The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-04-10
Conscripi's Wife
Continued From Page Ia
BY BETTY WALLACE

Q
her now. suppose she was glad
this had hsppened-suppose she
had filled Bill with more poison
Gus. malicious transformation,
Strangely. out of the red haze
which engulfed her Martha re-
membered the country club dance
about which Suzanne had been so
furious The dance Martha had
lied about to Bill I told him l
was bowling with the girls Had
Suzanne remembered that. to-
night?
A lone cab stood at the corner.
She pulled open the door. Sugar
Hill-' The name of Suzanne's
street eluded her. for a dizzy
moment "Stafford-no. Stratford
road The big white house off
by itself in between Palmer and
Britt. :.
At last the cab stopped Martha
paid the man, trembling. She stood
on the porch, shivering, her fingers
pressing the bell Almost imme-
diately. a light flashed on in the
hall. Through the tiny glass panes
Of the upper door, Martha saw a
pair Of silver mules come down
the stairs and then a quilted satin
bathrobe Suzanne herself was
answering the door.
suzanne's eyes. through the
glass. were not astonished at meet
ing Martha's worried brown ones.
Then Bill had been here, Suzanne
seemed TO know all about il, for
she flung the door open. Thank
God you're here, told Bill you
weren't in New York"
Il was in New York. flew
back. oh, Suzanne, he was here?
What did he want? What was the
matter ?"
He wanted me to tell him what
hotel you were at. He was crazy.
out of his head. Said he was going
to New York after you. l tried to
keep him here, but it was no
good.
Suzanne drew her in. She moved
around the living room, switching
on lamps. drawing blinds. From
box on the coffee table, she
extended cigarets.
Sit down. Let me get this
straight. When Bill came here. all
in a dither. l couldn't make head
or tail OF it at first. He seemed
TO think I'd know all about it,"
Her lips twisted. Il gave up play
= ing follow-Paul after that mess IN
the hospital. oh, Martha. I've been
, so sorry about that! It was cheap
stupid
Never mind about that, What
. did Bill say"
I'm telling you He thought
Paul enticed you back-thought 1t
was all arranged, that everybody
at least knew you'd eloped to
: New York, or something He
raved and swore and asked me
where you were, how long you
; were going to stay-things like
8 that. told him it was nonsense.
told him I didn't know where
Paul was. but that I was certain
b.. you weren't in New York at all.
L" Suzannes creamy face
flashed, Il honestly tried TO repair
J: whatever damage I'd done that
time. Martha
Damage" Martha's laugh was
curiously mirthless Hes thought
of nothing else. II kept growing
in his mind He magnified it 10
: even greater importance than you
ever did-he got sullen. impossible
2 made trouble for himself at
-quarreled with me. kept
e asking me things about Paul
when I'd seen him. trying to trap
r me into admitting things-oh-"
I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry I
ever said a word"
y That's big help now"
Don't Martha! I'm do any,
thing. Look. let's get this straight.
is How did you know he's been here?
% Where did he 60 after that"
He went TO my boarding house.
Rushed upstairs to see if I'd taken
my clothes! l simply guessed that
" he'd been here. But where can he
* be now"
n: SuZanne's silver mule tapped the
!. rug reflectively. while Martha sat
on the edge of the big chair, her
mind a battle-ground on which
conflicting emotions ragged back
T. and forth. Anger at Suzanne
s; resentment. hostility-and a wa
H vering gratefulness that she was
IN trying To help. Sick hurt at Bills
4. wild suspicious. at the violent and
Z senseless way he had acted. But
10 above all, there was fear. Fear
for his safety. fear that his head
long rage would get him into
r. trouble. Where could he possibly
have gone?
e. we must look fbr him" SUI
:. zanne said. rsing. Il hate 10
say this. Martha. but II think
IS. he's been drinking. II he went TO
your boarding house-raising Cain.
and then-then didn't know what
n n. 70 do next, II seems TO me he
he probably stopped for a drink
somewhere"
=. 'or two or ten" Martha whis-
pered- "Oh, Suzanne"
ieF IN get dressed al once. Wen
get in my car. Wen scour the
C. town for him"
TO be continued)