The Charles Mix new era. (Wagner, Charles Mix County, S.D.) 1???-1911, 1910-01-21
CHAPTER Il.-continued.

Z He stole the money" he broke In.
Yes. l know he did. I'm not exon
Grating him; I'm not trying to. 1t was
a crime, and recognize it, of course.
and you right to prosecute, If you are
so determined. But put yourself in
his place ii you can. He is simply
prodigal 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 yer
expected to do anything he expected
to pay it all back. He stinted himself;
1t was only with others he was gen.
erous. And then his sister-he wanted
to make things easy for her II he
could. He was ashamed to admit that
be couldn't keep it up. Foolish? OF
course 1t was foolish. But you ad-
mire him a little for trying to carry
his end of the Hemingway string as 1t
had always been kept up, don't you?
You see what 1t has already cost him.
Don't make 1t EOS 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 we're 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
q knows of it, nor will know Of 1t
If you do as l ask. Let the boy go.
Ankony."
Il can't"
Rubbish. Will your"
Il will not, Mr.. Twining. | must pro-
Sceed with the prosecution"
pulled myself in hand with a
strong effort.
IF ! did what | want to do, I'd throt-
tie you, Ankony." ! said, and | went
out and shut the door between him
and my rage. which was becoming un-
g~overnable.
spent the rest of the morning in
, determined effort to find something
to change the course of events and
save Dan. But all my determination
and eagerness went for nothing. There
was absolutely nothing | could lay
hands upon. Ankony was inexorabie
and vindictive. And no help could
come outside of Ankony. There was
no further appeal to be made to him.
AS ! IA leaving the Office on a
further search, which, 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
vicissitude 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 l did not enter in.
and she could not concentrate her
half-paralyzed faculties upon me. II
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 it's f%utility. What
could | do. with bound hands?
bowed to her and moved on to
my further Office. At the door, how
ever, | turned to look after her, and
was astonished to see her pause before
Ankony's Office. Then ! understood:
She was going to intercede for Dan.
AS the comprehension swept over me.
] called to her. would not have her
humiliate herself u~selessiy. But she
did not hear me. and passed In. and I
told myself that perhaps. after all.
she might move him: certainly any
man-but Ankony was a monster, not
q man. His pride was always keener
than his emotion. and his pride was
smarting.
left my door open to be ready II
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 il 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
che passed down the hall