The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-08-29
CHAPTER HI

"DMmn" said Steve in Q low Noice. "she'd naturally choose this time to come popping in here kI'll skip along, Judith. I can see Fgou tomorrow"
 Judith turned in the hallway pHTheres no need for your running away, Steve. Please stay 0 little \ while"
 stephen stayed, finding 1t i'm. possible to do anything else. Into ' Che little partment, as if on the crest of Q typhoon, came Bob and 1 Virginia Befit-with Tony Lynch
 "fzel.lo, SteVe" exclaimed Toby extending his hand. Without en- \ tthusiasm Steve shook hands with him, returning his greeting with an unenthusiastic, "How are you Tuby?" The two were as unlike fms possible. Steve Fowler was tall land solid and thoughtful. Toby waa small, almost round, and apparent ~ had never possessed continuous train of thought in his life. Yet Tnysteriously and unaccountably, he managed to get along in the world quite as well as Steve.
 Virginia shot glance toward vJudith. "You and Steve didn't plan on going out did you2 We thought we'd just drop in for c flve.cornered chat. That thing Bob is holding behind him isn't his That. It's c bottle of cocktails"
 And what cocktails," mentioned Toby. "Tho Bent Special" | With an effort Judith tried to ! project herself into lighter mood, @he held out her hand for Boba Contalner of cocktails. "Ill chill them in the refrigerator while. .. There arc cigarets on the eittlo table therc."
 1 Steve followed her Into the kite I chenct.. "Whats tho Idea of en- Couraging them to Stay2" he whiS- 1 pered. You know wanted to talk to you"
 Not looking at him. she opened the refrigerator door and set the bottle of cocktails against tho icy lpipes. T can't send them away" she said quietly. And I think everything was clear, wasn't it, sven before they came2"
 "You mean we're finlshod7"
 T mean we're friends. And lkhat'B all."
 Steve was about to speak when Tobys raucous voice carried Into the kitchenet. "1f you two don't get away from that refrigerator those cocktails will have no chance nt oil to chilli"
 Resignediy, Steve returned with lJudith to tho other room. He looked at Toby, his eyes clouded with ill concealed contempt. Ho had never cared much for Lynch, and he liked him even less now. More than once he had suggested to Judith that she should have nothing Co do with him,
 "But hos perfectly harmless" Judith always defended. And he's Q good friend of Vlrginla'S and Bob'B ls-so what can VIC do2"
 Steve haid said nothing to Judith about tho story that was drifting ! around. It was one of those stor. 1es which c man will hide from the women of his acquaintance, no mat- ter what he thinks of the protagon- ist of tho story. Toby Lynch was supposed to have persuaded q girl to share his apartment with him in lieu of marriage. Part of the story was that they were very much in love, and unable to mHrry--but this failed to condone the matter In Steve Fowler's mind. flo had never seen Toby Lynch in the company of . young woman, and this lent credence to tho story rather than not. For Toby was q congGnlal soul who, under ordinary circumstances, would find on escort wherever he went. Steve had never discussed the story with Judith, but the rumor had persisted, drifting from ono to Hn- other, and steadily gaining propor- tionB with each new telling.
 As Steve looked ct Toby now, Lh question formed in his mind; In Ali the time they had known Toby, why had ho never invited them to his apartment7 Ho had visited the BrentS countless evenings; and often, like this, nc would join them in visit to Judith and Steve, Net none had ever been asked t0 be TobyB guest. Indeed, not even Bob Bent knew just where Toby Lynch lived.
 The conversation, chilled q lit- tle by StcYos silence and JudlthA obvious prcoccupation, went rath- CT badly. Finally, in desperation, Bob went to the kitehcnct and brought out his cocktails. They warmed the loquaciouS Toby into c running fire of comment, and Suc- Ceeded in meilowlng the Brents. But Steve drank little, and Judith al- ways limited herself to one cocktail.
 Yet Virginia made no move to leave, and Judith realized that she intended to keep herself and Toby and Bob there until Steve Fowler had departed. Plainly Virginia wasn't going to leave Judith alone with him again.
 At length she set down her glass and got Up. Steve looked relleVed-but he was to suffer dis. appointment. Judith" she said, "iets you and I go over to my apartment and scare up some sand wiches. These males look hungry, and I can tell they're dying to dis" cuss the baseball scores"
 Toby grinned at Bob. "rhe perfect wife" he complimented. How does . mug likc you manage to keep herr?
 
 Virginia met tliIs with a pleas. and laugh and steered Judith out the dcor. When they had gone, Bob slad, T don't keep her, Toby. She keeps herself. That's one of the ad- vantages of having Q wife who's eelf-gupportIng. She knows she can leave any time she wants to. So she doesn't leave, and she's perfect lY happy"
 Toby laughed. He turned to Steve epeculatiyeiy. i've been expecting vou and Judith to take the leap any