Middletown transcript., 1906-12-08

spair.
Within fifteen minutes Z Tassie
asked.
They will come here and take
me back TO hell.
Again his youth and his suffer
ing struck the bell of sympathy
in her breast. Such bitterness.
such a helpless despair, she had
never before heard in the human
voice. It suggested to her un-
dreamed-of vistas Of misery,
where man looked death in the
face and laughed.
a wet crimson stain on his
striped blouse caught the girls
eye. You have beeh wounded,
she cried.
/ had forgot. They hit me at
the fence. 1t is nothing "a
scratch. He spoke quietly, but
his blood pounded. For a mo-
ment a flush stained the prison
pallor of his face. She had shown
concern for him, this girl with
the sweet supple slimness, the
first good woman he bad spoken
to in many years-the first per-
son that had offered a word OF
kindness to his tortured soul.
He took in the girls 1.-THE beauty
with hungry eyes. For the mo-
ment and for many months after
ward she represented to him all
that his madness had made i'm
possible. Long since he had out
lived any expectation Of happi-
ness, but the loneliness of it
sometimes took him by the throat.
But you must have it dressed,
she cried.
Oh, it is nothing be told her,
1mpalieztly. Then added grimly,
They will care for it at the prison.
He had been standing in the
shine of the moon, but now she
pushed him into the deep shadow
Of the vines.
Sit down, she bade him.
After you, madam.
She cornered himin the shadow
and drew her chair close to his,
that he might be the better bid
den. She was so much crea-
ture of impulse that there occur.
red to her no lack Of congruity
between her rich and delicate
ball dress and his coarse clothes
But to him the subtle atmos-
phere of dress came after years
bereft of refinement. The pres
ence of this girl, with the warm
eyes and pure outline Of face
went through him like the odor
of incense, and for the moment
left him faint. The keenness Of
his pleasure was a stab of pain.
His tense throat ached.
Now tell me why you came TO
me !; what can do for you ? she
commanded
A flush tagged through his
cheeks. You have already done
more for me than lever expected
human being to do again. You
have brought back faith to me.
| had forgotten, while my heart
turned TO stone behind the bars,
that such women as you existed.
If there is a God. / thank Him
for you. | could not tell you this
if | were what | used to be. But
am now a social leper, and you
are an angel from Heaven. Ny
loss gives me The right to speak.
Naked human emotions had
never before confronted her SO
nearly. She leaned forward i'm
pulsively, and at the warm touch
Of her hand his pulse leaped.
You are brother in distress j
I shall count it privilege TO hear
you would care to tell,
she said, in a gentle tone.
The habit of repression had
grown strong in him. He had
lived to himself alone for years.
His bold eyes had looked into.
the future detiantly, without fear
and Without hope. But now he
told his story for the first time.
1t was all that be could do for
her, and he did it without know
ing that in so doing he was be-
ginning new habit Of thought.
Four years ago | was sent to
prison for enbezzlement. / do
not tell you that | was innocent.
Il is ny one unique claim to dis
tinction on Embezzler's Row that
| have never denied my guilt.
Nor have any excuses to offer.
was a lawyer. / had gradu-
ated from the law school with
and people predicted for
me i brilliant career. / see now
that | was the kind Ut man with
=, L. L., y, -. . -