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Show If ll BY MARVIN DANA II J j WITHIN THE LAW j I m From tde Play of Bayard Veiller W M I Now. the Blrl was iloimiro in seem- II v , ing nlmost beyond bellcf-n childish II ( creature, very fnlr and dainty, guile- II i ' less surely, with those untroubled eyes I I of blue, those softly curving lips of 1 1 warmest red nnd the moro delicate. H IpIooiii nnd the rounded cheeks. There ( were the charms of Innocence nnd slm-I) slm-I) !. pllcity In her manner ns she stopped M j just within the doorwny, whence she ' reenrded Mary with n timid, pleading gaze, her slender little form poised I 7 lightly as If for flight I J "Did you want me. dear?" she nsked j I IB "Agnes," Mnry answered affection I A ntely, "this Is Mr. Irwin, who has I jJ como to seo you In behalf of General I n nastlngB." Tjjjil "Oh," tho girl murmured, her voice I hj quivering a llttlo ns the lawyer, after llfi) n short nod, dropped again Into tils Ml' scat, "oh, I'm bo frightened!" She M hurried, tlutterlng, to n low stool be- I if hind tho desk bcsldo Mary's chair, and B I there sho sank down, drooping slightly I If nnd cntchlug hold of one of Mary's Ik hands as If In inuto pleading for pro- ll tectlon. Km "Nonsense!" Mary exclaimed sootJi Ijf Ingly. "Thcru's really nothing (it all to Hi to frightened about, my dear child. in You mustn't be afraid, Agnes. Mr. I Irwin sayB that General Hastings did lP not promise to marry you. Of course you understand, my dour, thnt under jL no circumstances must you say any-P any-P thing that Isn't strictly truo ami that n i 'TMBA ''n. N J""i V N. I ' if , ' "Oh, I'm to friflhtenedl" If be did not promise to marry you yov novo no case nono at all. Now, Ag i nes, tell me. Did General Hastings i promise to marry you?" "Oh, yes oh, yes. Indeed!" Agglo cried fnltcrlngly, "And I wish bu would. He's such a delightful old gentleman!" gen-tleman!" Tho legal representative of the delightful de-lightful old gentleman scowled disgustedly disgust-edly at this outburst. "Was that promise made In writing?" "No," Aggie answered gushingly. "Ilut all his Utters were In writing, you know. Such wonderful letters! So tender and so er Interesting!" "Yes. yes. I dare say." Irwin agreed hastily, with some evidences of elm-Kiln. elm-Kiln. "Hut you're quite sure. Agnes." Mnry questioned gently, "thnt General Hastings Hast-ings did promise to marry yiu'i" "Oh. yes." Aggie declared tensely "Why. I would swear to It." The limpid eyes, to appealing In their sfi Taster, went nrst to Mnry, Mien pistil trustingly into those of tho routed ut-torncy. ut-torncy. "Wo'ro beaten." ho confessed dejectedly, deject-edly, turning his glance toward Mary, wtom plainly be regarded ns bis real ! adversary In tho combat on his client's L . behalf. "I'm going to bo qulto frank J j with you. Miss Turner, quite frank," I ,l01 8,ntt,, with more geniality, though ill with a very crestfallen air. "Wo can't ijil alTonl any scandal, so .we're going to fit cUo nt 0f own term's." Ho took I? fi'olu "Is pocket n thick bill case and K. f''' this n sheaf of lununotos. which I : "' lll on tho desk before Inry, with a llttlo Inugh of discomfiture over having hav-ing been beaten In the contest, As he did so Agglo thrust forth nn nvnriclous hand, but It was caught and held by Mary before It reached above the top of the desk, nnd the nvnrlclous gesturo pnssed unobserved by tho attorney. at-torney. "Wo enn't fight whero ladles nro concerned," con-cerned," ho went on, assuming ns best r i1.1.1. J.i TMg""' " '. ',',- J's'j'hl1", if I aaaWalaaaVV SvjSt? ' laaaaaaaaaaaaaaQnaaaaaai KJMMMMMI LJLIiL& X k!imme3PH "W can't afford any scandal." hi; might contrive n chlvnlrous tone. "Ho. If you will Just hand over Gen- Iernl Hastings' letters, why, here's your money. Yon have the letters, haven't you?" he deuiauded abruptly. Aggie coyly took n thick bundle from Its resting place on her rounded bosom. ".They never, leave mo." she biJd. '"WcJI, they can leave you now, all right." the 'lawyer lemarked unympa-thetleally. unympa-thetleally. He reached quickly forward for-ward for the packet, which Aggie extended ex-tended willingly enough. Hut It wns Mary. who. with a swift movement ctiught mid held It. "I think." Mnry explained tranquilly, tranquil-ly, "(hat you had better see our lawyer. Mr. IIiiitIs, In reference to this. We women know nothing of such details of business settlement." "Ob. I see." he said disagreeably, with n frown to Indicate his complete sagacity In the premises. "I thought you would. Mr. Irwin." Mnry returned. "If you'll take the money to Mr. Harris Miss Lynch will meet you In Ills otilce nt -I o'clock this afternoon, nnd. when her suit for iMm-ngos iMm-ngos for breach of promise hns been legally settled out of court, you will pet the letters. Good nfternoon, Mr. Irwin." The Inwyer made n hurried bow which tool: In both of the women, nnd walked quickly toward the door. "Oh. you forgot your marked money. Mr. Irwin." Mnry said. The lawyer wheeled nnd stood- stnr-Ing stnr-Ing nt tho spenker with n certain sbeep-Mmess sbeep-Mmess of expression thnt loro witness wit-ness to the completeness of his discomfiture. dis-comfiture. Without a word ho walked walk-ed back to the desk, picked up the money nnd restored It to the bill ensc. "Young woman," ho said emphatical ly, "you ought to have been n lawyer. And ho took his departure, while Mary smiled In triumph and Agglo sat gap- I lag nstoulshment. I "You've darn near broke my heart," she cried, bouncing up violently, "letting "let-ting nil that money go out of the house. Say, how did you know It was marked?" "I 'didn't," Mary replied blandly. "Ilut It was u pretty good guess, wnsn't It?" Couldn't you see that all ho want-fd want-fd was to get tho letters and have us take the marked money? Than, my simple young friend, wo would hnvo been nrrested very neatly Indeed for blackmail." Gee!" sho cried. "That would have been llerce! And now?" she questioned question-ed apprehensively. Mary's answer repudiated any possibility possi-bility of fear. "And now," she explained contentedly, contented-ly, "he really will go to our lawyer. There he will pay over that same tniiiked money. Then he will get the letters he wants so much. And Just bucaiifo It's a strictly business trans-action trans-action between two lawyers, with everything done according to legal Ctllfcb"- "And It's actually tho samo old I line!" Agglo mused. CHAPTCn VIII. The Thief. MAUY was In Joyous spirits nft-er nft-er her victorious mat -hlng of brains against a luu.M-r of high standing In bis profes sion when she had clitered" the telephone tele-phone booth, which had been Installed In nn extra closet of her bedroom for the snko of greater privacy on occasion. occa-sion. During her nbsence from the drawing room Onrson ngnln came Into the npartment seeking her. On being told by Aggie ns to Mnry's where abouts he sat down Id await her re turn. listening without much InteresJ to the chatter of the adventuress. The maid appeared and said: " "There's a girl wants to see Miss Turner." "Sho says it's Important. I guess tho poor tiling's in hard luck from the look of her," the kindly Fannlo added. "Oh, then, she'll be welcome, of course!" Agglo declared, nnd Gnrsos nodded In acquiescence. "Tell her to Qomo In nnd wait, Fannie. Miss Turner Turn-er will be here right nway." She turned turn-ed to Gurson ns the mnld left the I room. "Mnry sure is nn ensy" boob," she remarked cheerfully. "Illess her soft heart I" A minute later a girl perhaps twenty twen-ty years of age stepped Just within the doorwny and stood there with eyes downcast after one swift, furtive glance about her. Her wholo appearance appear-ance was thnt of dejection. Her soiled soil-ed black gown, tho cringing posture, the pallor of her face, proclaimed the nbject misery of her stnte. "Aro you Miss Turner?" she asked In n volco broken by uervous dismay. "llcnlly. I am very sorry," Aggie replied re-plied primly, "but I am only her cou-sin. cou-sin. Miss Agnes Lynch, Hut Miss Turner Is likely to be back any minute min-ute now." "Can I wait?" came the timid question. ques-tion. "Certainly." Aggie answered hospl-tnbly. hospl-tnbly. "Please sit down." As tho girl obediently snnk down on the nearest chair Onrson addressed her sharply, so that tho visitor started uneasily at the unexpected sound. "You don't know Miss Turner?" "No." enme the fnlnt reply. "Then, what do you want to see her about?" "She once helped a girl friend of mine, and I thought -I thought" "You thought she might help you." Gnrson Interrupted. "You have been In stir prison. I mean." Aggie hastily corrected tho lapse Into underworld slang. Came n distressed muttering of ns scut from the glrL The conversation wns put to nn end by the entrance of Mnry. who stopped short on seeing tho limp figure huddled hud-dled In the chair. "A iMIor, Agne3?" Bhe Inquired. At the sound of her voice the girl looked up nnd spnko with some degrco of energy. "You're Miss Turner?" she questioned. question-ed. "Yes." Mnry said. Her words rang kindly nnd sho smiled encouragement. A panp burst from the white lips of the girl, nnd sho cowered as one stricken strick-en physically. "Mary Turner! Oh. my God! I" Sho hid her face within her arms nnd sat bent until her head rested on her knees in nn abasement of misery. Vnguely startled by tho hysterical outburst from the girl. Mary's Immedl-nte Immedl-nte thought was that here was n pitiful piti-ful Instanco of one suffering from starvation. star-vation. "Joe." she directed rapidly, "have Fannlo bring n glass of milk with nn egg nnd a llttlo brandy In it. r'jht nwny." The girl In the chnlr was shaking soundlessly under the stress of her emotions. A few disjointed phrases fell from her quivering lips. "I didn't know-on, I couldn't!" "Don't try to talk Just now," Mnry warned, reassuringly. "Walt until you've had something to cat." Apgle. who had observed developments develop-ments closely, now lifted her voice In tardy lamentations over her own stupidity. stu-pidity. "Why, the poor gawk's hungry!" she exclaimed. "And I never got the dope on her. Ain't I tho simp!" The girl regained n degreo of self control and showed something of forlorn for-lorn dignity. "Yes," sho said dully, "I'm starving." Mary regarded the nllllcted crenturo with that sympathy born only of ex-perlence. ex-perlence. "Yes," she said softly, "I under-rtniid." under-rtniid." Then sho spoke to Aggie. I "Take her to my room and let her rest there for nwhlle. Have her drink the egg nnd milk slowly nnd then lie rto'.u for n few minutes nn.ilinw." Half an hour nfterwaid Agglo reported re-ported with her charge, who, though Hill Fbiimbllug of gait and stooping, showed by some faint color In her face and nn Increased steadiness of be.irlng Hint I lie fund hud already atreiijtheued J her iiui- h "Sho would come." Agglo explained. "I thought she ought to rest for nwhlle longer nnyhow." "I'm nil right. I tell you." enmo the querulous protest "Are you quite sure?" Mnry said to the girl. "Then td us nil about it-thls it-thls trouble of jours you know. What Is your name?" "Helen Morris." "I don't have to aslt If you have been lu prison. Your face shows it." "I I came out thro months ngo." "And you'd made up vour mind to go straight'" "Y'cs." Tho word was a whisper. "You were going to do what the chaplain had told you." Mary went on. "You were going to start all over ngnln, weren't you?" The bent head of the girl bent lower In assent. "It doesn't work very well, does It?" "No: I'm whipped." Mary's manner changed. She spoke cheerfully for the first time "Well, then, how would you like to work with us?" "You you menu that" "Our kind of work pays well when you know how. Look nt us. Suppose I should otnke you for the present nnd put you In with a good crowd. All you would have to do would, be to an ver advertisements for Fervant girls I will see that you have the best ol references. Then, when you get In with tlie right people you will open the front door some nlghl nnd let In the gang. Of course you will make a gel away when they do and get your bit us well." TUel'e flashed still nnother nt the wxit, sly glnnccs, nnd the una or tne girl parted as IS she would speak. Cut she did not; only her head sagged even lower on her breast nnd the shrunken form grew yet moro shrunken. "It doesn't suit you? Good! 1 wns in hopes it wouldn't So. bwe's nnother nnoth-er plan. Suppose you could go west some place where you would have n fair chance, with money enough so you could live like n human being tilt you got n start?" There cnino n tensing of the relnxed form, nnd the head lifted n little, so thnt tho girl could look at her questioner. ques-tioner. "I will give you that chnnce," Mary said simply. "If you really wnnt It." The wretched girl sat suddenly erect, nnd her w H s came eagerly. "Oh, I do!" And now her hungry pazc remained fast on the face of the Woman who offered her salvation. "J lien I have Just one thing to sny to you first. If you are going to live straight start straight, nnd then go through with it. Do you know what that means?" "You mean keep straight all the time?" The girl spoke with a force drawn from the other's strength. "I mean more than that. I menu forget that you were ever lu prison. 1 don't know what yon have done I don't think I enre. Hut whatever It was. you have paid for It n pretty big price too." "I have, I have!" The thin voice broke, wailing. "Well, then." Mnry went on, "Just" begin nil over ngnln, and be sure you stand up for your rights. Don't let them make you pay n second time. Go where no one knows you. nnd don't tell tho first people who nre kind t'j you that you have been crooked. If they think you are straight, why. bo It. Then nobody will have any right to complain. Will you promise mo this?" "Yes, I promise." enmo the answer, very gravely, quickened with hope. "Good!" Mary evclnlmed, with u smile of npprovnl. Wait n minute," sho added nnd left the room. "Huh! Pretty Mift for some people." Agglo romnrked to Garson. with a suItT. Mary returned soon. In her hand she carried a roll of bills. She went to the girl and held out the money. "Take this. It will pay your fare west and keep you qulto nwhlle if you nre careful." Hut. without warning, n revulsion bdzed on the girl. She shrank ngnln and turned her head away ns her body trembled. "I enn't tako It!" sho exclaimed. "1 can't! . I can't!" "Didn't j ou como hero for help?" "Yes." wns tho faltering reply, "but -but I didn't know-it was you!" "Then you have met mo before?" Mary said quietly. "No, no!" The girl's volco rose shrill. Agglo spoko her mind with frankness. frank-ness. "Sho's lying." Garson agreed. His yes wns spoken In a tone of complete certnlnty. That Mary, too, wns of their opinion was shown lu her next words. "So you lmvo met mo before? Where?" The girl unwittingly mado confession confes-sion lu her baiting words. "I en n't tell you." There wns de spalr In her voice. "You must." The girl only crouched lower. "1 can't!" she cried again, panting as ,f In fxluiitPtlou. "Why can't you?" "Hoi-ntise bernin-e" The girl could lot go on. "What were you sent up for?" "Pur stea'lns." "Wealing what?" "GihkIm." "Where from?" "The Emporium." In a Hash of Intuition tho whob rillb wi! terenlo'l lo the wom-in uh h, H? '& ,V Mm .PR I LtSaaaaaaaaaaaW ''aaaaaVs " fBvsiaBBBSKS&??" J- ' A7-w f 'm ii - ' J "You cried and Med, and they let you off with a year." stood looking down at tho cowering cre.uure before her. "The Emporium!" Bhe repented. There was a tragedy In the single word. "Then you nro the one who" The accusation was cut short by the girl's shriek. "I mil not! I am not. I tell you!" For n moment Mnry lost her poise. Her voice rcse In n flare of rage. "You are! You nre!" The cmvwu spirit of the girl could struggle no more. She could only sit In a huddled, shaking heap of drend. Mary soon mastered her to such nn t stent that when she spoke again, as if In self communion, her words came quietly, yet vltb overtones of a supreme su-preme woe. "She did it." Then nfter n little she Rddressed the girl with n certain won-tiering won-tiering before this mystery of horror. "Why did you throw tho blame on me?" The girl mnde several efforts before her mumbling became intelligible, and then her speech was gasping, broken with fear. "I found out they were watching me. and I was afraid they would catch me. So I took them and ran into the cloak room mid put them in n locker that wasn't close to mine nnd soma lu the pocket of n coat that was banging there. God knows I didn't know whose It wns. I Just put them there I was frightened" "Hut they caught you later. Why didn't you telltthenV" "I was afraid." came the' 'answer from the shuddering girl. "I told them It was the first time I had taken anything, any-thing, and they let me off with n year." "You cried and lied, nnd they let you off with a year. I wouldn't cry. I told tho truth nnd" Mnry's voice broke in n tearless sob. The color had ' gone out of her face, and she stood ! rigid. looking down nt the rfrl whoso crimo hr.d ruined her life with nn ex- I prcsslmi of infinite loathing lu her eyes. Aggie took advantage of the pause. Her voice was ncld. "Some people nro sneaks-Just snenks!" Somehow the speech wns welcome, to the rlrl, gave her a touch of cour age stltTltlent for cownrdly protestn- I tlons. It wiib more like the nbuse that I wns familiar to her. A gush of tears I enme. H "I'll never forglvo myself, uever!" I she monncd. H "Oh. yes, you will." Mnry said malevolently. "People forgive them- I selves pretty easily, stop crying. No- I body Is going to hurt you." she thrust I the money ngnln toward the girl and crowded It into the Imlf reluctant, half I greedy hand. "Take It, nnd get out." The contempt In her voice run;; still I sharper. "Go. before I change my I mind!" The girl needed no second bidding. I With the money still clutched In hot- a hand she went forth swiftly, stumbll: r a llttlo In her haste, fearful lest at t'h last moment the woiunn she had so wronged should change lu mood anil tnke bnck tho money. Freed from the miasma of that presence, pres-ence, Mnry remained motionless for u long minute, then sighed from her tortured tor-tured heart. "A girl I didn't know." she said be-wlideredly, be-wlideredly, "perhaps had never spoken to who smashed my life like that! Oh, If it wasn't so nwful It would bo funny! It would bo funny!" To Bo Continued |