The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-09-27
CHAPTER xI

CHAPTER XI
 It was different being with Tom. She felt freer, more able to express herself, she decided, sitting across from him in the hotel dining room where he insisted upon taking her.
 "A first time should be done in style" he explained, when she suggested smaller place. After all this is quite an event for me. Maybe you don't know that"
 There was no need for pretense with Tom. Sometimes in the old days with Larry she had had to play up. Larry had a way of be- littling the time-accustomed ways she and all the crowd she had grown up with did things. Larry liked to pretend and she loved him for it; laughed and played with him. Like playing grown-up, she sometimes thought. She re- membered how he always insisted on flower for his lapel, how his Nat must always be at the correct angle and never just put on, and the care he took when buying a scarf. Tipping was another thing he emphasized.
 We can't afford to go places where we must tip so much" she had once argued. "There are so many things to plan for Larry, that we shouldn't spend money like this"
 And he had shrugged his shoul- ders, looking at her with that why can't you understand eX- pression. "It's the thing to do. Other people tip that much"
 But we can't afford it." she would repeat, and then give in because he seemed to enjoy his Tole.
 And her sentiments - old-fash- toned ones, such as a preference for old songs and her clinging to friendships with people who didn't matter"
 Sure, she's all right, Pat" Larry had said about one of the girls with whom she had gone to school and still saw occasionally. But she never goes to the right places, she doesn't know anyone"
 He was right, she insisted to henelf. He was ambitions, eager to get ahead while she herself was inclined to get in a rut, travel in the path of least resistance. And yet now it was fun to let down with Tom, to admit that f1eoring band music stirred her as 1t had whe nshe followed a pa rada in grammar school days, that she enjoyed hearing all about Ser geant Lewoski's home life and the trouble he had with the twins. SiIly, inconsequential things that Larry had listened to with toler- ance and boredom.
 For a little while she forgot that life was changed. The time was passed quickly, so quickly, for she still faced a blank wall. She felt that knowing Tom better had not offered her a way out. Could she turn to him now and tell him about Larry? One moment he seemed so kind, so competent that asking his advice should be easy, and then a remark reminded her that he was still all prosecutor.
 Still trying to find the courage, she saw him look at his watch, take the bill and put down his napkin.
 II have to run," he said. I'm supposed to be at headquarters to go over some details. Maybe there will be a time when one of us won't always be in hurry. Coming with me tonight was kind of you. Will there be other times?"
 She nodded. T hope so." She felt ashamed. She had enjoyed being with him, but she didn't want him to know the reason that had prompted her acceptance Of his invitation. If only she knew what to do. That sense of uncer- tainty still held her in its grasp.
 She wavered back and forth as the week sped by. Surely Larry would find way out for himself. Church wouldn't permit him to run the risk of perjury when the case came to trial. AS for that, how much did Church actually know? How much did anyone other than she know about the true fact? And what would Tom think of her If he ever did find out?
 Each day his kindness, his gen. tleness reminded her of that Each day she became more con- scious of his caring, and of her own desire to live up to his belief
 TOO quickly the trial date came She moved in a world without order. She felt frozen, insensitive Ia life, She clung blindly to the hope that Larry would clear him. self. but with no knowledge oi how he could do 1t and save ms
 Hope and fear came on each others heels in rapid succession after that. The trial started. Tom instructed the jurors in their duty sitting at her table staring at the faces of the men and women in the fury box she couldn't believe that affairs had progressed to thls point. That these people had peeil called to decide upcn Larry's guilt or innocence in an involuntary manslaughter case.
 Taking down the testimony Of po' lice called to the scene of the acci dent, she tried to get her thoughts ln order. Not 10 feet away Larry sat with his attorney and in the back ground were the usual courtroom Sitters: relatives, friends, witnesses,
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