The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1913-10-11


one who listened without prejudice, al
though the words themselves were of
the trite sort that any protesting Grim
NAL might utter.
'I tell you didn't do ft1''
Glider himself felt the surge of emo
ton that swung through these mo-
ments, but he would not yield to it.
What's the use of all this pre-
tense?" he demanded sharply. you
were given fair trial, and there's an
end of it,
"Oh, no. I wasn't! why, If the trial
had been fair I shouldn't be here. Do
you call It fair when the lawyer I had
was only a boy-one whom the court
told me to take, a boy trying his first
case, my case, that meant the ruin of
my life? My lawyer! Why, he was
just getting xperience-getdng it at
my expensew
There followed a few seconds of 81
1ence. Then Glider made an effort to
shake off the feeling that had SO pos
sessed him, and to a certain degree he
succeeded.
'The jury found you guilty" he as
serted, with an attempt to make his
voice magisteriaI in it's severity.
Yes, the jury found me guilty Do
y
Glider It was because they had been
out for three hours without reaching
a decision. The evidence didn't seem
to be quite enough for some OF them,
after all. Well, the judge threatened
to lock them up all night. The men
wanted to get home. The easy thing
to do was to find me guilty, and let it
go at that. Was that fair, do you
think? And that's not all either. Was
it fair of you, Mr.. GiIder7 Was it
fair of you to come to the court this
morning and tell the judge that
should be sent to prison as a warning
to others 2"
s'You known he exclaimed in mo-
mentary CONSERVATION
II heard you in the courtroom she
said. @The dock isn't very far from
the bench where you spoke TO the
Judge about my case. Yes, heard
you. 1t wasn't, Did do it7 or, Didn't
I do it? No. It was only that must
be made a warning to others"
Again silence fell for a tense inter
val Then finally the girl spoke:
s'Mr Glider she said simply, stas
God is my Judge, am going to prison
for three years for something didn't
do. Why did you ask the judge to
send me to prison7'
saThe thieving that has been going
on in this store for over year has
got to STOP" Glider answered en-
phatically, with all his usual energy of
manner restored.
Sending me to prison won't stop It. .
Mary Turner said drearty.
perhaps not" Glider sternly retOrt-
ed 'eBut the discovery and punish
ment of the other guilty ones will :.
His manner changed to a businesslike
alertness You sent word to me that
you could tell me how to stop the
thefts in the store. Well, my girl, do
this and while can make no definite
promise, I'll see what can be done
about getting you out of your present
difieuIty." He picked up a pencil,
pulled pad OF blank paper convenient
to his hand and looked at the girl ex-
pectant1y, with aggressive inquiry in
his gaze. sNTeH me now" he conclud-
ed. ~who were your pals?r
II have no palsr' she calculated fu-
riously az never stole anything In
my life. Must I go on telling you over
and over again Her voice rose IN a
wall OF misery s.Oh, why won't any
one believe me?D
Unless you can control yourself,
you must co. Glider pushed away the
pad Of paper and tossed the pencil
aside in physical expression of his dis
pleasure why did you send that
message Il you have nothing 30 sayT'
he Demanded, with Increasing choIer.
Il have something to tell you, Mr..
Glider she cried quietly ~Only I'll
sort OF Lost my grip on the way here,
with this man by my side
sVFelfT' Glider insisted querulous1y,
as the GIRL hesitated
When you sit in cell for three
months waiting for your trial, as did,
you think a lOt And so got the idea
that If T could talk TO you might be
able 60 make you understand what's
really wrong. And If could do that |
and so help out the other girls, what
has happened to me would not, after
III, be quite so awful-so useless, some
how Her voice lowered to a quick |
plea aiding, and she bent toward the man
1t the desk. .tMr. Cider she ques-
aoned, lido you really want to stop I
The girls from stesIing?"
Most certainly do" came the for
ibie reply.
The girl spoke with a great earnest
ness deliberately.
9s1eThen give them a fair chance"
The magnate stared in sincere aston
shment over this absurd, this futile
suggestion for his guidance
What do You mean?" he vociferat-
3D. with rising indignation. ~
why" she said very gently, II
mean just this: Give them a living
nance to be honest"
"a living CHANGER The two words
we're exploded with dynamic violence.
slider found himself unable 30 ex-
,ress the rage that famed within him.
The girl showed herself undismayed
y his anger.
Eyes" she went on quietly, that's
ii there is to it. Give them a living |
nance to get enough food to eat and
decent room to sleep in and shoes
hat win keep their feet off the pave