The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-01-29
FRIENDSHIP ENDS
CHAPTER XXI

SVU O4dAC
 But 1t was too late. While Mar tha,s heart pounded with dread - while Bill stood there, white and sstunned and unbelieving - Suzanne Decker pulled away from Pauls grasp and cried furiously, Let Bill hear 1t! It's the truthl He should have heard it long ago! I warned her! I told her to stay away from you, but she wouldn't do it.
 She didn't care what she did to you, Paul. She's never cared. She tilted you once, didn't she? She married him. Why doesn't she stick to him, then? Why did she keep seeing you, after he went into the Army?"
 She whirled on Bill, her slender body shaking into the storm of emotion as a tree trembles in a high wind. "It's your fault, Bill Marshall! You've been blind - blind and stupid! You're her hus- band. Why don't you know what she's doing, where she's going? You let her pull the wool over your eyes you let her make a laughing stock of you before the whole town.
 T went to her, I told her how it looked. She promised to stay away from Paul! And now what happens? She gets him to come all the way up here - and she nearly killed him!'
 "Suzanne!" Martha could bear it no longer. She leaped to the other girls side, her own legs unsteady her breath coming fast.
 Suzanne, be quiet, you're up- set, you're not responsible for what you're saying!" The sight of Bills stunned face, the deep lines which had come out at the corners of his mouth so suddenly, tortured Martha. You know very well there's never been anything be- tween Paul and me. You know that what you're saying sounds - soun&s-"
 Bill's hands on her shoulders, | his toneless, Don't" stopped Mar tha's voice. She crumpled, sobbing, against him.
 Suzanne" Paul ordered curtly, "apologize for what you said im- mediately!"
 Apologize? For what? For tell | ing the truth?" Suzanne tried to laugh. It was a ghastly failure. All ] at once she covered rer face with her hands and walled, "Oh, Paul don't be angry with me. didn't mean to go to pieces, but"
 T think we'd better go, Mar tha," Bill said heavily.
 Bill" Paul's voice was husky. Bill, don't be a damn fool! Su- l game was crazy, upset. There's not . word of truth ill it. Martha and never-Bill!"
 Come on, Martina Bill re- peated inexorahly.
 I He walked out without a back ward glance, without a word to the man who had been his friend for so many years. Helplessly, her heart like stone inside her, Mar tha went with him. There was nothing else to do.
 1 She felt stiff and cold, weary with weariness that dimmed even ] thought. Suzanne had threatened this, and now she had done 1t. With few impassioned words-in scar ing moment she had already re- gretted - Suzanne had brought the whole world tumbling down around their ears. It would bring her no nearer to Paul. And 1t had driven a wedge, cruel and all but insur- nountable, between Martha Mar shall and the man she loved. She remembered, as Bill led her to the car, Paul Elliott's voice say- i ing, Have I ever tried to make love to you? Bills my friend, he trusts me :"
 1 It was all ruined. now. What Paul had tried to have, the friend ship he had valued, the whole delicate and precarious structure which alone had sheltered them was gone. Because Suzanne's un- governable jealousy had had its way, at last.
 1 Bill was starting the car wher she remembered Helen. We've must see Helen"
 Not now"
 Suddenly the numbness left her s'Bill," she whispered. "Bill, you'v' got to listen to me. You can't gt on, with those poisonous words 1T your mind. Let me explain. Let mt tell you"
 "Explain?" How cold his tont wasL "What is there to explain?"
 "Bill," she said desperately catching at his sleeve. 'Bill, please listen to me. Everything she saic was wrong. It wasn't like that al all. She didn't want Paul to take me out. she didn't want him tc come up to the apartment, because she wanted to go with him alone Don't you understand?
 She's in love with him, craZ with 1t. You know she's always been in love with him and he--he isn't with her. And when he was nice to Ine-when he just tried tc keep me from being lonesome - she imagined things. She came to me, told me that people were talk. ing. I never told you, Bill: I didn't want to worry you"
 Ivory mel" he said bitterly "That's rich, that is."
 Darling. don't. Listen. I'm try fng SO hard to explain. You must believe me. There was nothing nothing"
 They were stilI parked at the curt in front of the hospital. People passed. glanced at them. But they were unaware, as oblivious as 4 there were no one else in all tho world but themselves. Bill. hts eyei dark well of pain, gripped tho steering wheel until his knuckleI vent white.
 Are you trying to tell me. Mar. tsia, that =. that Paul never-nevei made love you you7"
 aNeVefi" she awore. "Oh, daF. linz, noyeri DO you think I'd lel hlnls He vas Just q friend--jus' aSfllq fNlaslf-H