The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-11-25
CHAPTER n.-continued.

H stole the money" he broke in.
Yes, I know he did. I'm not exon
Grating him; I'm not trying to. 1t was
q. crime, and I 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
pkodigal in his kindness. There are
more people in town today 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.
serous. 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 adj
mire him a little for trying to carry
his end Of the Hemingway string as it
had always been kept up, don't you?
You Q 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! I 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 it, nor will know of It
If you do as l ask. Let the boy go,
Ankony."
Il cant"
Rubbish. Will you?"
Il will not, MI Twining. 1 must pro-
coed with the prosecution"
pulled myself in hand with a
strong effort.
IF I did what 1 want to do, I'd throt-
tie you, Ankony," I said, and went
cut and shut the door between him
and my rage, which was becoming un.
governable.
spent the rest of the morning in
a determined effort to find something
60 change the curse of events and
cave Dan. But all my determination
and eagerness went for nothing. There
was absolutely nothing 1 could lay
hands upon. Ankony was memorable
and vindictive. And no help could
come outside of Ankony. There was
mo further appeal to be made to him.
AS l was leaving the office on a
Further search, which, l admitted ever
es l undertook it, promised nothing,
ran face to face with Barbara in the
hallway. A glance at her showed
We that she knew, She had smiled
through losses and bereavement and
pain, but she was not smiling now.
The Hemingrays knew how to meet
vscfssitude but not dishonor. Shame
had burned the brightness from her
eyes and scared dry that deeper well
of cheer in her brave heart.
She looked at me dimly, as if in
that acute moment I did not enter in
aud she could not concentrate he1
h~alf-paralyzed faculties upon me. II
was startling to see her so. Her face
without a smile, smote me. An agony
af longing to do something, say some
ching, offer something of help, was
upon me, but l felt it's futility. What
could I do, with bound hands?
I bowed to her and moved on t.
ruly further Office. At the door, how
ever, I turned to look after her, ant
'~as astonished to see her pause before
-Aukony's Office. Then I understood,
She was going to intercede for Dan
As the comprehension swept over me
Z called to her. l would not have he,
humiliate herself uselessly. But sh,
did not hear ule, and passed in, and
tstd myself that perhaps, after all
she might nov him; certainly an,
mau-but Ankony was q monster, no
a man. His pride was always keene
chan hts emotion. and his pride wa
Amartdng.
left my door open to be ready /
Sfsere should be anything I could d
for her, but when she came down tn
hall Ankony was with her. He wa
all Difference and attention, radiatin
satisfaction and triumph. Yet Bal
ibara was smiling-not the old emile
TO be sure, but as if in tremendous r.
:. iief-and the despair had faded fror
her eyes while her head was LITE
with the old proud poise, and her ste
was not leaden as it had been whe
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