The evening Republican., 1902-09-16
BY FREDERICK WHILE.

every evening she surprised her
mother by putting on her best dress
10 the hope that he might come to
see her. But Shorty never came.
lie had other business on hand, if
not more attractive. at least more
remunerative, so Maggie looked and
waited in vain.
Shorty had just pulled off good
thing, So good that the police were
almost as much interested as the
victims Of the robbery, and that
meant trouble.
Shorty realized this and resented
it. because it lnterlered with his
reading. lie always read yoracious.
lv-between times-and, with the
wherewithal for six mouths com.
fort on hand he hated to be disturb.
ed. He knew, in that mysterious
way by which police news travels
to those most interested that he
was under suspicion, aud. much
against his lncliuations, he was
preparing TO leave town until the
atmosphere should clear.
In the meanwhile Maggie had
become almost desperate. In her
primitive way she was very much
III love, and TO see Shorty again
was her one thought, day and
night. Her fancy wove glamour
about him that even Shorty himself
would have repudlatea with scoru
had he known.
Then came the arrest, for the pow
ers had been too much for him at last.
Maggie saw it in the papers, an d a
picture of her hero brought the
shock home to her with sickening
directness. She was dazed. stunned
hopeless, but still in love. With
out saying anything to her mother
she visited Shorty in the prison.
Shorty was very much surprised
but appreciated the attention. al
though the girls grief and disap.
pointment in him (She had impul-
siveIy told more than she should, an
noyed him.
Though more or less calous in re-
gard to the right Or wrong OF his
calling, he would have welcomed re.
spcctabiity if he could have afforded
ii; but now it WAS too late, and in
his heart he resented tins too. The
first visit led 10 others, and in the
devotion OF the girl Shorty saw
CLEAN Of hope.
lie was rot entirely selfish in this
matter. If he escaped lis term in
prison lie would do the right thing
BY her.
lie would take her away with him
and marry her. but Tor some reason
or other he never told the girl this
So lit was that for pure love Of him
Maggie agreed to help HIM establish
an abb, although she knew from
his own lips that he was guilty.
With the aid ola lawyer, who.
asked no embarrassing questions,
they corrected the detense. On the
day OF the trial Maggie went on the
stand Pale OF lace. but exalted in
spirit, she swore that on the night
OF the robbery Shorty had been with
her IN her hone until o'clock.
Fortunately for the success of this
story, Maggie's mother could not
deny it, for she had spent that night
away from home nursing 4 sick Trend
Broke he arted at the smlrching
Of the good name Of DoIaii, she assert
ed her belief that her daugter was
bewitched. aud Shaking her fist at
Shorty, threatened vengeance uutil
suppressed by the court.
Her evident animus against the
prisonerhad an acknowledgements
IRON that which she hoped to produce
1t strengthened his alibl materially
and much to the disgust OF the police
Shorty was acquitted.
When the dwellers Of the tenement
wish to be alone and undisturbed
they seek the comparative privacy Of
a park bench. On the evening Of his
release Shorty met the girl by ap.
pointment, and together they thread
ed their way through the crowded
streets to one Of the city's breathing
spaces.
Shortly, pale and wore and some
what chastened in spirit by his en-.
forced scclusion, brea,hcl The air OF
liberty with evergrowing delight.
1t was good to 6s his own boss
again, and with the realization came
another thought, lie was some one
elses. boss too. His hand touched the
arm OF the girl at his side, and
thrill Of conscious power ran through
him.
She belonged to him. She had
done Too much and gone too far to
quit now. She must look 10 him and
TO no one else in the future.
When he first understood that he
was free his heart had gone out to
tho girl III Il tender pity that left lin
. suppllant at her feet.
But now, q few hours later, this
was forgotten. Something in his !
lawless nature crowded out all sense
Of gratitude and left only the selfish
pride Of man in his conquest
They entered the y ard and sat down
on bench partly sheltered lzUm pass.
ing eyes by a bnsh. Maggie's face
looked very white in the growing
dusk and her eyes were fixed on the
ground.