The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-08-12
CHAPTER III-Continued

D
Flood rubbed the knuckles of his
left hand with the palm of his right.
Then he said gravely, "Your hus-
band suggested that l come and
tell you the situation, Mrs. Sentry"
He added, SEX officio, you might
say" No one spoke, and he added,
81 regret to say that Inspector Irons
has booked Mr.. Sentry on charge
of murder" He hesitated, ex-
planned, "The Inspector tried to find
me beforehand; but was out, and
he thought it best to act without
delay"
Didn't he-exceed his authori-
typ" Mrs. Sentry asked in dull
tones.
'No," he admitted. "And-I'm
bound to say that I should have act
ed as he did, in his place."
"You mean you would have ar
rested Arthur" She seemed to
choke, then added coldly, "You inn
ply he's guilty."
''I'm afraid there's enough evil
dence to hold him."
''That's outrageousl Have decent
citizens no rights?"
His color rose at her tone. "You
must understand that your husband
is accused of murder" he retorted.
Mrs. Sentry closed her eyes and let
her head rest against the back of
the chair; and he added, more gen.
tly: "But of course, I want to do
everything possible to protect you,
to see that you are-annoyed as lit
tie as possible. There will be-"
Barbara, who had been in a deep
abstraction, cried now as though
suddenly remembering: ''Oh, wait
a minute! Father didn't do it. Fa-
Their didn't kill her. l. know he
didn't"
She leaned forward sharply, and
Mrs. Sentry's eyes opened in swift
hope. The District Attorney said
alphabetically, 81 know it must
seem Incredible to you all, as it
does to me! I've known Mr.. Sem
try"
mo, mol" Barbara cried. 81 don't
mean that. I mean, I really do
know he didn't. I just realized that
he couldn't have. It said in the pa
per that she was killed little after
one o'clock. A night Waterman
heard the shot. Don't you remem-
Der, Mr.. Flood?"
"That was in the paper" he as
scented. "But-"
She interrupted him. "But father
was home before then!" she cried
triumphantly. s'We saw himl Pro-
lessor Brace and I came up from
Essex through the East Boston Tun-
mel, and father passed us in his car
right outside the entrance. We fol-
lowed his car, stayed behind him all
the way out here" She appealed
to Professor Brace. "You remem-
Der, don't your"
The District Attorney looked at
the other man. He asked in curl
ously quiet tone, SIS that right, Pro-
lessor Brace?"
Brace, after a moment, said:
eyes. Yes, that's correct"
'.And what time was that?"
'That was before one o'clock!"
Barbara said eagerly. 81 looked at
my watch as ! came in the house,
and it was quarter of one. So IA
Their couldn't have, don't you see?
He was already at home before she
was killed."
The girls eyes were shining, her
cheeks bright with triumph. But
Mrs. Sentry, while Barbara spoke,
felt all her muscles slowly contract.
Her body was like an empty shell,
and her ears rang.
She heard, as though at great
distance, District Attorney Flood tell
Barbara in an even tone that this
was very interesting and would be
considered; but more real to her
than Mr.. Floods words were other
words, spoken that night when Ar
thur came home from his bridge
game, and she half woke to greet
him, and asked him, murmurning
drowsily, What time is it,"
And--she remembered with ter
rible and conclusive certainty-he
had replied, .Quarter past eleven"
But il Barbara told the truth, then