The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-12-05
DANCING JUDITH
 M ooRAHE abEuf 51AMoN tssD e.9 HE4IA osEN


 I'm sorry. Alan; but I hope we shRli still stay friends"
 Something in her voice and glance seemed to pierce his dense- ness.
 Are you perfectly sure?" he asked with a feverish earnestnesy. "I can't help thinking that I'vs done something"
 You've don e nothing, Alan. nothing-believe me-"
 He looked into her clear eyes, which were smiling in order to hide her broken heart; and he believed her because he wanted to believe.
 Two days later was to have been Chummys wedding day.
 On the afternoon of the day be- fore, she met Judy as she was go- ing out of her door, on her way to seek another lodging. The time had come when she must ge some kind of a studio, where she could work.
 When she had found 1t. she was going to move her few belongings into 1t and then go away for two or three weeks. She had written to a tiny fishing hamlet on the seacoast. She wanted to be near the ocean. Then she was coming back to work Ito work harder than any woman had ever worked before.
 Her work must justify what she had said to Alan. Her work was her sheet anchor now. It was all she had.
 Judy held out a great bunch of flowers wrapped in tissue paper.
 T was just bringing these to you," she said. T want to kiss you and say goodby! To-morrow's the great day-and you're off into the big world! And little Judy will be all alone"
 "No, Judy = it's all off," said Chummy eheerfully.
 She felt uneasy. This was not like talking to a man.
 "Off!" gasped Judy. You mean you've been so silly-you've put 1t off again because of me? Chummy, you make me angry. Didn't I tell you I was perfectly well able to look after myself?"
 "No-on for good, Judy dear. l found that didn't want to marry Alan after all."
 "Rubbish!'' cried Judy tempestu- ously. "Where is her"
 Allan has gone away. You see, left 1t so late. He said he couldn't help feeling a little foolish. Men are like that, I think. I expect he thought he'd get laughed at."
 Judy suddenly laughed uproari- ously.
 "oh, Chummy, how ridiculous you are! suppose 1t means that you and Alan have had a tiff?"
 ''No, Judy-no." Chummy was desperate. 1T don't care for Alan enough to marry him. find ] care more for my work. We're go- ing to be great friends, of course, all the same. He quite understands He doesn't want a--a wife who puts her painting first. He's gone to Paris, and I'm going to the sea and when he came back we'll all be jolly again together. just as we used to be-"
 Judy stared at Clarissa very hard.
 "Well, I'm blowed!" she said. Chummy must have been a won. derful actress. For the moment she quite deceived her friend. Judy was thunderstruck. She lost tho power of speech. She left hei flowers in Chummy's hand and went away.
 But Judy was not really con. vinced.
 "There's something in this!" sht said to herself an hour or so later "What can 1t be? If Chummy didn't worship the ground he trot on, then I ought to be in bsdlam!'
 But for the time being, she could do nothing but wonder. A few days later she received { note from Chummy, saying tha she had found a convenient studio and another room near Bastien's She had moved her things. and shs was of to the seacoast the mex day.
 From steyne Judy heard noth' ins at all.
 A week later she received . let, ter that excited her very much, al though she little guessed wha bear ing 1t was destined to have or the next few months of her life
 The letter was from q stranger to Judy. It was typewritten or plain, thick note paper. with th' address "17 Linden Lane," stamp cd on it. She could not make ou the signature. She could reat "Richard s." but of the last nam' she could only decipher the frs letter. . W. the letter road thus:
 Dear Madam: Having known
 the later Vladimir Guarvenius.
 and being aware of his interest
 in your career venture to ask
 whether you would Do good
 enough to call on me here any
 afternoon between four ana six o'clock. e I have . pFanosltion