The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-09-02
Bv Zen ames wILLInms

She tried to tell herself: He did
not do It'll OF course, he had lied to
her about the time, that night, know
ing she was too sleepy to recognize
his lie; but naturally he would lie,
after that dreadful moment at the
Office when he found the dead girl.
Found her deadl Mrs. Sentry chung
to that thought stubbornly, insisting
to herself that Arthur did find the
girl dead as he had told her, refus.
ing to remember the panic in his
eyes, refusing to remember his tone
when he reiterated his assertion that
Miss Wines was dead before he
found her. Found her dead, he said;
and was afraid, and left her and
came skullxing home.
And Mrs. Sentry hoped suddenly
that he would not tell the District
Attorney that story of chance dis
covery and craven flight. Anything
was better than that shame. She
thought that if he did not speak
they might find some woman-any
woman-to swear that he had been
with her during the hours when the
murder occurred. That crime at
least would be robust, masculine;
rot weakly cowardly -.
But of course anything, any story
true or false that could be made
credible, was better than to see him
convicted of murder. If that hap
pened, she could never lift her head
again. The pride she lived by was
worth fighting for. Even with liesl
Linda came in as they finished
dinner, and Mrs. Sentry welcomed
her, and proposed a rubber of
bridge. She chung to Linda's friend
ly loyalty. Linda agreed; but Bar
bara would not:
"I'm sorry" she said, trying to
smile. "Im afraid this is my
evening for-letting CO." Her tones
were TREMENDOUSLY brave. eff you
don't mind, I think I'll slip off by
myself and cry for a WHILE"
She darted away. Phil would have
followed her, but Linda said softly:
mo, Phil. Let her gol"
They heard Barbara's door close,
upstairs. Mrs. Sentry rose and they
went into the living-room, and talk
ran somehow, and a little after nine,
a car grated on the drive.
It was Mary. She came in with
out laying aside her hat. Mrs. Sem
try realized that the car had not
gone away, and she was cold with
fear of what Mary would say. The
girl was flushed. Mrs. Sentry saw,
incredulously, that she had been
drinking. When Mary spoke, her
tones were louder than usual, harsh,
defiant.
She said to Linda, CURLY. ''This is
family council, Linda" She added
carelessly, "Oh, stay if you like, of
course"
Phil protested: 'Hey, Mary, don't
talk like that! What's the matter
with your" He exclaimed, "You're
drunk!"
She laughed derisively. eff I'm
not it's not for lack of trying" And
she asked Linda: "Going? All
ashore that's going ashorel The
ships sinkingl"
Linda said quietly: mo, Mary.
I'll stay"
Mrs. Sentry felt desperately that
she must speak, must do something.
Her heart was full Of a great COM
passion; but old habit Of repres-
sion bound her tongue. "Mary,
you're not YOURSELF" she said stern
ly. +
Myself" Mary laughed in a
shrill way. "Myself? Who am I?
Who are you? Who are any of us?"
And she said furiously: ooh, I
thought knewi I thought we were
so secure, and settled, and decent,
and good" Her laughter rang mad
deningly. 'Decent? Good? No de-
cent, good people will ever speak to
us now."
''Maryl'
.(TO BE CONTINUED)