The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-12-16
CHELSEA HOUSE

around the table. She did not think he was drunk, but she knew he had had enough to drink.
 The flat was very silent. She strained her ears to catch his sisters voice talking to her hus- band over the telephone.
 Gideon came toward Judy with a brimming cup.
 "I thought 1t had to boil three times," she said.
 "What does it matter?" he asked thickly.
 "I like my coffee properly made. thanks" she laughed. T won't have any. It keeps me awake anyhow"
 He came around the table to her side. She did not edge away, but stared at him.
 Judy" he said, 'you know why I broke off with Luna Colt. l never cared a pin about her. l never wanted her. I only want you, Judy you know that. You know what the world says about us?"
 She laughed on a high, hysterica note.
 "oh, as to that!" | "As to that"
 He repeated her words with . meaning that sank into her brair very, very slowly. At the sam' time he put out his hand toward her.
 She eluded him and ran to tn, door. In the hall 1t was very still She ran into the library where hi private telephone was. The room was empty. Nowhere did she heal his sisters voice, or any human voice.
 "What's the matter?" she cried her voice shrill pitched, her skill Turning to gooseflesh all over hel bare arms. Where is your sister Where is she?"
 Gideon stood bulkily in the dool way of the little dining room.
 "She has gone home, Judy" h' said very softly. "She asked mt to say good night to you"
 Judy rushed to the front door She rattled the handle and found 1t locked.
 "The door is locked!" Judy said Unlock it."
 Gideon did not speak.
 Unlock it at once"
 The smile OH his face maddenet her, but she knew that above al things she must keep her head. Ht was not drunk; for that he was tho more dangerous.
 "Not just yet, Judy" Gideon said She crossed the hall and ran up stairs into the bedroom where sh' and Madame de Toros had re moved their wraps. She wore a lit tie frock of a brilliant tint, betweer rose red and tomato and she wen up the dark oak stairs like flash of sunset.
 She found Madame de T0ros cloak gone. Her diamond crowr with the big pearl tips, which she Fhad taken off and laid on the dress ing table, was gone, too. Judy ran downstairs again. Gi- deon still stood in the doorway smiling.
 'Where's your sister?" she cried furiously. "A nice thing of her to so away like that and leave me alone!"
 "Why should my sister suppose that you did not want to stay Judy 2" the man asked. "She knows that yau and I are good friends
 "I bet the telephone was all 6 bluff! You disgusting brute! Yor got her out of the way 50 that vol lcould''-she laughed, rallying al her nerve-"so that you could play this silly joke on mel"
 'It isn't a joke, Judy! You've been playing the fool with me. Its got to stop. Why did you go abou, with me everywhere? Why did you make me get rid of Luna Colt why did you drive me mad, so thai IT could think of nothing but you by night and day? What did you mean by 1t all?"
 "Nothing! Nothing!"
 "That won't do, Judy. You've got to mean something. Come back into the room here and don't look at me like little wild cat" | Unlock the door and let me go please!" she said, making her voice wheeling. like a child.
 "No, Judy. Come and be friends He took a step toward her.
 "I shall yell the house down, she said suddenly. The words rat tied in her throat.
 Not the slightest use. There only my man up at the top. righ at the end of the corridor; ant whatever he heard. he wouldn' take any notice"
 The words, softly spoken ant complacent. frightened her more than anything else. She backed ui the stairs.
 "Please unlock the door!"
 "No, Judy. You wanted it thii way. You've led me on; you've dahgied me on a string for months Now-now it's my turn!"
 She went very cold and still. Sht saw him through mist. He looked like a wild beast. She thought oi him as a tiger. licking his jaws She had seen the wild beast in hin before, but never SO fierce that Il could not be tanned.
 Fascinated, she stared at him unable to move. He meant to make her pay!
 He came up to her and put his hand on her shoulder. He was mur' muring a string of words, but she did not hear one of them.
 She wished that she could pray Why had no one ever taught hei to pray? Why had no one ever told her about God? She felt dull anger against the world:
 She remembered that Dan prayed. Words came to her that she had often heard him repeat They tangled in her brain. Gideons hoarse voice was close to her ear Everything was Q blur, but through the gathering darkness she saw his eyes. bloodshot, covetous-the eyes of a man who will wait nc longer.
 Quite suddenly and simply, with out meaning to, she raised hel hand and made the sign of the cross. She had never done such a thing before.
 | It was almost like miracle. Gideon sfarfad hack as If some