Henderson daily dispatch., 1938-10-10
CHAPTER 80
HELEN WELSHlMER


JUDY THOUGHT quickly as
that strange voice said to her over
the speaking tube, us this Abbey
Boland? 2"
If she said that it was, she
might learn something.
On the other hand she might in
volve Ronald.
/ Instinctively she whispered. All
whispers sounded alike. what
do you want ?"
"You're asking me?" the voice
said. Ready to shell out ?"
She gasped. utterly lost as to
her answer.
The man continued: "I'm talk
ing plenty if you don't"
Judy's next words slipped down
the speaking tube without con-
scious volition: Haven't you done
1T already?"
The man suddenly grew alarmed.
The difference in voice texture
penetrated although Judy had
chung to her whisper.
isn't this Abbey?" the man
asked. "Who is it?"
She spoke clearly in her own
voice. IT think you have the
wrong apartment. There aren't
any Abbeys or Ronalds around
here" She hung up.
The man might watch the apart
iaent now, or he might think Rom
aid had rented it for an hour the
night before. She could not help
that. One thing she knew. There
was a man who had something to
say. Why? What was his secret?
How was Abbey involved?
! She went to the window and
peered through the draperies. The
man was coming down the steps.
She caught sight of bright green
fedora and a large plaid checked
coat. He glanced up once or twice.
She could not distinguish his fea-
lures at that distance in the night.
She tried to memorize the quick
way the man walked, his head a
trifie preceding his body. He was
short and slight.
When she came down to go to
the theater, there was no one in
sight but the limousine Of people
who waited for her.
Before leaving she tried to call
Ronald. He was not at home, and
the Office telephone echoed in his
empty study. Between acts at the
play, she tried again.
The show was an opening. It
was gala night. White ermines,
minks and jewels were abundant
in the audience. One actress wore
q costume that Judy had helped
Cordelli design. None Of this in
terested her tonight.
During int e rmi s sions she
searched the people in the lobby.
She did not see Ronald's red head.
She wondered if Abbey had come.
1t. would be like her to insist on at
tending this premiere.
Just as the audience was filing
back before the third act curtain
rose, Judy spied Abbey. She was
with a young man, stranger.
She was laughing lightly.
So she had come. She could
play while Ronald, whom she pro-
fessed to love, was working alone
somewhere, trying to save his
name. Such violent distaste
shook Judy that she felt Ill. Her
hands were cold and her face was
hot as the play went on. The
actors said lines she did not hear.
The people applauded scenes she
did not see. She declined to go on
to a night club with the party, and
finally induced them to let her go
home alone in a taxicab instead of
giving their chauffeur the trouble
Of taking her downtown.
She didn't go home. She gave
the driver Ronald's address. He
would have to come in sometime.
She would wait.
He was not in so she drew her
mink coat-she had been able to
remove it from storage a month
ago-around her shoulders and sat
on the lower step Of the hall in
the dim light of the one feeble
lamp. She was almost asleep when
she heard a key in the latch.
Her heart beat rapidly and she
looked up eagerly. She had no
thought that Ronald might find
her presence unusual or amusing.
He might be in danger. She had
news that he should have.
It wasn't Ronald who came in.