The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-07-23
Copyright. 1903. by Daily Story Pub

co.
| Considering the fact that she was
young and handsome. she was regard
ed as exceptionally earnest. To write
for a newspaper was her ambition,
and all she wanted was a chance. FL
naIly a chance came. John FerrOn had
been charged with defrauding a. build
ing association out of $4,000. The
amount was not large; Ferron was not
a prominent man: the case was good
only for stick full" and it was given
to the new girl. The suspected culprit
had been placed under bonds and could
be found at his boarding house. the
city editor told her. She was elated.
Instantly she had become a factor of
the great city. She thought of her
home in the country. the dull life, the
daily complaint of the neighbors. the
dead eternity of nom eventfulness
FerrOn was in his room when q ser
want brought card bearing the name,
Miss Eva Smith" That was all; moth
ing to indicate her business; but at this
Ferron took fright, supposing that she
might be another one of the "defraud-
ed home seekers. He sighed distress
fully and. with the resignation which
comes when sometimes we have reach
ed the limit of calamity, he told the
servant to let her come in. The WISH
tors fresh and engaging face for q
moment drove calamity back into q
dark corner. Ferron Topped out of his
chair and invited her to sit down. She
did. with smile, glanced about the
room, at the cheap books on the shelf
at the picture of boy at WELL
drinking out of an old Oaken bucket;
at a stuffed owl on a bracket, and
then she looked at Ferron She had
expected to See an oldish man, lean and
fox-llke. She was surprised to see
young fellow. curly of hair and hand
some.
I'm afraid I've come on unpleasant
business" she said
He smiled. mo matter what your
business may be. your coming is pleas
ant" he replied
"Oh. thank you"
mot at ALL"
For a time they sat looking at each
other. He cleared his throat. II be-
lieve you said something about I'M
pleasant business
Yes; l am a reporter, and
is that so unpleasant? If it is, why
don't you quit it?'
"Oh, reporting isn't unpleasant-it's
charming. But 1 have come to inter-
view you"
Interview me! 1 have already been
interviewed by a justice of the peace
ana have been bound over. ALI what
do you want me to say?"
~ Juot dIly lHlnS. You might =
wen, say something to defend yourself.
you know"
But that wouldn't do any good. I
| am already halfway condemned"
But it might keep you from being
condemned the other half"
He leaned back in his chair and
laughed. She laughed, too, and then
she told him that he did not look guilty
lie thanked her and replied that he
was not. She was pleased to hear if
she said; she had not expected to get
a confession OUT of him, and thanked
him for his confidence in her. Rut
suddenly she looked serious. ooh. but
that wasn't a confessioni" she said.
1T was simply an assertion People
don't confess except when they ac-
knowledge that they are guilty. I
don't know what I have been thinking
about. But you know a woman does
not believe man guilty If he is
are guilty"
The Irian44Who is disagreeabIe to
woman ought to be condemned on GEN
eral principles-or, ratherson general
unprlnclples, he replied; and they
both OF them laughed, and she Won
dered what time it was He said that
it wasn't late, looking at his watch:
but she declared that she must be go
ing, dropping into that serious mood
which, in the office,sshad caused sur
prise. With this man, however. she
could not long remain serious. There
was something about him that made
her smile. She knew that he might
possibly be on the road to the peniten-
tiary. for the justice of the peace had
bound him over; but, somehow. she
felt glad whenever she looked at him.
Was he a humorfst set in silence to
cause laughter? Il must really go"
she said, getting up. He did not rise
Must you go?" he inquired, with a
soothing regret in his voice. And then
he added: When are you coming
back 2"
Coming back? I didn't say that I
was" ns,.
Il know you didn't, and that's the
reason asked you"
She laughed. 1t was inlpudent of
him, but, somehow, 1t pleased her.
Why should I come baek?"
TO get detailed statement when I
prepare it."
"oh. you are going to do that? 1
On't quite understand: but whenevar