The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-12-12

TuE STORY Mry. Tettsrhy eraWt baek Ia alarm when thf eaFA -cioaAnd stranger who hsa frightened. her on the streets aE- peaFa in har daaFwAy. The kfran- Eef is ReaiaN, chemisl and unirer- sity prsfeasaF, who has snst con- fiuoed a ghestly bargain Co fer gei his own unhappy pasl and ta
 make otheF pespis forEet fhelFx.
 CHAPTER VII
 HER husband, who had mol been M altogether free from tho infrc- ton 0f her fear at first. and whom inc present gtrauFcneks nf her man. ncT did not tend to Feasure, ad- dressed himself 70 the pnie visitor in the biaca cloak.
 What may br your pleasure. Sir" he asked. "Rith us9"
 T fear that my coming .n nunper- oeiYed." returned the visitor 'ha2 alarmed you: bat you were taking and did not hear me
 My little woman says perhaps you heard her say ii, returned Mr Tetterby. that !t's not the first time you have alarmed her to- night"
 T am sorry for ii. ] remember to have observed her, for a few moments only. in the street. l had no intention of frightening her"
 As he raised his eyes in speak ing, she raised ners. Ii was extraor- dinary 10 see what dread she had Of him, and with what dread he observed it.
 My name" he said, is Redlaw. I come from the old college hard by. A young gentleman who is q student there lodges in your house, does he not2T
 Mir. Denham?" said Tetterby.
 Yes"
 It was a natural action. and SO slight as to be hardly noticeable: {: but the little man, before speaking again. passed his hand across his forehead, and looked quickly round the room as though he were sen- sible of some change in its atmos- phere. The Chemist, instantly transferring to him the look of dread he had directed towards the wife, stepped back, and his face turned paler.
 "The gentleman's room," said Tetterby. 'is upstairs, Sir. There's 8 more convenient private en- trance; but as you have come in here, it will save your going out into the cold, if you'll take this little staircase showing one com municating directly with the par Tor, and go up to him that way, if you wish to see him"
 Yes, wish to see him." said the Chemist. Can you spare a light?" THE watchfulness of his haggard Il look, and the inexplicable dis trust that darkened it, seemed to trouble MT. Tetterby He paused; and looking fixedly at him in re- turn, stood or minute or so, like . man stupefed, or fascinated
 At length, he said, "11l light you, Sir. if you'll follow me"
 "No," replied the Chemist, T don't wish to be attended, or an- nounced to him. He does not ex- pect me. I would rather go alone Please to give me the light, if you can spare it, and I'll find the way"
 In the darkness of bis express sion of this desire, and in taking the candle from the other, he touch ed him on the breast. Withdrawing his hand hastily, almost as though he had wounded him by accident for he did not know in what part of himself his new power resided, or how it was communicated, or how the manner of it's reception varied in different persons, he turned and aScended the stair.
 But when he reached the top, he stopped and looked down. The wife was standing in the same place, twisting her ring round and round upon her finger. The husband, with his head bent forward on his breast, was musing heavily and sullenly The children, still clustering about the mother, gazed timidly after the visitor, and nestled together when they saw him looking down.
 ''Come!" said the father, roughly There's enough of this. Get to bed here!"
 The whole brood, scared and sad, crept away. The mother, glancing contemptuously, round the sordid Yx-M vMy-~v