Evening star., 1932-02-27
Spite Wife As. % 1:,.,,.; ~

The plans were Byzantine and magnifi-
cent-nothing like it had ever been
done in Lockwood.
AS a consequence Amy caused 1t to
be privately circulated among their
mutual friends that she considered
Byzantine things in snowy and atroclous
taste, and that she was having her new
home furnished throughout In early
American. But to console herself for
not thinking of the swimming pool
first, she gave orders for the contrac-
tors to install a fair sized private
theater in the house and planned a
series of theatricalS which would keep
most of their set tied up the following
Winter.
So it went the thing promising
to become perpetual motion so long as
the Wilson and Sumner fortunes held
out
This turmoil in the house drove Judy
even further within herself. She spent
much Of her time out of doors, taking
long, solitary walks with Side-slip She
did not want to see people-even Mary
Lockerbee. Side-Slip was comfortingly
silent and when she sat down high on
the crest under the oak trees and cried
he would slip a cold, consoling nose
against her face and whimper unhap
PLY.
And there would be months .
maybe years, of this Judy thought
desperately. Lonely walks with the dog
Thinking Of Nick-longing for him.
The months dropping away out OF her
life. And why! she asked bitterly. For a
hollow convention. Desperate Thoughts
beating against her rebellion like
wild birds in a cage.
inL 10 fLa ~ {aJ1 "
one day. She came face to face with
him in the front hall, and her hand
fluttered to her throat while her face
went pale with emotion. Mick g.
darling"
Ran down to see you for few
minutes, Judy. Have to dash back
pretty quick, but I couldn't resist"
Chatter and laughter coming out Of
the drawing room. To Nick's inquiring
look Judy explained: "Amy's giving
bridge lunch. We can-we can go for a
walk"
Meet me out on the street in about
10 minutes. want to run up and say
hello to Eliza"
And it was only when she pulled on
her coat in her own room with hands
that trembled that Judy reflected how
odd Nick's voice had been Almost
curt almost hard.
Out on the walk-walks which were
becoming so dearly familiar. Keeping
step with Nick. Slipping her hand into
the pocket of his coat, where it was
warmly grasped by his own. Swinging
as one through the crisp, cold air.
while Side-slip trotted on ahead. busily
happy serene in the thought that the
two he loved best in the world were
close at hand
Not until they reached the sheltered
spot behind the live oaks did Nick tell
her, and then he spoke abruptly. like
man who has come to the end Of
his courage
Judy, I'm going away tomorrow.
Leaving on the 4:30 boat for Hong
Kong"
A giant hand was squeezing every
drop of blood from her heart. Sick
and faint. The world turning dark
The black oaks dancing crazily against
a gray sky.
Then she heard her own voice like
weak wind: "Oh =. . no! You said . g..
in two weeks"
voice seemed to come out of a thick
fog. His eyes alone looking sadly back
at her were steady. II have to get over
there right away. I have passage
booked. That's why I came down to-
day-to say good-by to you and my
grandmother"
Afterward Judy could never remem-
ber very much Of this scene. 1t was
blurred, as though she surveyed it
through film of pain. Tears and
promises and desperate questions an
swered wordlessiy with kisses. Nick
said little-it was Nick's way to be
laconic when he was very much in
earnest.
In the end Judy went stark mad She
flung reason to the wind, clinging to