the day. But supposed that
her housekeeping, her shopping, an oc-
casona1 bridge party or matinee niled heI
time 1t was Garth Holden who enlightened
me- I had seen little of him for some time
and was unfeignedly glad when he came into J
the office and invited me to lunch with h1l6
you're working too hard, Bruce. w
not quit earlier in the afternoon and acconfS
pany Natalie? A little dancing before dnnere
wouldn't hurt you. In fact, anything tnas
got you away from this grind would ba
beneficial"
"A business or professional man has no
time to dance in the afternoon. We leave
that to the idle, rich old men and lounge
lizards"
eff it is possible for man to get away I
believe he should rather than throw his wife
upon the kind of men you mention for enter
tainment But you are wrong in saying no
business men find the time. Ned Church and
Morton both seem to"
81 expect their wives insist that they co.
replied, beginning to feel uneasy that
Garth was driving at something's
MRS. Morton, perhaps But Jessie Is
never with Ned"
Now I knew Garth was telling me--in
the onlv way he ever would-that Natalie
was meeting Ned Church and that unless
wanted her to have an affair with him it was
time 1 interfered
We talked of other things-Uncie Rob-
me anxiety, Garth's business. He was an arch
itect, already famous Not once did we touch
again on the subject that had brought him
to my office
That afternoon I stopped work early and
on my way uptown stopped at one of the
large hotels where tea-dances were held. No
place had been mentioned by Garth and
had no real reason to expect Natalie to be
there I entered the room during an inter-
mission. Almost the first person [ saw was
Natalie, exquisitely dressed as always, chat
ting gaily with Ned Church and Mr.. and Mrs.
Morton, her table companions. They were
all smoking and half-emptied glasses told or
Neds ever present hip flask.
Quietly l slipped unobserved from the
place. 1 was afraid to trust myself to join
them. 1 must think things To make
a scene as distasteful to me as 1T would
be embarrassing to Natalie.
''What have you been doing with yourself
this afternoon?" I asked Natalie. Il nave
been at home over an hour?"
"The usual thing, shopping and so FORTH
she answered with the lifting of her brows
that invariably met any question.
1 relapsed into my usual silence
Were to play NAH jong tonight Natalie
remarked after a moment, Eat Miss Tyfords.
l told her you played very Indifferent game
but she said that no one played very
well yet you would have plenty of COM
pany."
who's going?"
1.-THE usual crowd. You'd better dress be-
fore dinner, l shall"
I'm not going, Natalie. 1t would be wise
if you would consult me before making en-
gagements. Uncle Robert isn't well. I hoped
tyou would run over there with me-
"Sorry, old dear, can't be done Not to-
night"
II wish you would go with me tonight,
Natalie,' 1 persisted. The usual crowd"
meant Of course Ned Church among the 9TH
ers She was merely the temporary victim
q of;1 had
been able to understand, but which I knew
eXisted-for women.
''Yet was it so temporary after all?" I
asked myself as [ remembered that for al
most two years he had seemed to ATTRACT
Natalie I held it as proof of her innafe
goodness that his interest had been held So
long. Otherwise he would have tired of THE
game long ago. l took what comfort | COULD
from the thought.
The Mortons would call for Natalie, so I
hurried over to Uncle Roberts, as soon
we finished dinner, after asking Natalie
once more to accompany me.
"Trot along like dutiful nephew" she
said. 'Tell your uncle L was sorry l had an
engagement and couldn't come with you'll
you want to-"
l never had been able to fathom the rea-
son for Natalies disregard Of Uncle. She ex-
pected me to inherit his money talked of it
often, yet never had she in any way tried
to win his approval She still insisted he
feeling mutual
I gave Uncle Robert her message
II couldn't expect beautiful, popular
young woman to give up engagement to
visit old man. Thank her for her mes
sage"
We chatted of business for a while, then
talked of other things-books, art, music,
the interesting things that had made the
loneliness of his life bearable. He was a
connoisseur of art and said he hoped would
keep his small but valuable collection intact
after he was gone. His library, too, held
many rare volumes he had been years coll
1ecting. The time passed swiftly, happily
for him, and so brought me also modicum
Of content, although my thoughts continually
strayed to Natalie.
/ would stop at Miss Tyford's and take
Natalie home. It. was put IL o'clock when
l left Uncle's.
Mrs Henderson did not come She tele-
phoned you were obliged to visit your uncle
who was i'll. | understood she was with
you, said Miss Tyford
made my apologies and hurried home.
Natalie had been disappointed because I
could not go with her, had remained at home
alone on that account. I felt very tender to-
ward her as | let myself in. But there was
no sign Of Natalie. One Of the maids tofc
me she had left soon after l did, saying
nothing as to where she was going.
Continued Saturday. Renew your SUBJ
scriptiOn now to avoid missing chapter of
this absorbing story.
which have been bazed for a trail after
fifty years? G.. III. w. ,
A. The forest service saws that blaZed