Show by BER OMES WILIAMS C ben den ames arnes williams CHAPTER X continued 22 the district attorney attorneys a words in his closing argument came back to phil in burning phrases he decided to kill her how do we know because he stole his son s revolver if he wanted to carry a weapon for any legitimate purpose he a man of standing would have asked for and would have received a permit he would hav have bought a modern pistol compact easily car ned ried effective instead knowing his son was away knowing the absence of the gun would not be detected knowing it was an old weapon that could not be traced he chose to use that t to commit the murder he had planned he planned the murder he arranged a pretext to explain his return to the office that night the forgotten coffee pot in case he encountered someone on the way he made an assignation with his victim he met her there he killed her he st staged ged a clumsy fake rob be y phil s thoughts ran over and over the same words and linda sudden ly was beside him he ile had not heard her come she said nothing only took her stand there firmly her arm through his her eyes straight ahead I 1 he ile said at last funny but I 1 feel better now that it its s over soon be spring she murmured he exclaimed surprised queer you should say that it s just what I 1 was thinking I 1 know knowl people get to be that way knowing each other s thoughts sometimes she added barbara barbara seems better but I 1 saw you from the window so I 1 came down he told her what doctor mainton had said and he wants someone to sit with her talk to her he ex you or me I 1 can t stay for lunch bhe he con fessel but come and be with her this afternoon phil and his mother had lunch to gether and at first they were silent but at last she said phil I 1 ve been meaning to speak to you there is something we shall have to decide you and I 1 you really and she explained mr lor an s demand for the dissolution of the partnership phil tried to focus his thoughts on this new problem shall we sell he suggested and he said with a of ell eli to sell the roadster and give up the num ber plates I 1 want to get rid of everything I 1 understand phil but will you want to go back to college in the fall he shook his head mo no I 1 never want to see the fellows I 1 used to know you must do something son why must 19 we wee v e plenty of money plenty she agreed but just spending money is not enough to make a life out of playing killing time making a business out of sport no man can be content with that I 1 won wont t have you do that phil I 1 ican can t go back to college oh I 1 could but it would mean leaving you alone here he realized with a faint surprise that the thought of leaving their home was not to be considered their roots were here roots deeply grown u hib mother would stay here I 1 want to be with you mother I 1 in afraid I 1 shall need you she agreed and he saw her shiver uncontrollably and she waited a moment before going on of course she said the first thing is to appeal to use every possible po sible means to save him that may take a long time I 1 don t know much about such things mr falkman can tell us but after that is over I 1 shall need you tra tr not to be selfish I 1 hope as long as there are things I 1 must do I 1 can keep going but when the time combs comes that there is no more for me to do she smiled pitifully you 11 have to pick up the p aces of me and put me back together again ill be here mother but always need you more morp than vou need me but you must have vork phil so I 1 think we should buy out mr loran let you take over down there I 1 don t know anything about the business good you will have to work so much the harder that is what you need and she said think about it phil you have time it need not be decided yet a while they did not speak again of hia father until they left the table then she asked in a low tone phil what did the judge she hesitated heita ted said at last phil when he told her hoarsely ahe week of july I 1 she said quietly that seems very soon then she hesitated turned away from him up lip the stairs professor brace came in that aft amoon it was a long time since he had called at the house mrs sen tr was resting and phil who was aga sitting with linda and barbara went down to speak to the probes sor he had gone out of the court room to overtake the other man the day brace testified and as his mother directed had assured the professor that they did not resent his testimony but brace said now I 1 ventured to call phil your assurances the other day and I 1 must ask about barbara doctor boctor mainton says she s bet ter does she know about my test mony no we haven t told her any thing much about the trial brace said half to himself I 1 shall have to tell her when she is better phil protested oh don t ma mac cl let her forget the whole thing brace shook his head I 1 want everything open and above board between barbara and me I 1 think a lot of her phil phil nodded awkwardly sure he agreed but that 6 no reason you have to rake th s all up again it s all the more reason for letting her forget it if che he can I 1 want to to build a life to gether for barbara barbar and me but I 1 1 UA aa I 1 X 9 W Y N ica he ile knew they had a convi not on a foundation of lies and con ceal ments you re too darned constien con bious or something you had to do it t you were mere as helpless as the rest of us but why not forget if when can she see me do you think a anytime I 1 suppose but darn it mac if youre going to get her all worked up no ill wait till ane s herself again the other promised when professor brace was gone ph phil I 1 I 1 returned upstairs told linda in whispers what the other had said she said vehemently oh he s always so positive and virtuous isn t he phil I 1 I 1 think its it s better to bend a little sometimes not be so stiffly good all the time she stayed for dinner mrs sen try went early to bed and phil and linda were with barbara when the doorbell rang phil went down and admitted dan and dan started to speak then checked himself you all right phil he asked in a low tone sure you look different changed phil said gropingly well some thing s changed I 1 guess he ile tried to explain did ever swim in a fast river dan A strong cur rent with stuff drifting in aa you seem to be standing still because the drift around you isn t moving but if you look at the banks they re racing past see what I 1 mean dan nodded briefly and phil said its been like that these last months As though we were all standing still and yet racing past something or maybe toward something and it s different now yes now I 1 sort of feel as if I 1 was running under my own power again instead of just drifting I 1 m going homem here dan nodded I 1 know what you mean how s barbara phil said better I 1 think I 1 in su sure re she is she s sure father didn dian t do it you know dan made a rueful gesture how s your mother asleep phil said or at least she s gone to bed she s sort of caved in and he asked dan why d d falkman put her on the stand and then not ask her any he wanted to be able to say to the jury sentry testified that his wife knew these things I 1 called mrs sentry as a witness gave the district attorney a chance to ask her whether that was true but he didn dian tl t why not gentlemen he t dare I 1 and dan pointed out you heard him yourself in his closing argument 1 but why didn dian t mr flood cross examine hera he knew they had a conviction without crucifying her phil nodded falkman wants to see mother about an appeal he said I 1 told him to wait a few days dan hesitated phil if you appeal you 11 only drag this thing out he chasn t a chance in the end the state leaned backward to give your father every break I 1 still believe him believe it was an accident dan d d not argue can I 1 see Barbara 7 9 he asked so they went upstairs barbara s eyes met them in the door held fast to dan s dan took her limp hand spoke to her but barbara made no sound shucks dan urged cheerfully you don t have to keep that up barb he told her gently it s all right they won t ask you any ques clues eions now you can get your voice back any time she turned toward him in a sud 1 y a tion without crucifying her den access of vigor and her lips moved cant can t talk he asked she shook her head sure you can barb I 1 nobody s going to make you say anything you don t want to but you can say anything you want to say and he urged listen phil and your mother have enough on their minds without having to wor ry about you you don t want to make it harder for them do you her face contorted grievously and her eyes filled dan bent close and tenderly there sweet he whispered it s all right you re going to be better in the morning sure as sure don t let me bother you my dear dearl her hand caught his fingers against her cheek held his hand pressed there her brimming eyes besought him then suddenly she was tugging at him tugging at his arms trying to lift herself into his arms and dan looked at phil and than at linda and linda saw his streaming brow he muttered phil then abruptly he caught barbara in his arms bending over her pressing her close and her arms were tight about his neck and her cheek and then her lips pressed his and phil and linda were forgotten and linda touched phil phils s arm drew him away they went out into the hall away from the door low murmurs came to them linda whispered she s so sweet phil and dan s fine I 1 phil said huskily Is she does she love him or is it just stupid she said smilingly after a little dan came to them she went to sleep he said in a low tone in my arms his eyes were wondering as if he had seen a miracle she didn dian t wake when I 1 put her down he looked at phil at once apologetic and defiant she s so little and hurt and soft and sweet 1 phil nodded it s all right dan he said then thought of his mother and amended at least it s all right with me linda said stay with h her er phil dan walk home with me so together these two departed and outside the house looking back anda said I 1 m glad dan for both of you she added half smil ing I 1 guess you know I 1 wish phil and I 1 dan chuckled reassuring reassuringly ly I 1 know don t worry give him time linda she asked a huskily did the judge 0 yes he said in a low tone usually the court waits a few days before imposing sentence but 1 I think the judge and district attorney flood thought it would be easi er for them all here if he didn dian t have to come to court again I 1 and he answered her half uttered ques tion the week of july I 1 unless they appeal will that do aej a good just delay I 1 in afraid drag the thing out falkman chasn t got a single good exception flood leaned backward to be fair it won t save him he shook his head and she cried then I 1 hope they don tl oh I 1 wish it were tomorrow and she whispered pen I 1 t say that wish ing him dead he said dying s nothing I 1 ve got a friend a doctor and he says there s nothing to it you just close your eyes and die that s all it a living that s hard mr sentry will be out of it but they 11 never be out of it lin and he said explosively rebelling at his own ju uttered stuttered words yes they will I 1 I 1 m going to get barbara out of it if I 1 have to kidnap her they walked in silence for a little and he said they ought all to go away change their names and take a trip go around the world plan to be in china or somewhere when by july to oh no I 1 linda pro protested teste d near tears no nol don t let them go away I 1 have to be with phil he squeezed her arm you know miss dane your brother joe picked himself out a pretty good egg for a sister if anybody should call you up to inquire she laughed tremulously said then besides no matter where they went someone would be sure to recognize them I 1 doubt it he declared there s nothing so dead as yester day s story inside of a month there won t be a line about the in any paper in town they were come to her door think so really sure surel newspaper stories are like the bumps a baby gets when he falls downstairs they hurt for a while but they re forgotten mighty quick when you bring me a paper with nothing in it about them ill I 1 U have it t framed she promised that s a bet TO BE CONTINUED |