The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-07-08
Bv Zen nmes wILLIRms

"Well," he insisted cheerfully,
"Endle's good company-they say"
Mary. met her mothers eyes.
"Mr. Endle's calling for me, moth
err" she explained defensively. "Aft-
er all, he's Mrs. Loran's brother.
and she suggested it. I couldn't very
well refuse"
Mrs. Sentry said, 81 suppose mott"
She heard the front door open,
called, We're in here, Arthur"
Mr.. Sentry came to join them and
she saw that he was tired. ''Hullo,
Ray" he said, shaking hands with
the other man. "Hullo, Mary" He
declined tea. "I'd rather have a
cocktail. Shall ! ring?"
3d." Mrs. Sentry assented. She
perceived that something had dis
tressed him; but she asked no ques-
tons, thinking he might prefer not
to speak before Neil Ray. Yet he
said at once, cts been an upsetting
day." And he explained, ''The of
fee was robbed last night"
Robbed" Mrs. Sentry echoed,
incredulously. "But there's nothing
there to steal! Except orangesl"
"Oh, there's always some money
in the safe. Some of the truckmen
who peddle their wares pay in cash,
you know" He added soberly: "But
that's not the worst of it. A girl
was killed."
There was an instant's dreadful
silence. Mrs. Sentry asked through
dry lips: ga girl? One of your en-
ployees?"
''No," he said; but he added:
''She did work for us for a while
last summer, during the vacation
season, when we were shorthand
ed. Miss Randall got her from bust
ness school. She was only with us
about two weeks. Her name was
Miss Wines"
Oscar brought cocktails, but Doc
tor Ray declined one. "I'm on duty
tonight" he explained, and rose.
"You'll be wanting to dress, Mary"
he said. 'I'l 60 along"
Mrs. Sentry thought he felt his
presence here an intrusion; but Ma
ry, watching her father, said: "No,
stay. We're not dining till eight"
Neil remained standing, uncer-
tainly; and Mrs. Sentry asked, ''But
how was she killed, Arthur"
"Shot," he said. "Shot in the
back. They found her in the upper
hall this morning, outside our of
fees" And he spoke again to Neil
Ray, explaining to him, seeming to
find relief in his own words. ''Mr.
Loran and / have our offices on the
top floor, the third floor. It's an old
brick building, down in the market
district of course. His Office is in
front and mine in back, with re-
ception room between. Switchboard,
and some typewriter desks. Our let
tiers are handled there. Our book
keeping and so on is done on the
second floor, and on the street level,
the routine business. Of course
mostly we sell directly from the re-
frigerator cars"
"But what was she doing there?"
Mary asked; and she added: "'I
think met her last summer, father.
You remember the day I came down
from York to do some shopping and
had lunch with you? She was taking
some letters when I came in to get
you, and you introduced her. Lit
tie, and rather pretty, and innocent
looking? I'm sure I met her."
Probably you did," he agreed.
ST don't recall"
Ray said again, ''I'n have to be
going"
"You needn't hurry, Neil, really"
Mary urged.
Mrs. Sentry said, ''Mary, don't
you see Doctor Ray is embarrassed,
wants to get away?" Ray started to
protest; but was silent as Oscar
brought the Transcript. Mr.. Sentry
took it, looked at the front page.
"Here it is" he said, and was silent,
reading the brief story under its
small headline.
ITO BE CONTINUED)