The Coolidge examiner., 1937-01-14

We'll, Pat, I'm telling you about
the epoch in my life of which I'm
most ashamed" Walter admitted.
II have to admit to you that-that
! that" Walter choked back the
epithet and began again. II have
to admit to you that Ace Blaikie
| put it over on me. l was fright
ened, not on my own account, but
for my father and mother, 1 did
not know what to do"
Did you tell Molly?"
'At once. She didn't know what
to do. We we're like the babes in
the wood. We clung to each other,
but we did not know what to do;
and because we were so inexperi-
enced, we lay down to the situa-
ton. Molly and 1 pretended to
break our engagement. In reality
it was never broken. 1 left Satuit
and went to New York where
got job, and a good one. I've
given that up. I can always get
job. In the meantime, Ace was
devilling Molly. 1 did not know
how much, of course. After a while
she realized that in order to pro-
tect me, she must get engaged to
Ace. She wrote me that. But she
said, III die before I marry
him."
Have you those letters?"
'All of them. Then one day,
walked up with the realization that,
in spite of my feeling for my moth
er and father 1 would rather go
| to prison and work out my sem
tence than submit to what I was
submitting to. l wrote that to Mol
! ly and she wrote back that she
agreed with me absolutely. She
said in effect, Let's get married.
If Ace Blaikie chooses to act in
this horrible way, let him do it. If
you are arrested and tried and SEN
fenced, I'll stand by. And when you
! come out of Jail, we'll take up our
life just where we left it and go all
the way together So 1 made up
| my mind to that. First of all,
came back in May to have an
other fight with Ace"
do you remember what you
said to him when you met him in
Locust Lane?"
mot all of course. Nobody ever
remembers the whole of a long
conversation, but l remember tell
ing him that I'd kill him before I'd
let Molly marry him.
1 drew long kissing breath of
warning. All three looked into my
direction and smiled, Patrick in a
grim amusement, Walter with a
detached humor, Molly in a sooth-
ing tenderness.
Il returned to New York. How
ever, Molly and l made our plans.
We agreed that just as soon as
could wind up my job, I'd slip
back. Then we'd walk off and
get married"
How did you happen to choose
the time of the Stow party?"
Just because it came at the
right time. l had the money I
needed. Then I knew everybody
in Satuit would be thinking of the
masquerade. Besides Molly and
had had so many swell times at
the Stow masquerades, that we
wanted to go. So, as 1 told you
the other day, l came on secretly
and stayed in Aunt Mary's Little
House."
And you had TO contact with
Ace at all?" Patrick inquired.
None"
You did not see him all day Fri
day."
MOT until the masquerade"
"And did you speak to him at
the masquerade"
For the first time there was a lit
tie asperity in Walters tone. Il
think 1 told you before that I did
not"
Then am to understand, Pat
rick summed it up, both from you
and Molly that you saw Ace Blaikie
only once between the time you
left Satuit and the night of the
masquerade-and that one time
was in Locust Lane on Decoration
day?"
That's correct" Walter said.
Patrick looked inquiringly at Mol
| ly.
That is correct" Molly said.
Patrick bent forward until his ell
bows rested on his knees. He con-
templated with steady, down-shot
gaze his neat and Well-polished
shoes. Well" he said after a
while, "go home, children! But I'll
have to repeat, Walter, stick
around! l don't know when I'll
need you"
THURSDAY
Again l spent a troubled night.
1t was not so much that l did not