The Waterbury Democrat., 1935-10-25
BY JOHN ,. M,KINLEY


 home. She wandered about the empty apartment like lost soul. As the clock on the mantel ticked the minutes away she was overcome by a strange uneasiness about Don. She had neither seen nor heard from him since he left for work that morning about 8 and now it was nearly midnight. In the seven months of their married life they had never been apart that long be- fore. She was frankly worried. Maybe something had happened , to him! If she'd been run over and well, badly hurt, she would never forgive herself, for 1t had all been her fault. Perhaps she had better call the hospitals or the police. She walked over to the telephone, but checked herself with her hand on the receiver.
 This is silly" she told herself grossly, He's probably on his way home now"
 She forced herself to sit down and glanced through a magazine; but the words all ran together and her eyes kept glancing up at the 1 clock. The minutes added up to half an hour, but still no Don.
 He's probably down at Ed Whites barber shop playing cards and has forgotten al labout the time," she murmured bitterly. Alma wondered if that hateful 1it- tie blonde, Winnie Gustafson, still did the manicuring there. If she did, 1t was a safe that she was in 1 the game, or else was lolling over the back of some mans chair trying ] to carry on cheap filtration with him.
 With start, she remembered that Winnie had made a pass" at Don before they had married, and had managed to wheedle four or five dates to the movies out of him on occasions when he had stopped by the shop for haid cut on his way home from the office. Maybe
 She leaped up from the chair, her face flushed with sudden anger, and slammed the magazine to the floor.
 If that cheap little nail trimmer tries to break up my home, I'll" The sentence was never finished, for she heard key clicking in the lock of the front door and hurriedly sat down again, grabbing up the magazine. When Don came in he found her apparently engrossed in a story-one they had both read the night before and had discussed as they were getting ready for bed. Hello, Alma" Don greeted her casually - oh, so casually! Have a good time today?"
 "Oh, hello, Don," she looked up from her story. She could beat him at this casual game. Yeah, swell. Did you?"
 "Uh huh," he answered; he sound- ed sleepy and morose. He hung his hat and coat on the hall tree and came back into the living room loosening his tie and collar. He sank down on the divan with a sigh and sprawled his long legs out straight in front of him. He glared gloomily across at his little red- haired wife whose nose was buried ! in the magazine. 1 There was an uncomfortable Si- lence filling the room.
 It was Don who at last broke the silence. Got haircut while I was out" he informed her chattily. It was a miracle that he didn't hear the gasp which escaped her.
 At White's?" She struggled to keep her voice casual.
 Yeah, at Whites"
 Then she had been right, Alma told herself miserably. It was that scheming litle cat Winnie who had kept him out till all hours! Here she had tried to be a generous wife and had given him an evening to himself and what did it get her? Right off a cheap little blonde manicurist had bounced upon him, and he had let her drag him off to God knew what sort of wild party.
 After another long and uncom- fortable interval of silence Don tried once more to start converse tion. T saw a good movie. That Katherine Davis is the nuts," he in- formed her.