Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-04-03
HER MONEY
BY CAROLYN BEECHER
CHAPTER LXXVIu

T1HE morning mail brought letter with
a foreign postmark 1t was addressed
"a in writing Althea had seen several
times and when Peter picked 1t up Altnea
watched him closely. To her disappointment
he put it with others into his pocket, say
ing he would read them later when ne had
more time.
''He wanted to be alone to read her let
ter" she said, all her jealousy OF RUIN WIZ
liams, the writer, flaming up anew
All day she was miserable. Even Doris
prattle could not take her mind from that
letter and Peters evident desire to be alone
when he read 1t.
That evening Peter remained in the living
room with her. She was even more than
usually quiet and he remarked 1T.
"My head aches" she excused.
He arose at once, gave her mild sedat1ve
and then resumed his reading. 1t was early
when he said he thought he would retire and
urged Althea to do likewise
81 am sorry you aren't feeling WE'LL
he said as he passed her chair, stopped and
pressed his lips to her hair
''You don't have to pretend Peter" she
said, her voice filed with bitterness.
I'm not pretending, Althea, but If even
that light caress is disasreeable to you, 1
will not repeat it." His voice, too, was
bitter.
''You know you don't care for me-that
you never did! SO why make pretense!
Save your caresses for her when she comes
back"
"Althea, what are you talking abous'
What do you mean?"
"You know only too well! Again I ask
you, why pretend? You never have cared
for me, have been in love with Ruth Will
liams for years. She is free now-you can
get rid of me and marry her!" AS she
talked Althea lost all control of herself and
the words fairly fell over each other. I
thought at first you might perhaps learn to
love me in spite of the way you married me
but it has been no use! And when you
pretend to care when [ know You don't 1t
maddens mel"
''What do you mean by the way mar
ried your" Peter asked his voice very
quiet.
''You only married me to help you get on
in your profession! You don't need me any
more-haven't for long time. And"
"Althea, will you please tell me plainly
what you mean? [ asked you to marry me
because 1 loved you. I never have ceased
to love you-although goodness knows I
have had little incentive. AS for caring for
| anyone else-that is preposterous!"
"You married me to get that little legacy
Aunt Althea left me, thinking it would help
you on with your work. Before we had
been married two weeks you showed me
plainly that you cared nothing for me. You
couldn't keep up the farce even until our
honeymoon was Overt"
"And you have believed that all these
years?'
"There was nothing else for me to be-
| lieve. Then l saw you falling in love with
Ruth Williams and have known I was
| stumbling block in the way Of your happi-
| ness ever since"
| Peter was silent for moment. Althea
was jealous-that was why she had let
herself be drawn into Miss Bundy's plans;
why she had listened to her-the revelation
came clearly. If she was jealous she must
care for him a little. Then he spoke, his
voice full of longing:
! "Althea, can it be we were both mistaken
! that we have been living all this time at
cross-purDoses? Wasting our lives when
we might have been happy? The day be-
| fore we left Holden, less than two weeks
| after we were married, l overheard one OF
the townspeople say you had only married
me to get your legacy. That had it not
been me it would have been someone else
| that the man didn't matter. [ believed it.
| l was poor, struggling doctor with my way
J to make; there was no reason you should
! marry me. I have always believed 1t. You
| thought had married you for your money!
| l thought you had married me only to Sc
cure it! Was there such laundering pair?
love YOU Althea? Won't you believe it?
| Let me prove it, now that I know?"
He opened his arms to her and Althea,
with her head pillowed his breast, told
| of her love, her terrible unhappiness. It
was not until the gray light of morning fill
! tered through the drawn curtains that they
stopped talking explaining, telling of their
love. But at last every semblance of a
cloud between them had been blown away
| and they planned new, happy life life
of confidence in each other
''Well have another honeymoon dear,
just as as I can arrange to get away"
Peter said, as they stood at the window
watching the sun rise.
IF Doris can stay with us I shall not
have ungratifed wish in the world,
Peter. AS Mollie said in her letter, 1 have
a good home, husband who loves me, so
what more can l want?"
II think you have no need to fear we will
lose Doris Yet if we should we now have
each other"
"And, Peter, isn't it dreadful to think
what we have lost, how unhappy We have
been because OF that little legacy of mine?
Yet Aunt was right in one way. I would
rather have been married to you ard be un-
| happy than to liy5 alone as she did"
"You see, Althea, our story ends as all
good stories should; we viii! live happy for
ever after this"