The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-09-26
CHAPTER x

McGraw home late in the evening.
She tried to hide her emotions,
Such short time ago his coming
would have been only joyful, Allied
with the thrill Of their planning,
the hundred small things that
bound them together. Now she
fought to make the situation easy.
Alone in the living room with
the shaded lamps throwing the
couch in shadows, Larry took her
in his arms, buried his face In
her hair. A wave OF happiness
flooded her. Poor Larry, so be-
muddled, so confused, coming to
her for comfort. She alone could
help him, and now this must mean
the moment had arrived that she
had prayed for these last few
DAYS. He had seen his mistake,
was engulfed in the net he had
foolishly thrown around himself
He would admit 1t all, would, as
she had begged, wipe the slate
clean.
Il love you So" he said In a
low voice. 1--WE missed you so
in all this mess. I can't seem to
think straight"
II know, dearest. I do know.
But now 1t will be smoothed
out. You can have your lawyer
change your plea. You can tell
the Judge the whole story: the
trle one, and he'll help you,
Larry. You can probably get OH
with probation and restitution.
what il we do have to postpone
the weddingp I'll wait, III help.
It won't take long to pay all those
hospital bills. And then 1t will be
behind you, and you'll know you
did the right thing" :.
"It won't be that easy, though,
he said. "You know 1t won't ia
lose my Job. I couldn't drive
again. I'm not going to back down.
But you can help"
She sat frozen within the circle
Of his arms. what do you mearl'
LarTy?"
sYou can help. Church Is q
good lawyer. People with pull get
q freak in any coure. You can
work on Sweeney, tell him about
us. Get him to so easy. he coulo
even change the charge from ir-
voluntary manslaghter to negh"
eent homicide. That's q lesser
charge. I saw how he looked at
you In court today. He'd do 1t Tor
you" ..,.u
his arms from about her, staring
into hts blue eyes, now cold ana
"You say you love me in one
breath. and then ask me to do this
An the next. can't understand
YOU. Larry. I don't think I even
know you" .,
"Dor't dramatize the situation,
Pat. You say you love me, zoo
We'll. here's o chance 70 prove ~,
I'm not asking much. Church ana
can prove alibis. You can tell
about the drive to the dance. the
fender was loose after we came
out. Not before. We can break
down those witnesses. All you
have to do Is get Sweeney 10 CO.
operate a little" $50.
she moved away. walking up
and down, up and down the room
A. last she turned her face white
and drawn. "There's such q tninS
az honor, too, Larry. won't ne
for you. I won't go to Tom swee-
new and beg him to throw q case,
because that's whas " amounts 70
after all. You committed CRIME.
An entire family Is suffering Is
= result, You didn't mean 70, !
ronw But you can help them
now. and ' on have to be square,
Vol, can't 20 on lying, youe can
nsr,ure Yourself on the stand"
larry got UP, put on his coat
and hat and went 70 tne aoU -
can right then. We understan n.
each other. You won't help' ~
isnt love. The first time ] ask
Vol, TO really so to bat Tor me
Won talk some senseless driver.
well, I'll get help some other
way"
Things went on as before. Inc
bows were engrossed with prepara-
tons for final exams, with the nov
eitv az the new car over which they
worked In the back yard. Yet there
was 4 new tenderness In their az
titude toward Pat. The next nign'
.Joe bolted his Anal mouthful OF pie
A..wsAaA ~ hAP
aHow about o mower ~ stan ne
the treat, and there's swell new
show at the Capital"
she agreed, not because sne
wanted 10 20, but because she
Sonr want to refuse his invita-
tior. The boys didn't want hei
Ia feel too badly about the recent
events, While she hadn't OK.
planned the break between herself
and Larry, she couldn't hide ne'
utter hopelessness from the IAN.
ily who knew her 80 well. Anc
then. too. any diversion was well
come II IL meant less time TO thinh
about herself and Larry.
yet IL was always there. Ever
IN the darkened movie with the
make believe story unrolling pc
fore her, with the music and fur
around. There had been too many
movies In the near past which she
had seen with Larry. -
zoe sensed her feelings. He
tried with youthful roughness q
make Il easier Out on the street
IA the soft darkness he swung
along beside her with the gan
cling awkwardness Of would-be
authority.
- a MsRRRAA