Browning chief., 1941-02-14

suffering from neuritis and sought re-
lief in special form of japanese
! massage.
At two o'clock in the morning. j
was alone in his rooms, seated at his
typewriter and staring down at per-
fectly blank sheet OF paper. He had
the idea. he had the characters, he
even had the title-The Tempestuous
Petticoat-he had them all for weeks,
but the play. a satire, simply would
not jell. He flung himself away from
the desk and began pacing the floor
And then, his foulard dressing gown
sticking to him with moisture that
was not from the sultriness Of the
night, he surrendered to the impulse
that had tormented him all evening.
He walked boldly across to the wall
that of the other apartment and
pressed his ear against 1t.
His senses became abnormally acute
as minutes passed. The vast outer
drone of the city, like a troubled tide
composed Of myriads of cross-currents
and fathomless whirlpools. was one
thing-the inner laboring Of his heart
another. After long and tense agony
of listening, there was third. 1t was
unmistakable-that creak of the floor
in the room beyond the wall. the
pause, the resumption of that slow,
faltering tread!
His need of entering the apartment
next door now overcame any remnant
of discretion he still possessed. Almost
staggering in his haste, he blundered
through his dark rooms to the fire
escape at the rear Of the building.
knocking over a heavy pedestal lamp
as he went. He did not pause to right
the lamp. He crawled through the
window, felt his way along the fire
escape to the window next it. and
peered into the room. 1t was in dark
ness. The building was old, and it was
gave to the upward pressure of his
bands. He stood now in thick, warm,
breathing darkness. With trembling
fingers he struck a match.
|. The frail light cast a ragged gleam
acroSs the parquet floor. The four
.cornefs of the room seemed to close
in upon him. From one of them he
, caught a glimpse Of his own image
before the match went out in his fin
he not heard footsteps. Instead he
stood frozen in his tracks, frozen and
yet wildly exalted. In the next instant
!, he 'lurched blindly back from the
white glare of a flaShlight trained
straight into his eyes.
"Ey-for the love O. God, it's you,
sir n the house superintendent ex-
claihJed II heard something fall, and
I thought it mighta been this old panel
mirror over here that we took down
to- have regilded for the new tenants.
We rented the place today to young
couple
j glanced at the mirror in the cor
her. and saw his own livid face. Sorry
I frightened you, O'Neil."
That's all right, sir, but-what in
what are you doing here? And how
did you get in? You're not walkin'
your sleep, hope"
|" j stroked his brows and his hand
came away wet and cold.
/ NO." he grinned frantically. Il
I'm working on a new play. and the
setting requires two apartments-ad,,
joining like this one and mine. I
didn't want to bother you at this
time of night, so I thoughtful just
sneak in from the fire escape and
take d look"
O'Neil laughed and shook his heavy
, head well, you're queer ones, you
writM men! Wonder what that noise
was, anyhow? III lock the back win
dow again, and you can go ahead
! end look around all you like-and g,
out the front door. But be sure an
set the lock when you go, eh2 And
here-there's no need O. your usin'
matches in the place"
He moved to wall switch, and the
bare room was flooded with light.
Thanks, very much" j. said.
ANothin' at all, at all. Good night to
e"oH, wait minute. oNeil! My own
doors are locked. and I'm afraid I've
"In wait for you. then"
grPtease. I'll be Just a moment.
want to get the position Of this fire
place In relation to my own"
After an elaborate pretense Of ex-
amining the fireplace, he turned to
the superintendent with bleak
smile.
"It's Just what I hoped it would be. :"
he said. "I'l 60 now. and not keep
bat your door tomorrow. don't be sur
prised. Mr.. oNeill"
/ Like . drowning man clutching at
straw, he accepted next day Nina
Carrtngton's invitation to her weekend
house party at Briar Cliff. And there.
in q white flood Of moonlight on q
1erracod lawn where great shadowy
peonies made the night marvelously
fragrant. he met Elsa for the first
et5AeaI
She was not strikingly beautiful.
witty, or provocative: but she had the
rich patience Of cream In IN earthen-
vaH bowl ip . cool earthly place. Her
hak blue syes. undaaxaed By his fame.
-a~,A HH.na,0S,tfs,l In bSae SnFralanl ~