The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-10-07
CHAPTER VII
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Mrs. Sentry, to remind her that tne
trial would begin next morning. And
he said: "You will of course be in
the courtroom every day. had bet
ter tell you what to expect, so that
you may show no emotion. The
jury will be watching YOU"
81 shall show no emotion!"
He hesitated. "We ought to dis
cuss," he suggested then, what you
will wear. What is your opinion?
Will you be in mourning for Mr..
Sentry's mother? That might be eff
fective."
81 think not" she replied. 81
dislike-pose. I should not normal
ly wear mourning for Mr.. Sentry's
mother"
"Perhaps not" he agreed, family
disappointed. "But - some quite
simple dress. And no jewelry?"
She smiled mirthlessly. ''No jew
elry," she assented.
He said: "Mrs. Sentry, to sue
coed before jury requires care
full handling of intangibles. ! shall
not ask of you very many questions,
but my hope is that the State on
cross-examination will adopt to-
ward you such tone that the jury's
sympathies will turn in your direc-
ton" He confessed, 81 even hope
that you and Miss Sentry may ac-
tually break down, on the stand"
Mrs. Sentry was silent for a mo-
ment. 81 shan't break down." she
said. 81 shouldn't know how. But
Barbara-She's really so young, and
she hasn't seemed to me well late
ly. Is it absolutely necessary" She
added, "We haven't let her go to the
Jail, you know"
. "Quite right" he agreed. "You
were right not to subject a shell
tered, lovely girl to the ordeal Of
entering those surroundings. But a
courtroom is not so bad" And he
conceded, "She need not be there
till the jury has been selected; but
after that, yes" He added, watch
ing her warily, "And if she comes
face to face with him in the court
room, no one will be surprised to
see her kiss her father, cling to
him, perhaps burst into tears"
Mrs. Sentry said quietly, 81 should
be surprised. We are not demon
strative family"
After he was gone, though he had
insisted on the necessity of Barba-
ra's appearance in court, she hesi-
tated to tell the girl. When at last
she did so, Barbara tried to speak.
She swallowed hard, cried, 'Nol /
won't, mother!"
She seemed to be hoarse: Mrs.
Sentry asked, "Are you catching
cold?"
eyes," Barbara said eagerly.
"Yes, my throat is sore"
you'd better go to bed. A cold
compress will fix that throat Of
yours; and some hot lemonade"
Barbara came quick to her feet.
eyes, yes" she agreed. 81 think
I'm going to be sick! ! feel sick,
mother, awfully."
Mrs. Sentry touched her forehead.
'You've no temperature, she said.
SIT will clear up by morning"
But in the morning Barbara was
unable to speak at all, and Doctor
Mainton found that she had two or
three degrees of fever. "a day or
two in bed, and drink lots of water"
he prescribed. Downstairs after
ward, with Mrs. Sentry, he spoke
reassuringly. "Her throat is nor
mal," he said. ''No Inflammation.
I suspect it's excitement, nervous
strain"
"But people don't run fever I'M
less they're sick!"
Doctor Mainton smiled family.
'tOur small daughter runs fever
whenever Mrs. Mainton is away
from home overnight. A tempera-
ture above normal may be symp-
tom of mental or spiritual as well
as of physical ills. Just keep her
in bed, don't argue with her"
So Barbara in the morning stayed
abed, with Nellie in solicitous at
tendance. Some time after Phil and
Mrs. Sentry had left for the court
house, for the opening of the trial,
Dan Fisher appeared, laughed Mel
lie out of her objections, came up
to see Barbara propped in pillows.
Her eyes lighted when she saw him.
"Hullo, Barb" he said. "Phil told
me you were under the weather.
They'll be all day getting a jury,
so I thought I'd run out and see you.
Feel pretty rocky?" Her lips moved,
but no ineligible sound emerged.
ssWhat's that?" he asked. She
shaped, deliberately, the words, II
can't talkl' He echoed, "Can't
talk?" And she nodded in violent as
sent, and he said: why not? Lost
your voice?" She nodded again, and
he said heartily:
.Why, that's fine! You know what
I'd do if I were you? / shouldn't find
it for a while. Let the darned thing
stay lostl" He sat down on the edge
of her bed, touched her hand. Sand
if it comes back" he advised with
chuckle, ''try to manage a little APP
pendix, or some gall stones. Or
maybe break legl"
She smiled family and pressed