The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-07-11
CHAPTER !. Sentiment and CIeWee.

sentiment and CleWS. RN my criminal work anything that
 wears skirts is a lady until the
 law proves her otherwise. From
 the frayed and slovenly petticoats DR the woman who owns d poultry stand i'm the market and who has yrcWnawealthy by selling chickens at twelve; canoes to the pound or the silk sweep of Mamie Tracy, whose dia- mcnds have been stolen down on the avenue or the stafdiy respectable black and middle aged skirt of the client whose husband has found an affinity pantial to iaees and fripperies and has rum of with her-all the wearers are iAdias and as such announced by Haweg. In fact, he carries it to ex- cess. He speaks of his wash lady, w4th a husband who is an ash mer- chant, and he announced one day in some excitement that the lady who had just gone out had appropriated all the loose change out of the pocket of his pvercoat
 So when HaEves announced a lady took my feetioff my desk, put down the brief had been reading and rose 2erfunctorily. With my first glance at my visitor, however, threw away mylcigar and, have heard since, set tledsmy tie. That this client was diff ferent was borne in on me at once by the way shei entered the room. She had boise in spite of embarrassment, and her face when she raised her veil was white. refined and young
 q did not send in my name," she. said when she saw me glancing down for the card Hawes usually puts on my table ''It was advice I wanted. and I--I did notgthlnk the name would natter
 She was more composed, I think. when she found me considerably older than herself. I saw her looking fur lively at the graying places over nay ears. I am only thirty-five, as far as that goes. but my family, although it keeps it's hair, turns gray early--a business asset, but a social handicap. Wont you sit down?'' asked, push Ing out chair so that she would face the light while remained in shadow. Every doctor and every lawyer knows that trick Only too often the raising of a woman's veil in my office reveals the ravages of tears or rouge or dis sipation. My new client turned fear lessly to the window an unlined face, with clear skin, healthily pale From where sat her profile was beautiful 1T hardly know how t6 begin,' she said. -but suppose'-slowly-.ssuppose that man. well known man. should leave home without warning, not talk ing any clothes except those he wore and saying he was coming home to dinner. and he-he'-
 How long has he been gone7''
 ~Ten dayss'
 '1 should think 1t ought to be looked int0," said decisively and got up. Somehow couldn't sit quietly. A lawyer who. is worth anything is al ways partisan I suppose, and nev- CT hear of a man deserting his wife that am not indignant, the virtuous scorn of the unmarried man perhaps 'sBut you will have to tell me more than that Did this gentleman have any bad habits-that is, did he-er- drink?"
 '.Not to excess. He played bridge for money, but believe he was rather lEcky."
 @Married, | suppose?' asked casu- ally,
 ''He had been His wife died when E"- She stopped and bit her lip. Then It was not her husband, after all. Odd ly enough. the sun came out just at that moment, spilling pool of sum- light at her feet.
 Tt is my father" she said simply. I was absurdly relieved
 He would have papers to identify him:v
 His pockets were always full of en- velopes and things like that"
 Don't you think ought to know his namey' q asked. ''It need not be known outside of the office, and this is a sort of confessional anyhow, or worse.v s
 "My name is Fleming, Margery Fleming she said after a seconds hesitation, ''and my father, Allan Elem lrg. fs the man. Oh, MT. Knox. what are we going to do? He has been gone for more than a weekr'
 No wonder she had wished to conceal the identity of the missing man. So Allan Fleming was lost! A good many highly respectable citizens would hope that he might never be found. Elem lng, state treasurer, delightful compan- lon. polished gentleman and successful politician of the criminal type. Out side in the corridor the office boy was singing under his breath. "Oh, once there was a miller" he sang, ''who lived in a mill" It brought to my mind the reform meeting a year be. fore. where for A few hours we had blown the feeble spark of protest against machine domination to flame. We had sung song to that very tune. and with this white faced girl across from me its words came back with re- volting truth.
 Oh. once there was a capitol
 That Sat on hilli
 As it's too big to steal away
 It's probably there still
 The rings hand in the treasury
 And Fleming with a sack
 They take it out in wagon loads
 And never bring it back
 s'I am more than sorry" I said. l was too. Whatever he may have been, he was her father. After all. there