Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-02-12
HER MONEY
a@!
BY CAROLYN BEECHER
CHAPTER IXI

~ ETER looked at the pad approvingly.
then turned to Althea to praise her
neatness when his eyes rested the
flowers the desk-Moore's flowers! He l.
turned abruptly aside, used the telephone.
then said
''You can go now, Althea, and thank you
for your help" 1t was oddly spoken and
Althea's lip quivered a bit as she rose.
you've forgotten your flowers" Peter
said as she reached the door
| 81 don't for them, I only brought
! them down thinking they would brighten
the office-for YOU" she added so low he
did not hear.
Peter had impulse to throw them out.
but that would be childish. So he compro-
missed by putting them in his reception
room where his waiting patients, not he,
would see them.
Because he had spoken so coldly to her.
Althea forgot for time the message she
had kept from him--to visit Mrs. Williams at
once. She sat by the window, thinking how
glad she had been to be allowed to help
him, of his curt dismissal. Then suddenly
she remembered the undelivered MESA ge
If he ever found it out he would be terribly
angry, never let her help him again.
| She started for the stairs in a perfect
panic. Why had she done it? Just as she
reached the office door to tell Peter, to
undo what she had done, she heard him at
| the telephone. He said:
/ has answered the telephone but MrA !
Graham. What time did you say?
| come at once" Il
AS he hung up the receiver Alts1a-
| commenced to talk, her words falling over
| each other.
You got the messenger" he asked sternly.
A nod was her answer, then another at
! tempt to explain. But Peter had on his
nat and coat, was going out without
wait, Peter!" she begged.
| I've no time to talk! patient who
| needs attention has been neglected long
| enough because of your careessness"
| The door closed behind Peter
Perhaps he did not realize the tone NJ
disapproval he had used-hard uncompro-
| missing. To Althea it was because the pa-
tlent who needed attention was Mrs. Will
Hams She, even after all this time did
| not know Peter well enough to realize that
had it been the veriest stranger needing his
i services his attitude would have been the
same
A1thea stood in the window and watched
MIN swing along the street in a quick, al
most nervous walk he always fell into when
| in a hurry.
He's goingato be angry" she said. her
| eyes ming. He'll never let me help him
agaln-never! And he won't trust me
he'll know did it purposely"
she thought of excuse after excuse to give
MIN but he had asked Miss Howard the time
OF the message and her pad proved she had
not mad another message for more than half
an hour. No, he would have to just take her
word that she had forgotten-even if it was
an untruth-or believe she had done it. Whvo
She never had voiced her jealousy of Mrs.
Williams, had tried always to hide it, Peter
| would think it was because of her dislike OF
Mabel Howard Well--let him think so.
| That was better than that he should know
| she was jealous-When he didn't care for
| her.
| When she next saw Peter his face was
stern.
1 was just coming down to tell you about
MISS Towards call when she telephoned,"
! Althea said, her longing to be friends with
him greater for once than her pride
| 1T is strange that you should have for
gotten her message and none of the others.
! can't understand your dislike for Miss How
ard But leaving that out of the question
it wasn't Miss Howard who needed attention.
| but Mrs. Williams. And you were told So
| Anyone who juggles with physicians calls
! Is apt to do more damage than perhaps an
| ordinary person realizes. But one would
| think doctors wife-one would expect her
| TO use the utmost care
But it wasn't anything dangerous! Just
| a spraintd ankle-if-''
THAT isn't the point And sprained
, ankle needs attention. Fortunately Miss
Howard with her, and able to render
| first aid We won't discuss it any more your
| action isn't understandable from my-a ply
| slcian'S standpoint"
Althea longed to ask if she, would be al
! lowed to help him again but a look at his
stern, set face froze the plea On her lips She
wouldn't ask, she'd just go down in the morn
| ing as if nothing had happened and take her
place at the desk as she had that morning.
Peter had scarcely left the house when the
telephone rang. Althea did not recognize the
| husky coarse voice that asked if the doctor
was in.
No he has just gone OUT she replied.
| "Who shall say called?" n.
ITS me, Mrs. Graham-Miss Bunds - u
What Is it you Want?" AIthea asked IA
cold voice
III be there in a minute have some
thing to tell you,' and before Althea could
formulate reply, say she didn't wish to see
her, she hung up.
Continued Thursday. Renew now to avoid
missing chapter