Mexico Missouri message., 1909-09-16
CHAPTER II.-continued.


"He stole the money" he broke in. |
yes, know he did. Pm not exon |
Grating him; I'm not trying to. 1t was |
a crime, and 1 recognize it, of course, |
and your right to prosecute, if you are |
so determined. But put yourself in |
his place if you can. He is simply |
prodigal in his kindness. There are |
more people in town to-day who have |
been buoyed up and frightened by
him than by any other man, old or
young. Maybe he did take your money |
to help do it. But as much as he ever
expected to do anything he expected
to pay 1t all back. He stinted himself;
it was only with others he was gen.
erous. And then his sister-he wanted
to make things easy for her if he
could. He was ashamed to admit that
he couldn't keep it up. Foolish? Of
course it was foolish. But you ad-
mire him little for trying to carry
his end of the Hemingway string as it
had always been kept up, don't you?
You see what it has already cost him.
Don't make it cost him everything
he's got. Give him another chance.
He'll redeem himself. You'll see. Try
him"
you ask too much"
TOO much! l only ask what you've
done for fellows that were rascals and
deep-dyed culprits. Surely you can
give him the leniency you gave them.
AS for the bad influence, there won't
be any, as you must admit, since no
one knows of 1t, nor will know of it
If you do as l ask. Let the boy go,
Ankony."
Il can't"
Rubbish. Will your"
Il will not, Mr.. Twining. must pro-
coed with the prosecution"
I pulled myself in hand with
strong effort.
IF did what want to do, I'd throt.
tie you, Ankony," said, and l went
out and shut the door between him
and my rage, which was becoming un.
governable.
l spent the rest of the morning in
a determined effort to find something
to change the course of events and
save Dan. But all my determination
was absolutely nothing l could lay
hands upon. Ankony was memorable
and vindictive. And no help could
come outside of Ankony. There was
no further appeal to be made to him.
AS l was leaving the office on a
further search, which, l admitted even
as undertook it, promised nothing,
ran face to face with Barbara in the
hallway. A glance at her showed
me that she knew. She had smiled
through losses and bereavement and
pain, but she was not smiling now
The Hemingrays knew how to meet
yicissitude but not dishonor. Shame
had burned the brightness from her
eyes and scared dry thai deeper well
of cheer in her brave heart.
She looked at me dimly, as If in
that acute moment I did not enter in,
and she could not concentrate her
half-paralyzed faculties upon me. 1t
was startling to see her So Her face,
without a smile, smote me. An agony
of longing to do something, say some
thing, offer something of help, was
upon me, but felt its futility. What
COulu W. win pOhhN Aahu6i
bowed to her and moved on to
my further office. At the door, how.
ever, l turned to look after her, and
was astonished to see her pause before
Ankony's ONCE. Then understood:
She was going to intercede for Dan.
AS the comprehension swept over me-
i called to her. would not have her
humiliate herself uselessly. But she
did not hear me, and passed in, and
told myself that perhaps, after ALL
she might move him; certainly any
man-but Ankony was monster, not
a man His pride was always keener
than his emotion, and his pride was
lsmarting.
left my door open to be ready If
there should be anything / could do
for her, but when she came down the
hall Ankony was with her. He was
all difference and attention, radiating
satisfaction and triumph Yet Bar
bara was smiling-not the old smile.
to be sure. but as If in tremendous re-
,lief--and the despair had faded from
her eyes. while her head was lifted
with the old proud poise, and her step
was not leaden as It had been when
she passed down the hall.