The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-12-23
CHAPTER xIII-Continued


--2S--
'Phil," Linda said, IT shan't see you
today or tomorrow. You will be
with your mother. You won't want
me-"
He assented: "Yes, Barbara and
I will be with her."
She said, "But you'll feel me with
your"
"Yes, Lin"
She did not kiss him, nor touch
his hand; only their eyes met firm
ly, met and held and chung.
Then Phil went down by those
back stairs up which his father had
come on that October night months
ago; and he took the car and drove
home. Barbara was there with his
mother. Mrs. Sentry was sitting
quietly in the living-room, her hands
limp in her lap, a curious deep
peace in her eyes. Barbara and Phil
stayed with her, talking in low tone,
till lunch was announced. But aft
erwards Barbara caught PhiPs eye;
and Phil moved with her through
the hall toward the door.
''I've got to get out of doors for a
while, Phil" she said desperately.
SI can't stand it. She's so--still.
Almost as though she were happy,
were - waiting for someone. 1t
scares me-"
He hid his own fears. "Sure, run
along!"
"I'll be back" she promised; and
he returned into the living-roonl and
Mrs. Sentry asked, "Has Barbara
gone somewhere"
''Just for walk" he said, and
she nodded silently, thinking: Mary
is gone, and Barbara is gone, and
soon Arthur too will go, and there
will be only Phil and me. Phil
and me. Just two. There were five
of us, but now there are two Phil
seems tired. I am tired, dread
fully; tired and old They will
shave Arthur's head I. mustn't
think of it, of that; not concretely.
mustn't scream. must help
Phil
And she began to talk to her
son, almost happily. Somehow the
afternoon passed. Barbara returned,
but she stayed upstairs, writing to
Dan, till dinner-time.
At dinner, Mrs. Sentry tried to
eat, but the first nouthful choked
her. She could not swallow it.; the
utmost compulsion of her will would
not make the muscles of her throat
do their task. Phil, she saw, ate
readily, easily, rather more rapid
ly than his usual habit was. He
urged her to drink a cup of tea.
''I'm afraid it would keep me
awake" she said, and then smiled
at the absurdity of that. Awake?
Would she ever sleep again? After
tomorrow night, Arthur would sleep
with a shaved spot, on his head.
She resented that shaved spot, as
though it were a dissertation Of the
dead. His hair was still so plentiful
and thick; no hint of badness any
where. Where was the spot they
would shaver. On his brow? The
top of his head? Phil saw her shud-
der, and rose and took her arm.
Lets walk in the garden, moth
err" he said.
She went with him submissively.
Barbara watched them 60, but
made no move to follow them. They
strolled around the house arm in
arm, past the garage and the tennis
court to the pergola, and sat down
there; stayed there talking quietly
together, careful now to avoid si-
lences, since into silence, just as
dreams come in sleep, hideous
thoughts come crowding.
Presently it was dark. and she
asked, "What time is it?"
Almost ten."
81 suppose" she decided, 1--WE
had better 60 in"
When they came in, Barbara was
gone. Gone to bed, perhaps, Phil
thought; and he turned on all the
lights In the iving-room, till he BAN
ished every shadow.
She asked: 'Is it cold, Phil?"
"Would you like a fire?"
"I'm-sort of shivering."
He set logs burning on the hearth;
and it was hot and he perspired. He
thought tomorrow would be long;
and he thought he would have to
be early at the Office Monday morn
ing. Monday was apt to be a busy
day.
warmer now?" he asked.
She sat down on the low bench in
front of the fire, hugging her knees,
watching the Pickering flames. She
had heard or read that when during
an electrocution the current was
thrown into the body of the doomed
man, all the lights flickered-as
these flames were fiickering-and
were for a moment dimmed, and
she thought of this now, but she said
calmly:
''Will you be busy next week,
Philip
81 thought we'd go up to York for
a few days." he replied.
She was thinking: When the lights
in the prison are dimmed, the other