The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-09-24
. SERIAL STORY
HIT-RUN LOVE
BY MARGUERITE GAHAGAN

ShS idCcO ChOiSc ocb~cCh NhS
law and love.
LARRY KENT hero. He faced
An even greater decision.
TOM Neutrality-suspicious.
He awaited The processes of the
law.
Yesterday: Pat promising to
help Larry. asks: How can they
think you a criminal and have an
iron-bound case against you when
you're an innocent man.?
CHAPTER IL
An innocent man. The words
seemed 10 echo in the Stiffness OF
the McGraw living room after Pat
spoke them. Larry looked 1t her.
their eyes meeting in - still. tense
duel. Pat pressed her finger tips
against the table top seeking 10
gain from the very SolidncSS of
the wood Somc helping sense of
reality in that moment OF stark
terror that slowly gripped her.
An innocent man. Tie would
have nothing to fear If he were
an innocent man. larry'S eyes
changed: the pupils growing
small, the blue cold like ice. a
smile crooked his mouth. Slowly
he turned and sat down again on
the couch.
"All right. let's put the cards
on the table" he said calmly.
You've asked for il. Oh, know
you've been careful. very careful,
not to come right out and ask me
ii | hit those people. But you've
looked il ever since came this
evening.
Il suppose you think should
20 down To these papers that have
been running the story about =
hit-run driver all day and beg
them 20 print my stOry-the story
of my driving into the woman and
child. Well. | hit them, but I'm
not complete fool. didn't de-
liberately drive into them. They
shouldn't have been standing out
there in the middle of the street.
II was raining. You know that.
| didn't see them until too late.
Pm not taking hit-run business
as recreation. | couldn't help
what happened. | didn't actually
know they were hurt. What good
would il have done, anyway?
Who would have believed me?
They'd all be like you: too anx-
iOus to PUT me in a jam. Well, Pm
not going TO stick out my chin on
this. You may as we'll understand
that now. have a right TO pro-
tect myself, and I'm going to. II
isn't rs though | were a gunman
out killing people. This was an
accident. | didn't mean TO do it.
and I'm not going TO let any smart
cops and prosecutor hand me u
rap"
His words beat At her. When he
stopped. breathleSs. white, tense,
she found her own breath rasping
in her throat. SubconsciOusly she
had been prepared for the admis-
sion Of guilt. Yet she had felt
that ms agony of remOrSe, his de-
sire 10 make retribution, 10 throw
himself on the mercy of the court,
would give her grounds for her
lasting love. This was too uneX-
pected.
you don't mean these things
you're saying, Larry. You can't
mean you'll lie out of it,"
IN protect myself" he said
angrily, lighting a cigaret and
fhnging the match away with sud-
den fury. Anyone else would"
"Yes-but not this way. Admit
that you were frightened, didn't
realize at the time the seriousness
of what had happened, tell the
court you want to make good,
pay the hospital bills-and all the
rest. Take the punishment, and
wipe the slate clean. If you do
that you stand a chance Of a
lenient verdict. You can't lie. Lar
ry. You mustn't"
IL was a cry of despair, for
looking at him she felt rather
IMAM nedIU HIS dHS"eT.
"A mans innocent until proven
guilty" he told her, land if they
can prove it That was the way
it ended. Before she could add
more of the pleas that We're on
her lips ne had gone.
Sometimes during the next few
day she wondered how she lived
through that night. The horrible
knowledge that Larry was guilty,
that he meant 10 carry out his
pretenSe, formed the background
for reality worse than any
nightmare.
She was swept along on the
routine of life, though. The next
morning found her facing the
familiar tasks us before. She went
to the office. sat at her table in
court, took notes. smiled greet
ingS ut police and lawyers. Yet
her eyes found the big clock more
often. watched the minutes tick
off. bringing nearer and nearer
the time for l.arry'S, examination.
.. Twice within 4 short time she
had To request testimony repeat
ed. She could feel Il hot flush
spread over her face. Then she
looked up and saw Toms gaze
fastened on her. His smile relax
ed the iron bands around her fore
head.
Thinking of new hat, or
where vou'il 90 on vacation" he
asked gently.
n n DADKEp