The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1937-08-03
ny HELEN WElSHiMeR
CAST OF CHARACTERS

JUDITH lKNlNS, hcroine' TN"'
criea's best dressed woman.
PHILIP IRVING. Judiths cs
tranged husband. a..
MARTA ROGERS, Judith's r.
val.
BRUCE KNIGHT. author, Ju
dith's old elassmate.
MILLIcENT BAINE, Bruce
protege.
Yesterday; Phil eonfesses his
love for Marta. And later judith
overhears Marta tell Phil. "Didn
I tell you she only wanted
clothes -
CHAPTER V
With q hurt that became q slow
rhythm to which she moved. Jud-
it'll went through the gestures OF
being a hostess Sunday morning
ut breakfast, pouring coffee with
gay graciouSneSS; slipping INTO
the yellow swim suit that made
her hair darker, her eyes gold
fleckcd; swimming across the
pool again and again; presiding
nj the out-Of-door luncheon on
the tagged terrace.
Then il was / o'clock and
everyone was piling into cars TO
have tea at an authors up the
road. She hung back. She need
ed a few moments TO examine tins
strange new experience that had
come. To explain it to herself, and
make ready for tomorrow and to-
morrow. all the tomorrowS. with
out Phil.
As dusk turned into darkness
and the odor of wet, damp earth
came up from the brook, she went
out TO the balcony that swung
along the bedrooms. She did not
know how long she had been
standing there, in the shadows,
when she became aware that
someone was on the balcony with
her.
"Did brighten YOU? Bruce
and | drove back a little while
ago" II was Millicent. Every
ono else is being merry. | don't
like laughter when | can't laugh.
The girl pulled her chair over
to Judith'S corner and they sat
very still, not talking, not know
ing that they didn't. Behind her,
in her bedroom, Judith had left
one small blue lamp glowing on
the dressing table. Its light was
dim but when a shadow crossed
il, the blur was noticeable. Judith
turned her head. Had Phil come
back? Did he want 20 see her, to
explain. to take her broken world
and put it together with his
strong, brown fingers? 1t wasn't
Phil. II was a woman. As her
head bent over, just above the
blue bulb, her hair was reckleSsly
golden. Marta Millicent had
turned, too. Together they watch
ed. Marta picked up something,
slipped il into the pocket Of her
white coat, and went out. ..
When Marta had been gone
fully three minutes, Judith and
Millicetn stepped back into the
bedroom. They turned on the
saffron lights, drew the curtains,
and glanced at the dressing table,
al had nothing of any value
along" Judith said. What could
she have wanted? Perhaps a clean
handkerchief" Then she re-
membered. Her hand went to her
throat. No, she had not put or
her pearls this morning. She
opened a case. They were not
there. She would not tell Mill
cent. Better to keep this quiet
until Phil could take charge.
But Millicent was aware of her
action. "You aren't wearing your
necklace. Sure it's around"
an a drawer or something"
Judith lied deliberately.
Millieent nodded. 81 understand,
/ hear voices. The others are
here. Come on, Judy"
Marta. yellow-haired, blue
eyed, fragile as a Bottieelli angel,
was standing in front of the
hearth, wearing simple, silken
black tonight. The men were
talking TO her. The women were
little bored, eager to return to
town before il grew too late. The
maid was announcing dinner, and
the odor of a roast came through
the air. For a second the two
women, descending the low stair
way, caught their breath. Marta
was wearing strand of pearls
strand of pearls like the ones
that Judith had worn above her
turtlc-neckled sweater the night
before. The sheer audacity of the
act made her pause.
Hello, Judy darling. Your
headache BETTER" Marta's fluted
voice was asking. ave had a
lovely tea and everyone felt sorry
for Phil whose wife had To go
back on him. Do you have head
aches often, judy"
"No, Marta" she said clearly.
"Not often. Shall we go into the
dining room?"
II was later, much later that
night, when Marta had been de-
posted at her own door, and Phil
and Judith had driven home in
awkward silence, that Judith
mentioned the matter of the
beads to her husband. His face
was so cold that it frightened her
"You are implying that Marta
q. the-the woman | love-" He
flung out the words like a ban.
ner-"could do such a thing"
"erhaps not. The beads are
gone. | thought you should
know"
marta probably wanted an as
A,klaN Ska ,gEal nan g., a,,u