Evening star., 1933-05-28
By Kay Kennedy
Let me explain:


Terry's apartment was the entire ground
floor of what had been his grandmothers house.
His bed room window looked out on the street
and, when this odd feeling overlook him, he
noticed policeman standing outside Some
thing IN that blue uniform-symbolical as IL
is of peace, law and order, and protection
struck chord in Terry's breast and before he
thought twice about it he had run out of the
house and approached the policeman
Officer" he said, breathlessly, could you
arrest me? It's very important"
The cop looked at him strangely.
What have you done?" he asked.
Il haven't done anything yet," Terry told
him, but unless somebody takes charge of me
I'm going to get engaged tonight. It'll be
worth money to you If you'll help me out"
Say" said the cop, suspiciously, whats the
gag?"
There's no gag" pleaded Terry. "You see
this girl is bound to get engaged to me unless
something happens. I'd go away only know
shed follow me and I thought of telling her
had touch Of leprosy or bubonic plague
only I'm sure she'd be right over to nurse me.
There's no way out, I tell you, unless you arrest
me-"
well, it sounds crazy to me- Why don't you
tell her you don't want to marry her?"
Terry groaned.
"You don't know her." he said
The policeman had lost his suspicious attt.
I'm sorry, but you'll have to break the law
before I can arrest you"
Terry's mind raced. There wasn't time he
figured for larceny, arson, murder or-and then
it came to him.
How about assaulting an offcer?" he de.
manded at the same time that he swung his
right to the policemans jaw.
Even after he'd been booked at the police
station, his only feeling was one of triumph
mingled with sense of relief at his escape As
the evening went he began to get hungry
and he began - regard the gray walls and
barred window of his cell with less favor The
unkind words of the policeman he had hit and
and not-too-veied threats of the desk sergeant
came back to him and took on q new mean
ing. The realization came to Terry that h.
might have to spend a good many weeks-or
would 1t be months?-in a cell like this as
the price of his salvation from Hortense. For q
moment the thought came to him that he
might laughingly explain to his jailers that
1t was all joke. but he was unhappily cer4
tain that they wouldn't laugh with him and
unlock his cell door.
Sitting on the hard board bed with hunger
gnawing at him more viciously every minute
he thought Of Hortense. She wouldn't have
gotten herself in such a situation-she could
manage things-she could get him out
And IN minute he was at the door of his
cell demanding that G. A. Smiths daughter be
phoned and told Of his predicament At first
unwilling to listen, the policeman was inn
pressed finally with G. A. Smiths name and
agreed to make the call
Hortense and her father were there in hall
an hour and half an hour after that Terry
was free. At least he was free of the law
but at that moment land I have his word for
1t that 1t was just 10:30) Hortense was saying
to him:
You depend on me so-of course, III marry
you, you poor boy. You need some one To
take care Of you"
And, will you believe it, Terry agreed quite
enthusiastically.
fCopyriRht. 1Q33l