The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-11-25
CHAPTER XII
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her to the prison, but she would not
let him come in.
"Not this time, Phil" she said,
and she was smiling, something in
her eyes which he had never seen
there before. mot this time" she
repeated. "This is for Arthur and
me. A reunion, Phil"
And she got out of the car and
walked almost proudly toward the
forbidding door; and Phil watched
her, wondering at the change in her
in these recent days. She seemed
increasingly frail; but also she
seemed somehow younger, and
there was quality in her counte-
nance he found it hard to name, a
sort of translucent clarity, as though
all confusion was gone out OF her
and her heart was quite serene.
When she came out, not long aft
er, she wore radiance. She got in
beside Phil, and she leaned sudden
" and kissed him and said, "You
look as he did when we were young,
Phil"
He set the car in motion. "How is
he?" he asked.
81 left him fine"
He nodded. "Did you make any
plans? About the appeal, or any
thing? Or about buying out Mr.. Lor-
ann"
She even laughed a little. She
said: Heavens, no! We just talked
about each other" And after a mo-
ment she told him, "Phil, every
thing he said about what happened
that night was true"
81 believe him." he assented.
s'But of course what we believe
doesn't help much"
"It helps me much" she con-
fessed. ''It helps me. So long as
I know-I can manage not to mind
so much what others believe. What
ever happens.
They came home thus, and went
up to see Barbara; and Barbara
watched her mother and seemed in
some way to be better suddenly.
And the days went on.
It was Mr.. Sentry himself who
presently assumed the decisive
voice in the matter of buying the
business from Mr.. Loran. Phil and
his mother were still uncertain what
to do about this, when Mr.. Hare
came to the house few days after
the trial ended to say that Mr.. Sem
try had sent for him, had discussed
the question.
'sI told him Mr.. Loran's PROPOSE
tion," he explained. "He feels that
the valuation set up by Mr.. Loran
is too low, and so he believes it is
better to buy than to SELL"
Mrs. Sentry said: "What about
payment? I should not care to buy
on anything but a cash basis"
Hare assured her: 'That can be
managed. I went over it with Mr..
Sentry, and later with his brokers.
His investments are in good shape"
81 prefer not to see Mr.. Loran
myself" Mrs. Sentry remarked. 'sIt
would be painful to him and to me-"
"Of COURSE" Hare agreed. s'But
i Cctk3 1ld1lO1C tl1C WAlO1C ~ 6A4o6St4OAAg
under proper powers"
She asked, after moment, e'Has
Mr.. Sentry talked with Mr.. Falkran
about the appeal?"
''No. Falkran is to see him to-
morrow morning"
''Mr. Falkran was here yester-
day.. explained. 'To discuss it
with me. To explain some of the
things" And she said: 81 did not
always understand him, the techni-
cal points. I told him we wished to
take every proper measure. But I
warned him tina: we did not want
any tricks, evasions, miserable
meaningless delays" She asked
suddenly, ''What do you think,
Dean?"
Hare hesitated. 'sWell, it's posi-
BILE he might get q new trial"
do you feel that Mr.. Sentry had
fair trial?"
The lawyer hesitated. 'I'm not
experienced in criminal cases." he
said evasively.
Mrs. Sentry nodded. 81 see. Yoa
think he did,.
Phil urged, 'But Mr.. Hare, an
other jury might believe father;
might believe it was an accident. {"
Then he was silenced; for the post
man had just rung, and Nellie came
in with letters for Mrs. Sentry.
She glanced at the topmost.
'sOh!" she whispered. cts from
Mary!" And instantly her eyes were
fountains.
Dean Hare rose quickly to depart.
Phil went with him to the door, and
he asked the older man, ''What do
you think about an appeal, sir, hon
estly?"
Hare said after moment: 'sWell,
Phil, there's always a chance. Falk-
ran is clever. Butt doubt If new
trial would help, unless some new
evidence turns up. A communal
ton by the Governor-that's more
hopeful possibility, later on"
And he departed; and Phil went
back to his mother and Mary's let