Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-12-18


secuted Dy the ponce, so That she
speedily lost the place.
A third time she obtained work and
there, after a little. she told her en-
ployer. a candy manufacturer in a
small way. the truth as to her having
been in prison. The man had a kindly
heart and he ran little risk, so he al
lowed her to remain. When the police
called his attention to the girls Grim
inal record he paid no heed to their adj
vice against retaining her services.
The police brought pressure to bear on
the man. They even called in the as
who obligingly wrote a very severe let
ter to the girls employer. In the end.
though unwillingly enough. he dismiss
ed Mary from his service.
1t was then that despair did come
upon the girl. She had tried with all
the strength of her to live straight.
Yet, despite her innocence. the world
would not let her live according to her
own conscience. 1t demanded that she
be the criminal it had branded her-if
she were to live at all. She still walk
ed the streets falteringly, seeking some
place, but her heart was gone from
the quest. Came an hour when she
thought of the river and "a glad.
So she went through the long stretch
Of i'll lighted streets. crossed some rail
road tracks to Il pier. ver which she
hurried to the far end. where it pro-
jected out to the fercer currents of the
Hudson. There. without giving her
self a moments pause for reflection or
hesitation. she leaped out as far as
her strength permitted into the coil Of
waters. But in that final second nat
ural terror in the face of death owe
came the lethargy Of despair-a shrek
burst from her lips.
On the side of the pier a man had
just tied up a motorboat. He stood up
in alarm at the cry and was just in
time to gain a glimpse of a white face
under the dim moonlight as it swept
down with the tide. two rods beyond
him. He threw off his coat and sprang
far out after the drifting body. He
came to it in a few furious strokes and
caught it..
Then began the savage struggle to
save her and himself. The currents
tore at him w%rathfully, but he fought
against them with all the f]ierceness Of
his nature. What saved the two Of
them was the violent temper Of the
a Always it had been the demon
to set him af1ame. His rage mounted
and gave him new power in the battle.
Under the urge of it he conquered and
at last brought himself and his charge
to the shore.
Mary revived to clear consciousness.
which was ut first inclined toward
hySteria. but this phase yielded soon
under the sympathetic ministrations
soothing to her tired soul. and his
whole Dir was at once masterful and
gently tender. When finally she was
able to stand and to walk with the
support of his arm she went forward
slowly at his side without so much
even as a question Of whittier.
Joe Carson had performed, perhaps.
his first action with 10 thought of self
at the back Of it. He had risked his
life to save that of a stranger. The
sensation "a at once novel and thrill
ing. Since it was so agreeable he
meant to prolong the glow of self sat
%isfaction by continuing to care for this
waif Of the river.
Joe Carson. the notorious forger, led
the dripping girl eastward through the
squalid streets until at last they came
to an adequately lighted avenue. and
there q taxicab was found. 1t carried
them farther north. and to the east to
an apartment house that was rather
imposing, set in a street Of humber
dwellings.
Here Carson paid the fare and then
helped the girl to alight and on into
the hallway. Mary went with him
quite unafraid. though now with IL
growing curiosity.
The two entered and went slowly up
three fights of stairs. On the landing
beyond the third flight the door OF II
rear fiat stood open. and in the door.
way appeared the figure OF n woman.
well. Joe. who's the skirt" this
person demanded rs the man and his
charge halted before her. Inen,
abruptly, the round. baby-like face OF
the woman puckered In amazement,
Her voice rose shrIll. well, IL It amt
Mary Turner"
~"Aggjs" wus the rsniv