The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1909-10-05
how~ Ford mumbled in astonish

how?" Ford mumbled in astonish-
ment
81 never done it. No, sir. I'm not
guilty." answered Jim promptly. Shut
/ don't wanter be tried this morn
in" he added, with some display of
anxiety. mot anyways until get my
witness. I've got a witness who en-
clear me all right"
"All right, then. Well wait. It's
half an hour till court time. Don't
docket the case until you hear from
me-" Ford called to the chief, who
was leaving the room.
"WeI, Jim, won't believe that you
are guilty until you've been tried and
convicted" He caught himself about
to add, Add l won't believe it then"
'Who's your witness, boy?" Ford
asked.
"Oh, wait and see," Jim replied la
conically
'You refuse to tell me?"
Eyes. SIR
Come, now. You must not talk that
way. ClAdpO JOO OOA AOAiAAC bhAb
you are in the hands of the officers OF
the law and charged with an ugly Of
Tense. Do you? Speak out, boy"
Jim remained speechless.
"You refuse to answer my question?
Ford spoke with an unmistakable show
of irritation.
81 do" Jim replied doggedly. ANY
ways till my witness comes"
Ford turned to the unfinished work
at his desk. but his thoughts refused
to dwell there. In spite of himself his
mind reverted to events of the past
two years, with all of which Jim was
so intimately associated. He recalled
the pathetic circumstances that brought
the ragged. poverty cursed boy into
his life and into that of another. The
Geath of Jim's parents, his legacy Of
abject poverty, the unselfish determi-
nation of Miss Talbot, the teacher Of
the little west end school. to care for
him instead of sending him away to
an orphanage; the alternate care Jim
involved and the amusement he at
forded. the friendship and the more
than friendship Ford entertained for
the lovable teacher, her final consent
to let him share the burden Of the
boys support. the happy days that fol
lowed. the fond dreams of the future
and then the abrupt ending of it all.
All these things flashed through his
mind and smote him with a pang of
regret.
A wave of pity for the boy swept
over him. Could Jim. good. faithful
boy that he had been-could he do such
a thing as that? And then that trace
of cynicism that had of late crept into
Ford's mind began to assert itself.
"Heredity and crime are closely bound
together" he thought to himself. "This
boys father may have been crimi-
nal. Nobody knew anything about
him. He wandered here, shiftless.
without energy, died. and in all proba-
bility left to the boy no heritage save
that Of an Unborn criminal instinct"
His reflections were interrupted by
sixth knock on the door, gentle and
hesitating this time.
"Come in" came the invitation abb
sently.
Ford arose awkwardly to meet the
caller. "Miss Talbot, y-you here" he
stammered in surprise. not knowing
what to say won't you sit DOWN."
The young lady bowed stiff1y, declined
the proffered chair and remained
standing.
"Jim sent for me-" she said simply.
81 heard he was in trouble"
eyes; at least he is charged with
st-larceny, l mean," explained Ford,
catching at the legal term that sound
ed better. HE said that he had
witness who could clear him of the
charge. But you-what are you-what
can l do for you, Miss Talbotr' he
faltered.
Then, recovering his composure, he
told her what the charge was, stating
substantially what he had been in
formed by the chief.
Suddenly Jim pushed forward, ex-
citedly interrupting. "You mustn't
mind my buttin' in" he begged. "I'm
goin' to tell you all jes' how it all wuZ.
Let me have my say" he protested.
Pm not guilty. l didn't take the
boys watch. You know l couldn' "a
done such thing. 1t was this way"
He came a little nearer Il took the
watch in fun. an John knowed it. l
told him what / meant to do. He un-
derstands. Me an Johns the best of
friends. couldn't "a taken his watch
or anybody else's. Pm no thief. Me
an him fixed things all up. He prom
ises to do what l told him. He had me
arrested on purpose, and jest at the
last minute he will come in and clear
me before the case comes up before
the mayor. 1t must not go on the
book
"That was all fun; all made up,'' he
hurried on more boldly to explain.
what mean is this: You've both
been so good to me. An then you
you parted an'-an' wouldn't have
notlin' to do with each other. 1t near
Iy killed me. l didn't know what was