The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-07
CHAPTER XIX

CHAPTER xxx
 Suzanne Decker, still in her nightgown, her feet bare, ran into Martha's room the moment she put down the receiver after the, phone call from Paul. She slipped her arms around Martha's shoulders.
 Don't worry, Martha. We'll find him. We'll bring him back tc camp"
 A new assurance radiated from her, a calm certainty. I'll see this through for you, because I blame myself for every bit of it. If ] hadn't started it, spouting all those Senseless accusations there in the hospital, Bill wouldn't have be- come jealous and crazy.
 T lost my head, Martha. Now Bills lost his. You see, that's why I can understand about him. He must be going through the same things went through. Jealousy suspicion, a sort of savage rage that makes you want to smash out and hurt someone It's like storm like black thick fog over everything and you see things dis torted, out of all proportion. Little unimportant things seem sinister -everybody's against you - you want to make someone pay for what they've done to you.
 Bill wanted to make Paul pay. l - oh, Martha, foregive me, I wanted to make you suffer! Don't blame Bill. This isn't his fault. It's mine. But I'm going to straighten 1t out. swear I will"
 Martha was weeping softly. For that one wild moment when Su- Zanne had left the corroding jeal- ousy in her heart reach out to tear at them all with cruel claws, they were paying with this nightmare of disaster. The forces Suzanne had set in motion then were speeding now, like an express train out of control, to smash into tragedy, their love, their marriage, Bills year in the Army which should have been a sacred duty.
 Get dressed Martha" Suzanne reached for the phone. I'm going to do evactly what Paul did in New York. Hire a detective agency, first thing"
 Afterward, she insisted on Mar tha's eating complete breakfast. Orange juice isn't enough. Eat that toast. Take some egg. Drink your coffee!''
 At $50, Suzanne went back to the phone. She spoke to the Chief, at his home. I've just talked to Paul Elliott in New York. It's very im- portant that if Mrs. Marshall's hus- band should come to the office, you must keep him there. Lock him into 8 private office if you have to. Mrs. Marshall won't be in today" She hung up, giving no explanation.
 They went to Mrs. Larkin's first. Bill hadn't been back there If he shows up, telephone this num- Der at once" They left Mrs. Lar kin with her mouth wide open.
 At noon they drove to the air. port to meet Pauls plane. He looked rumpled and disturbed. A blue bruise under his right eye and puff1ness on his jaw were silent reminder of his meeting with Bill, Martha swallowed hard before she could say, Hello, Paul."
 Suzanne didn't bother with greetings. Any news in New York before you left?"
 No" He looked at Martha. I'm sorry as the devil. But I couldn t do anything with him. He-he was drunk"
 T know. Oh, Paul, what1l hap pen to him if he doesn't go back to camp?"
 Nothing he doesn't deserve 9 Paul said grinly. But at her white face, at the misery in her eyes, he relented. T guess it's not all his fault he muttered. well find him. We'll smooth things out"
 But they didn't find him. The long hours dragged on and on. Endlessly. Martha sat in the car between Paul and Suzanne, going from one building to another. They checked up on the YMCA, on all the hotels, on overnight rooming houses. They consulted with the detective agency, and drove around to find out if by any chance Bill had appeared at Air Transport. At 6 o'clock Martha was faint and terror stricken. Hope seemed to be dying inside her. She couldn't even tell herself any more that they would find him.
 She could only sit there in the car, thinking of Bill as he must be thinking of himself. Suzanne's words this morning had illumi- mated some of that for her. Bill thought he was a wronged man, q man whose wife had been run ming around with his best friend. Bill thought of himself as shame fully treated, so he had kicked oyer the traces. venting his bitter