The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-09-29
CHAPTER XIII

hole of an ofilce-pat and Bill
while the day drew to close around
them, The boys words had shaken
Pat more than she realized, He had
come TO court prepared to tell q lie
"A white lie as he believed--to save
the man she loved.
Bill, young, idealistic, with the
groundwork OF his future life as
man even now being laid, wait
ing TO sacrifice one OF his standards
to aid her. Pat looked at his pro-
flle there In the later afternoon
light. In all probability his testi-
mony would aid Larry, would help
clinch his defense, help free him Of
the fate that q conviction would
result In. But his testimony would
also mean that for oil the rest OF
his life no would know that Pat
had permitted him 10 lie under oath
TO help the man to whom she was
engaged,
It meant as he grew older and
more aware OF what he had done
there In court he would have to
take her down from the pedestal
she now occupied as head OF the
fanlily--sineere, honest, conseien-
tious, above reproach, And her feet
OF clay would be ugly,
She pressed her hands against
her throbbing temples and twisted
around IN her desk chair,
"You must promise not 10 do IT,
Bill, You can't do 1t. II Larry Is
innocent he can prove II without
putting you Oh the stand TO lie Tor
him. If--if lie Is guilty" her voice
trembled, then grew steady again,
"then he must pay the penalty. III
tell him In the morning that you
are not to lie for him, and II he
insists OH putting you on the stand
that you will admit that you know
nothing at oil about the car-either
before or after the accident"
The wide-eyed wonder In BINS
eyes gave her courage. The light
m them was no longer embarrassed,
but proud. She had not failed him,
Ho and Joe could continue TO look
UP at her,
Pat sent him of home then,
pleading that extra work would keep
h0r busy. Actually she stayed TO con.
tinue her ow might. The trick that
Larry had meant 10 play with Bill
shook her. He meant to do every.
thing IN his power 10 get of clean
Larry would use any means.
And what II he succeededp What
II as the case continued tomorrow
she saw he was winning, breaking
down witnesses who thought he was
the driver OF the carp Had she the
right 10 interfere9 she knew he was
guilty, that he had killed O woman,
seriously injured O child. He had
admitted the truth 10 her, but the
admission had been 10 her as his
iiancec. In court wife could not
be forced 10 testify against her hus-
band, Larry would never have made
the admission TO her II he had not
been sure OF her love and loyalty
Yet his own love for her had not
prevented him from attempting 10
use Bill, and would not stop him
from putting her on the stand 70
swear 10 his lies.
Love was gone. She knew that
now. Larry had killed her love aS
definitely as when he became O hit
run driver. The act Of being involved
In q tragedy was not what had killed
her love. To have stood beside him
Is no faced that charge would have
been her right, the privilege OF her
love. But running away, denying re-
sponsibility, lying-that had burned
the last remnant OF affection from
her heart.
An aching emptiness remained.
All her world had been Larry for
days. weeks. months. Her future,
too, had been Larry: Larry coming
home 10 their apartment In the eve
ming, Larry eating the dinner she
had prepared, Larry introducing her
to their friends as MRS. Kent"
Everything had revolved about
Larry. And now 1t was ended.
She slipped his ring from her en-
gagement finger, watching the
sparkling diamond catch the rays
OF the late sun. Tears In her eyes
surrounded II with tiny rainbows.
She blinked quickly as the door
OF the ONCE opened. 1t was Tom, his
arms Allied with dog-eared law
books.
"Still working away?" he asked.
looking down at her while she tried
to blink away the tears from her
eyes. She could feel his nearness, his
kindness.
He put the books down on the
desk, stopping suddenly as his
fingers brushed the ring that still
sparkled in the light. He reached
for her hand, touched the bare
finger.
what does it mean, PATTI" he
asked, his voice husky with feeling.
Can help? Have you had quar-
rel with-with someone?"
She couldn't trust herself to look
up. The tenderness and sympathy
In his voice brought all the grief
Of the past week back In an over
whelming wave.
IAN engagement ring-"he con-
tinued, touching the diamond. I'D
noticed it on your finger, OF course.
III didn't look at 1t any more than
I could. guess / didn't like 1t, Pat.
And now it's of and you--you're
crying, aren't you?"
He put his hand under her chin
emmM a Asa NAA