Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-16
CHAPTER NIX 4.
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Margaret Versus Julie
LII during the early part OF that eve
y ming while julie stood at his side in
= the receiving line, meeting his friends,
the consciousness was strong in Matthew
that he was not satisfied.
He struggled against this feeling. He
tried to be fair, to tell himself that it
awasn't jules fault that he was hypercriti-
cal, but the feeling persisted. She irritated
him. Her timidity was worse than shyness,
she seemed fairly tongue-tied when she
should have met his guests with an easy
inf0rmality He was disappointed in her,
and he felt that things would never be diff
ferent.
When Margaret Davenport entered the
room, this feeling in Matthew was intens-
fed. Why had he been foolishly blind?
Why had he felt that in marrying Julie
he was choosing wisely?
Margaret was of his own class. Suppose
she did do foolish things! All women did
in these days, and were apparently none the
worse for it, And Margaret! What a con-
traSt there was between her and Julie! 1t
Wasn't that she dressed better, but she wore
her clothes with air. And that charming,
Well-bred manner of her! Her attempt to
cover up jules lack of cordially. Yes, he
should have married Margaret, he was quite
we'll aware Of that now
Later he and Margaret stood at the side
of the room watching the dancers. Try as
he would he could not keep his eyes off Julie
looked frightened to death. Her manner Of
dancing was as far removed from that of
the other women in the room as it was pos
sible for it to be, and Matthew noticed that
when Pierce spoke to her. she answered in
monosylables, seeming glad when he ceased
speaking and she could lapse once more into
silence.
81 think your wife is charming, Matthew"
Margaret was saying. $50 refreshingly I'M
spoiled
''She's very young" Matthew returned
shortly knowing that his remark did not de-
ceive Margaret Margaret knew. She was
merely being kind, but with his next remark
eagerness crept into his voice.
81 hope you will be friends, Margaret. You
can do a great deal for Julie, and I can't
tell you how grateful I would be-"
Inwardly Margaret amused. What
children men were, after all, and how
strange for Matthew Strong to be practical
ly asking a favor of her. Did he actually
think her so altruistic? Did he believe her
capable of making friend of his common
little wife merely to be magnanimous and
kind?
Tim sure We'll be friends" she lied
smoothly And then she was smiling up
into his eyes, and Matthew was asking her
to dance.
In his arms she pressed close The
strange bitter sweet perfume that she used
was sharp in Matthew's nostrils. 1t was
subtle enchanting scent, and it brought back
to him the cheap perfume Julie had used
during their honeymoon, With Margaret in
his arms he forgot the fact that only short
time ago he and Bradford Pierce had criti-
cized her dancing. He forgot everything but
the fact that he had been fool and that
this was the woman he should have mar
ried. Margarets white arms, the cloud Of
her hair brushing his lips the knowledge
that married to her he could never feel any,
thing but proud, was surging up in him.
An1 hic CT ord
the candle-lighted dining room, they sat
down to supper. In his Imagination he pic
tured Margaret in jules place. Julie seem
ed insignificant, but Margaret would be
oueenIy, regal. Margaret not Julie should
have been Claudia's stepmother. She would
have knQwn just how to handle the girl.
Julie was ridiculous in the role, and it was
not surprising that Claudia resented her
presence.
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