The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-02
Conscript's Wife
By BETTY WALLACE

down on the sofa. drawing his
VIE beside hIm with hands that
were suddenly very strong. She
felt his fingers biting into her
arm. and saw the line ~ his
mouth tighten suppose you tell
me about 1t, Martha ?"
oh. Bill. don't get worked up
Really. I'm not hurt at all He
couldn't help 1t, don't you see
We turned into the highway-we
had been talking. Paul said the
office was so busy I ought to come
back and hire a woman TO do the
work here
Bill was listening in silence.
With that look on his face With
his eyes telling her nothing. She
went on, desperately. we Just
got so absorbed. talking. that We
turned out-and the other car was
speeding"
Eugene, Strengthening his Shout
der. put in, so he wanted you TO
hire woman to look after the
place here, eh2"
He thought it was too hard
for me-"
Bills big hand dropped TO her
knee. He caught sight Of the
bruises under her stocking.
That's from last night >"
Yes, but it doesn't amount TO
anything She leaped to her feet.
Darling, please don't make a
tragedy out of an unimportsnt
little accident. We ought 10 go
and see Paul. Hes the one who's
in the hospital"
Bad"
NO. The doctor said broken
collar bone and conclusion. He
sounded all right on the phone a
little while ago"
Eugene said. Take my car.
Don't forget to look in on Helen,
too"
All the way to the hospital,
Martha tried to be natural with
Bill. She kept her voice light.
asked him about camp, laughed
about the accident. But his an
swers were short. and behind the
eyes that told her nothing, she
was afraid Bill was painfully
fumbling with the fact that Paul
had driven up here after her. Once
he said, why didn't he mail you
the check ,"
"Oh, he wanted TO see how |
was doing, too. l guess. After all,
the office ia busy and--maybe they
told him to talk me into coming
| back
| That curious constraint was still
between them as they walked into
Pauls room at the hospital. II
was there as Martha hung back,
letting Bill speak first.
so you got my wife all
scratched up, you worm" Bill
cried. But the heartiness was
brittle, some of the easy good
fellowship there had always been
between the two men was absent
Or. perhaps, Martha told herself,
she was only imagining it.
Paul was propped up on the
pillows. There was a bandage
around his arm and shoulder. He
did not look ill., Il wish they'd
let me out of here"
Let you out? You ought to be
in jail" Bill roared. Taking my
wife out and nearly killing her"
Paul's swift vince was too real.
Bill said, hastily. Heck. fella, I'm
just kidding. Lucky it was no
worse Don't take it to heart.
Paul. Accidents will happen"
Martha stood close beside Bill,
/. gratefully. Everything was going
to be all right The door opened.
A nurse looked in. Another Wis
itor for you, Mr.. Elliott
Suzanne Decker. her arms fun
of flowers, came into the room.
Martha stiffened in surprise. Paul,
too, was looking at Suzanne IN
undisguised amazement. How did
you find out 50 quickly?" he
asked.
II phoned you at the office early
this morning. Your chief engineer
told me you were in the hospital
She ran to the bed. Paul. how are
you? All the way out here, I kept
thinking the most awful things,
He only said you'd been in an
sccident-he wouldn't give me any
details. said he didn't know" She
y looked at the white bandages
around his shoulder. You're badly
hurt That bandsge-"
The awful truth is a broken
collarbone, Paul said. Your
hasty trip, while a compliment, Of
course. simply isn't justified by
the injuries. He was smiling,
now. but Martha sensed the an
.noyance under his bantering
Martha was in that accident.
too" came Bills voice. from the
other side Of the bed. Don't you
care what happens to her. SUI
zsnne >"
He meant II lightly, of course.
He was tessing-going on with the
oantering Paul had begun. But IL
vas exactly the wrong thing 10
say. Martha realized with horror.
For SuZanne's red lips were
tightening grimly. and flame
lesped into those gray eyes. Even
while Nsrthas own eyes flew TO
Suzannes pleadingly. in the thick
silence which settled. the savage
: fury which Bills well-meant teas
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