New Britain herald., 1926-01-30

oven lel her chew gum around tn,
 house, and wanted to pick out al
 her clothes. SOS to be sure the,
 were ladylike. Told her hoy shor
 sh" could wear her skirts, t6o"
 Mrs Crumpett put the hairpir
 back in her frowzy hair. and looked
 at Barbara.
 You like your room 2" she ask.
 "1 more amicably. Do those buns mako q noise and bother you? Be. cause if they do. I'll sure throw 'cny ! out If they were up with tho rent
 1t would be different, They haven't
 even any baggage worth holding
 Good riddance, I'd say"
 She saw that Barbara was inter- ! ested, and waXed more dIscursiyc, It's fine lot Of trouble I've had
 with 'em, anyhow When they first
 came here, she wasn't divorced from the first chap. Walked into T respectable womans house big's you please and said they was man and wife. But l soon found out difierent and made 'em take separ- ate rooms. Only she didn't move
 her clothes and things out of his room, even then"
 Mrs. Crunpett shrugged an ole- phantine shrug. "Anyhow. I'd done my best, was in tho clear"
 Barbara leaned against the wall. Mrs. Crumpott pushed 8 chair against the cupboard and chamber ed upon it, reaching for d can on the topmOst shelf
 Game here three months ago She told mo her kid had just died and thought it was Bggs' child. But seems it vas the other hus- han1's. Shed known Riggs before Sho was married, though, and he cam" back to town just in time. when "ho vas bored sick with the swell. Her husband had q good bus mess. but she couldn't stand his airs.
 "Ouch," Mrs. Crumpctt had let the can tall on her big toe. She stood on one foot, stork-wisc. moment, almost dancing with the pain
 "Well. you might help a body doNu" she snapped al Barbara, who was still leaning against the wall, hlanh-"yed.
 Barbara started and offered her hand. Then shc fled from the "oman's groans and imprecations, through the dining room with its dusty table, through the bleak hall. up the stairs and into her own room.
 Next door the sounds of yio lont hraWl rose. Barbara could hear a mans voice, loud, bullying, itnGlng out opithets which the walls fortunately muddled past re- coGnition, The woman's voice was lifted in sharp treble eyclamatjons, with now and then a sob.
 Barbara pressed her hands to her ears and looked helplessly around her, Her bags still stood by the bed and the blankets still hung over the hcdstcad where she had pulled them. Her comb and brush lay on q piece of paper on top Of the dress or.
 Barbara seized the grips and set them OH the bed. She pulled them 1pen and began to throw her things in. The sounds in the next room sank finally to silence,
 Seeing the dry water pitcher. Barbara grasped its handle and ! started for the bathroom. She came l lack with it full of cold water and | vas about to pour it into the wash ! laSin when her eyes fell on q grimy ing upon the porcelain. She set he pitcher down heavily.
 The single towel on the rack at he back of the stand had the dis inct prints of five black fingers lpon it. The soap in the little 'hina dish had dissolved to the ;tago of jelly.
 Barbara looked at her hands md ran 10 the mirror to see her ace. It was pale and haggard.
 She returned 10 the bathroom, 'ut the ring on the porcelain of vash-bowl and tub was blacIser han that in her own basin.
 She went back to her room and pened her travelling bag. With cold rean and cotton. she made the est toilet she could. She applied owder and rouge and got her hat rom the closet.
 She looked at her watch. It was lnven o'clock. There would be no lorc buses for New Britain until vclve. Barbara paced the floor of he room.
 Next door, the duarreling began gain. 'Nioletta was crying hysteri. , ally now, so that the whole house lust hear her. The mans voice : as q growl. He was evidently try lg 10 shame her into quiet, Bar ara sat by the fireplace, staring at he tomato can and the burnt latcheS in its depths. Overhead the Idy in the pink rufflcs simpered at er. And the shiny grapes and fat ananas in the print on the wall rev shinier and fatter. The wind oming in at the window. whip cd the blind savagely. The jangling voices in the next pom did not quiet. At last Bar ara jumped up and ran out of the pom. She went down the steps and ut the front door,
 For twenty minutes she walked p and down the street, so rapidly lat her breath was coming fast nd her cheeks were red.
 Barbara looked at her watch. ust twenty minutes to wait She lrned in st Mrs. Crumpett's door nd was starting up the steps when le landlady appeared in the hall elow
 Hey. you're not leaving?" she louted