The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-07

! prised us all by answering at once that
she had. It's really a pity. Glider. that
you didn't wait. Why. that poor girl
made fine speech!'
Pooh. poohr' came the querulous OBJ
lection. ''She seems to have hypnotic
ed you" Then. as a new thought came
to the magnate. he spoke with trace
of anxiety. There were always the re-
porters looking for space to ill with
foolish vaporings.
did she say anything against me or
the store?'
mot word the lawyer replied
grayely "She merely told us how her
father died when she was sixteen years
old She was compelled after that to
earn her own living. Then she told
how she had worked for you for Ave
years steadily without there ever be-
ing a single thing against her. She
said. too. that she had never seen the
things found in her locker. And she
said more than that. She asked the
Judge If he himself understood what 1t
means for girl to be sentenced to
prison for something she hadn't done.
Somehow, Glider, the way she talked
had Its effect on everybody In the court
room. ! know. It's my business to
understand things like that. And what
she said rang true. WHAT she said and
the way she said it take brains and
courage. The ordinary crook has nei-
Their. So had Il suspicion that she
might be speaking the truth" There
was little pause. while the lawyer
moved back and forth nervously: then
he added. IL believe I.awlor would have
suspended sentence If it hadn't been
for your talk with him.
81 simply did my duty" Glider said.
you are aware that | did not seek
any consultation with Judge Lawlor.
He sent for me and asked me what l
, thought about the case-whether [
thought 1t would be right to let the girl
go on a suspended sentence. told him
frankly that believed that an exam-
pie should be made of her for the sake
! of others who might be tempted to
steal. Property has some rights, DEM
! Arrest. although it seems TO be getting
nowadays so that anybody is likely to
deny it," Then the fretful. half alarm
ed note sounded in his voice again as
he continued. II can't understand why
the girl wants to see me-"
"Why. she just said that If you
would see her for ten minutes she
would tell you how to stop the thefts
| in this store
There" Glider cried II knew 1t! The
girl wants to confess. Well. it's the
| first sign of decent feeling she's shown.
| suppose it ought to be encouraged.
Probably there have been others mixed
! up in this
Perhaps" Demarest admitted. "At
least it can do no harm if you see her.
thought you would be willing. so
! spoke to the district attorney. and he
! has given orders to bring her here for
: few minutes on the way to the Grand
Central station. They're taking her up
to Burnsing. you know. wish, Gid
| er, you would have little talk with
her." The lawyer abruptly went out
of the office, leaving the owner of the
! store Tuning.
"Hello. dadw
Glider sprang to his feet. his face
suddenly grown younger. radiant.
"Dick." The big voice was softened
to exquisite tenderness.
AS the eyes of the two met the boy
rushed forward. and in the next mo-
ment the hands of father and son
clasped firmly Presently Glider spoke,
with an effort toward harshness in his
voice to mask how much he was shak-
en-. But the tones rang more kindly
than any he had used for many day.
tremulous with affection.
"What brought you backY' he de-
handed
'Why. just wanted to come back
home" he said lightly. And for the
love of heaven. give Sadie So. bor-
rowed it from her to pay the taxi.
You see dad, I'm broke"
"Of coursew With the saying Ed
ward Glider roared Gargantuan laugh
ter In the burst of merriment his
pent feelings found their vent. He was
still chuckling when he spoke, sage
from much experience of ocean travel.
Poker on the ship. suppose"
mo. not that, though | did have q
little run n at Monte Carlo. But it
was the ship that finished me at that.
You see. dad. they hired Captain Kidd
and u bunch of pirates as stewards.
and what they did to little Richard
was something fierce. And yet, that
wasn't the real trouble either. The
fact is, just naturally went broke.
Not a hard thing to do on the other
side"
Nor on this" the father interject-
ed drylr.
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