Evening star., 1937-11-21


firm ground of Duck Island.
More than two more miles to 60,
and she was unbelievably tired. She
stumbled forward, feeling the road
with sodden feet, being unable to see
the woods on either side save for the
binding moments when lightning split
the night.
Then, suddenly, she was picked out
of the night by brilliance. The world
Immediately surrounding her was H.
Illuminated. and she shrank instinc-
lively to the side of the road.
The automobile was not travelling
swiftly. That was impossible on this
road which had been rendered more
than ordinarily rutty by the heavy
rains, The headlights held her in their
glare. binding her. Then she was in
darkness again. staring at the ruby
tail-light of the machine which had
ratified across the bridge from Pal
metto Island and was now headed
toward Seaville II or the Lodge on
Duck Island.
Judith was afraid. She knew the
car, of course Bruce's car - the big.
pug-nosed speedster Bruce had seen
her clearly in the glare of his head
lamps. and he had sped past her with
great splashing of mud and water She
stumbled forward. trying to crowd out
thoughts which frightened her.
Bruce, her husband, driving through
the August storm toward the Lodge.
He might be headed for Seaville. of
course, but she doubted that. She
knew Bruce too well. He was proud
man and jealous. She knew he was
utterly fearless She had seen him in
moments of physical stress: riding
through final chukkers of polo game
with a broken left shoulder. Yes,
Bruce must be going to the Lodge -
and from the other direction. Alan
Keith was coming. Her husband -
and the young man who might have
been her husband. Bruce had seen her.
but had not offered to pick her up.
Obviously he wished to see Alan first
- and alone.
The distance still separating her
from the Lodge was great and she was
incredibly weary. But she stumbled
on, making less speed with her greater
haste. She was obsessed with a fore
boding of tragedy.
The minutes dragged. The wind
shipped in from the sea and the boom
ing of the surf beat on her eardrums.
But she wasn't thinking of herself
now Only of Alan Keith and Bruce
Ramsay - together at the Lodge.
How long would it have taken Alan to
drive out from Seaville? She hoped
the road was in bad shape, or that he
might have had tire trouble on the
way. She hoped that Val Gregory. the
elongated caretaker, might be at the
Lodge.
Her body was tired. Her legs ached.
Her feet we're soaked and sore She
lost all count of time and all con-
sciousness of self And then vivid
flash of lightning revealed a huge bulk
in grove of cypress. The Lodge All
was black again; she saw six squares
of pale yellow light. She moved
YEARLY. The light inside e that meant
that Bruce was already there, and she
dreaded to think that perhaps Alan
might be there, too.
She was very close to the Lodge
now, and another flash of lightning
showed her that there was a car in the
parking space. Her husbands car. She
waited breathlessly for the lightning,
and when it came she looked again.
There was no other car! Obviously
Alan had not yet arrived.
She waited hopefully. Alan would be
along any minute now, and she knew
that she must intercept him: perhaps
drive off with him, to prevent his
meeting Bruce. She would even bar
gain with him, would offer to return to