The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-12-12

terlal In r1DDOn IOrIn VIII Stdy in place when crushed this way, sixty-five cents. Now if I can have the check"
 'Why certainly! Certainty" The sight of the money seemed | to dissolve all of Drugan's trou- bles. He stepped forward, put his hand in Bannister's and grasped it firmly. "Pal!" he ex- claimed. You're my pail" Bannister returned the hand clasp. "O.K., Drugan,' he said. "I'm your pal, too, Drugan," Gainey put in eagerly. Come on, let's be on our way" Before the befuddled Drugan | thoroughly understood the situa- tion all three of them were out side.
 It was side street, not bright ly lighted, and a cold wind had come up. As the sharp air smote his cheek and blew open his top coat Drugan drew back, protest ing.
 Gainey said easily. "Come on, Drugan! Where you bound for We'll see that you get there" The musician strengthened l''Listen," he said, ''you think I'm drunk. dontcha? Well, I'm not Just had drink or two. Just a coupla litte ones. If a fellow who's been through all I've been through in the last day and night isn't entitled to a coupla little drinks" .,.
 why, what have you been through ?" Gainey asked inno- gently.
 "Dontcha know" Amusement 1 made the words more an exclama- ation than a question. "Dontcha know what happened last night I thought everybody knew. Don't cha know about Tracy King Found m dead-the best pal a fellow ever had. Dead. like a dog, that's how I found i'm. Shot down. Tracy King was the fines friend I ever had. Therell never be another one - not like or Tracy!"
 For a minute the other two thought Drugan was going to | burst into tears. Then they un- l derstood it was the cold wind and not over-wrought emotions that had brought the moisture to his | eyes.
 Neither Bannister nor Gainey wore topcoats. Bannister, stamp ing to warm his feet. said, Let's get going! Can't we get a cab around here somewherc?" | Gainey said, Suppose we walk along with Drugan. I'd like to hear more about his friend" He turned, addressing Drugan. Why, that's terrible!" he said. "You mean Tracy King. the orchestra leader who was killed last night, was a friend of yours?"
 "Bes' friend I'll ever have, ' down like dog"
 l And you say you found him the body I mean?" Gainey per sisted.
 Drugan hadn't said precisely that but he agreed, nodding
 'Terrible thing!' he exclaimed | closing his eyes as if in pain. then l opening them instantly. ''Nevel | forget it as long as I live! Terri blew
 They were walking now. Ban mister wondered what Gainey hoped to learn from the half. | drunken musician. It was possi- ble of course that the night ail might sober Drugan. Possible that talking about the tragedy o1 the night before might help cleal his befogged brain. But nothing the man could say in his present state seemed to Bannister of i'm l portance.
 They turned into brightly light. ed Sixth street and Canister!
 eyes met sight that made hin forget Al Drugan, made him for get that Gainey's voice was go'
 ing on in persuasive questioning
 It was an ordinary poster. ad' vertising a motion picture, tha
 Bannister saw. The poster wa:
 exhibited in a shop window. Al
 the top in large letters were the words, Coming Attraction" Be low was the name of the picture a few lines of type-and a photo.
 graph of Adele Allen:
 | Adele's face, sweet, freshly
 appealing, smiled up at Canister
 It gave him a shock that was al
 most physical. It was the frs
 time he had seen her picture dis
 played on a poster. She wasn't thu
 star of the film. he knew. Merel!
 a featured player. Bannister wa! quite sure of this because he reae three Hollywood news column!
 daily. He read them to know wha
 Adele was doing.
 For an instant. eyes lon tn.
 photograph, Banister hesitated II Then the others swung forward Il and he moved on with them. occurred to him and thL lthought, too, was a shock = tha he had not read the Hollywood news columns that day. He hadn
 even thought of Adele for 2
 sWhy did I have to see tha damned poster!"S he thought. H'
 had been forsstting-yes. actual # ly forgetting the wound in hi heart. And now 1t all came back