, 1910-07-07

bered the depressing ride in the train
to Sing Sing, the formidable steel
doors and ponderous bolts, the narrow
cells. each with It's involuntary occu-
pant in degrading stripes and closely
cropped hair, and the uniformed
guards armed with rifles. She emem-
bered how her mother wept and how
she had wondered why they kept her
poor lads in such ar ugly place. To
think that after all these years she
was again to go through a similar ex-
perience.
She had nerved herself for the or
deal. Anxious as she was to see How
ard and learn from his lips all that
had happened, she feared that she
would never be able to see him behind
the bars without breaking down.. Yet
she must be strong so she could work
to set him free. So much had hap
pened in the last W days. It seemed
a month since tn. police had sent for
her Mt midnight to hurry down to the
Astruria, yet it was only two days
ago. The morning following her try
ing interview with Capt. Clinton in
the dead mans apartment she had
tried to see Howard, but without sue
cess. The police held him a close
prisoner, pretending that he might
make an attempt upon his life. There
was nothing for her to do but wait.
| Intuitively she realized the neces-
sity of Immediately securing the ser
vices Of an able lawyer. There was
no doubt of Towards innocence. but
she recalled with a SILVER that even
--o1 h-r- ,fo- 1--t
tai punishment because they were I'M
able to establish their Innocence. so
overwhelming were the appearances
against them. He must have the best
lawyer to be had. regardless of ex-
pense. Only one name occurred to
her, the name of a man of interna-
tional reputation, the mere mention
of whose name in a courtroom filled
the hearts of the innocent with hope
and the guilty with dread. That man
was Judge Brewster. She hurried
downtown to his office and waited an
hour before he could see her. Then
he old her. politely but coldly. that
he must decline to take her case. He
knew well who she was and he eyed
her with some curiosity, but his man
ner was frigid and discouraging.
There were plenty of lawyers in New
York, he said. She must go else
where. Politely he bowed her out.
Half of a precious day was already
lost. Judge Brewster refused the
case. To whom could she turn now?
In despair. almost desperate. she
drove uptown to Riverside drive and
forced an entrance into the Jeffries
$1,000 --- i.
a rebuff. Still not discouraged. she
returned to Judge Brewster's Office.
He "A out and she sat there an hour
waiting to see him. Night came and
he did not return. Almost Frustrated
with nervous exhaustion. she returned
to heir deserted little fiat in Harlem.
It was going to be a hard fight. she
saw that. Blu she would keep right
on, no matter at what cost. Howard
could not be left alone to perish with
out a hand to save him. Judge Brew
ster must come to his rescue. He
could not refuse. She would return
again to his office this afternoon and
sit there all day long, if necessary,
until he promised to take the case.
He alone could save him. She would
go to the lawyer and beg him on her
knees If necessary, but first she must
see Howard and bid him take courage.
A low doorway from Center street
gave access to the gray fortress. At
the heavy steel gate stood a portly
policeman armed with a big key. Each
time before letting people in or out
he inserted this key in q %ponderous
lock. The gate would not open mere
ly by turning the handle. This was
to prevent the escape of prisoners,
who might possibly succeed in reach
ing SO far as the door. but could not
open the steel gate without the big
key. When once any one entered the
prison he was not permitted to go out
again except on a signal from q
keeper.
When Annie entered she found the
reception room filled with visitors,
men and women Of all ages and ma
tionalities. who. like herself, had come
to see some relative or friend In
trouble. 1t was a motley and interest
ing crowd. There were fruit peddlers,
sweat shop workers. sporty looking
men. negroes and lashy looking wo-
men. All seemed callous n indif.
ferent, as If quite at home amid the
sinister surroundings Of a prison. One
or two others appeared to belong to a
more respectable class, their sober
manner and careworn faces rejecting
silently the humiliation and shame
they felt at their kinsman's disgrace.
The small barred windows did not
permit Of much ventilation and, az
the day was warm, the odor was sick
ening Annie looked around fearfully
and humbly took her place at the end
OF the long line which slowly worked
Its way to the narrow inner grating,
where credentials were closely scruti.
nized. The horror of the place seized
upon her. She wondered who all these