The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1913-12-04

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whats the use of all this pre-
tense!" he demanded sharply. "fou
were given fair trial, and there's an
end of it.
"Oh, no, | wasn't! Why, If the trial
had been fair I shouldn't be here. DO
you call it fair when the lawyer l had
was only 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 getting it at
my expense"
There followed few seconds of 81
lence. 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 magisterial in its severity.
Eyes, the jury found me guilty. DO
you know why? 1 can tell you, Mr..
Glider. 1t 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.. Glider? Was it
fair Of you to come to the court this
morning and tell the judge that I
should be sent to prison as warning
to others?'
"You know" he exclaimed in mo-
mentary CONSERVATION.
81 heard you in the courtroom" she
said. 1.-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 it? or. Didn't
I do it? No. 1t was only that l must
be made warning to Others"
Again silence fell for tense inter
val. Then finally the girl spoke:
"Mr. Glider" she said simply, las
God is my judge, l am going to prison
for three years for something l didn't
do. Why did you ask the judge to
send me to prison?'
1.-The thieving that has been going
on in this store for over a 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 drearily.
"Perhaps not" Glider sternly retort-
ed. "But the discovery and punish
ment of the other guilty ones will
His manner changed to n businesslike
you could tell me how to stop the
thefts in the store. Well. my girl. do
this and. while can make no definite
promise, III see what can be done
about getting you out Of your present
difficulty" He picked up a pencil,
pulled pad of blank paper convenient
to his hand and looked at the girl ex-
pectantly, with aggressive inquiry in
his gaze. Tell me now" he conclud-
ed, "who were your pals:"
II have no pals" she calculated fu-
| riously. II never stole anything IN
my life. Must 60 on telling you over
| and over again." Her voice rose in a
wall of misery. "Oh, why won't any
one believe me?"
"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 If you have nothing to say"
he demanded. with increasing choler.
II have something to tell you, Mr.
Glider" she cried quietly. Only III
sort of lost my grip on the way here,
with this man by my side"
"Well?" Glider insisted querulously,
as the girl hesitated.
when you sit in a cell for three
months waiting for your trial, as did,
you think lot. And SO got the idea
that If could talk to you l might be
able to 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
all, be quite so awful-so useless, some
how" Her voice lowered to quick
pleading, and she bent toward the man
at the desk. "Mr Glider she ques.
toned, do you really want to stop
the girls from stealing?'
Most certainly I do came the for
chile reply.
The girl spoke with great earnest
ness deliberately. .,..
"Then give them a fair chance"
The magnate stared in sincere aston.
ishment over this absurd, this futile
suggestion for his guidance.
what do you meanY he voc!ferat
ed, with rising indignation.
Why she said very gently