The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-21
CHAPTER XIII

The quiet woke me up with a
jump. The gale had gone dead.
began to shiver, with sound in
my ears that I hadn't heard since
the old days in the west. There's
something about the hoofbeats Of
a lone horse, going full gallop
across country in the dead Of
night.
After a while l dozed off, and
This time I came up slower out of
sleep. A line of motor cars was
going past. Their lights made a
pattern on the lawn as they eased
tround the curve. Then there was
,ne single, high, crazy voice,
Ihrieking short and quick, as I'M
human as mechanical whistle,
ret enough to turn you sick with
he terror and despair in 1t.
Ny door opened, Juddy came in.
They've got him"
Eyes, they've got him"
Get dressed"
She was quicker than /. I was
still fixing my sweater when she
came back.
Somebody's on the veranda,"
she said.
She put her head out the win
dow and called. Docs voice ans
Wered her.
Its Loren Oliver. Let me in
I ran down, with Juddy close
after me. The two Gullah girls
were huddled under the stairs,
crying Doc came in and barred
the door after him.
What are you going to do?"
Juddy asked him, quick and fierce.
I tried to telephone the troop
ers,' he said. THE wires are
down"
She tried to push past him
Let me out" She said. I'm 60
ing 70 the tree"
Don't be fool, Juddy," I said.
I doubt if she even heard me.
Are you going to let me pass?"
she said to Doc.
NO" he said. It's no place for
a WOMAN"
She stamped on the floor like
furious child. This is my place"
she said, her voice high and shaky.
IF you're afraid to go out there,
don't try to stop me-"
Sorry" Doc said. "But you're
not going into that mob"
She slipped past him to the cor
ner and grabbed up her 12-gauge.
you're not going to prevent
me-" she said.
His face was white and tired,
almost as tired as his voice.
ooh, be sensible" he said,
which was good advice, but not
the way he said it.
She was trying to raise the gun.
For minute I was sick and dizzy.
You can't tell what hysteria will
drive woman to do. Doc said in
the tone of casual suggestion:
I'D put that gun down, If I
were you"
judy went over and sat on the
stairs and buried her face in her
arms. A red glow showed through
the window and spread and lighted
up the sky.
You might as well be going"
told Doc.
I'll wait outside" he said.
The crowd melted away. I got
Juddy to bed. She wouldn't speak
to me. Her hands and feet were
icy and every now and then she'd
stiffen all over. I got her fixed up
with hot water bag and went
outside.
II want doctor, Doc" I said.
This thing has got her"
There's old Starrow at Bran
don" he said. 1--WE can stop a car"
We went out and signalled one.
A man lurched forward from the
rear seat. 1t was Maurie Sears.
He was drunk. Had to get that
way, reckon, to nerve himself up
to that business. He turned his
face away. I'm not sure he knew
me. The lad at the wheel was
sober. He said he'd be glad to
fetch the doctor.
The old boy was there in half
an hour. He went at Juddv like
he knew his Business, shot her full
Of dope and told me to keep her
out of commission for a few days.
Old Swoby did what no darby
would have dared to do; cut the
body down and buried it in
corner of the bluff above Tambay
Stream.