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

nan once again assumed his martial
hearing You were quite right In
coming TO me- For moment he was
silent. plunged 10 thought. Finally he
spoke with the decisiyeness character
istic Of him. "Of course there's moth
Ing we can do. Just put the stuff back
on the counter and let her so"
But Smithson had not yet wholly un-
bnrdened himself. He again cleared
! his throat nerv0usly.
'She's very angry. Mr.. Glider" he
announced timidly. "She-er-she de-
mands an-er-an apology.
The owner of the store half rose from
his chair. then threw himself back with
an exclamation of disgust.
God bless my soulr' he cried. Again
he fell silent. considering the situation
which SmitIison had presented At last
however. he mastered his irritation to
some degree and spoke his command
briefly. We'll. Smithson. apologize to
her. 1t can't he helped"
When Smithson had left the office
! Glider turned to his secretary.
Take this" he directed. and he forth
with dictated the following letter:
j. W. Gaskell, Esq, Central National
Bank New York
My Dear Mr.. Gaskell-I feel that |
should be doing less than my duty as
man if l did not let you know at once
! that Mrs. Gaskell is In urgent need OF
medical attention. She came into our
| store today. and
! He paused for q moment. mo, put
| it this way" he said finally:
! We found her wandering about our store
| today in a very nervous condition. In her
excitement she carried away about 500
: worth of rare laces. Not recognizing her,
/ our store detective detained her for a
short time. Fortunately for us ALL Mrs.
| Gaskell was able to explain who she was,
| and she has just gone to her nome HOP
ing for Mrs. Gaskells speedy recovery
and with all good wishes, am yours very
| truly,
Smithson again entered the office.
even more perturbed than before.
what on earth is the matter nowT'
Glider spluttered suspiciously.
! 'Tt's Mrs. Gaskell STILL" Smithson
replied in great trepidation. "She
wants you personally, Mr.. Glider. to
apologize to her. She says that the
action taken against her Is an outrage.
and she is not satisfied with the apol-
/ ogies of all the rest Of us. She says
you must make one, too, and that the
store detective must be discharged for
!, intolerable insolence."
Glider bounced up from his chair
angrily.
.Ill not discharge McCracken," he
vociferated, glaring on Smithson. who
shrank visibly.
But about the apology, Mr.. Glider"
he reminded. speaking very deferen-
tally. yet with insistence.
..Oh. I'll apologize" he said with a
J wry smile Of discontinue. I'm make
things even, up a bit when get an
apology from Gaskell. / shrewdly
suspect that that estimable gentleman
is going to eat humble pie. of my bak-
ing. from his wife's recipe And his
will be an honest apology. which mine
/ won't" And he left the room.
1t was on this same day that Sa.
rah. on one of her numerous trips
through the store in behalf of Glider.
was accosted by a salesgirl. whose
name. Helen Morris. she CHANGED to
know.
What on earth do you want?" Sarah
inquired snappishly.
What did they do to Mary Turner?"
They sent her to prison for three
years" 80,
'Three years?" The salesgirl had Re
peated the words in tone that was IN
defnableI yet tone vehement in its IN
credulous questioning "Three renrsr
she said again. as one refusing to be
lieye. .sM
Yes. three years."
Good God!" There was no irrever
ence in the exclamation that broke
: from the girls lips. Instead only q
tense horror that touched to the roots
| Of emotion.
Say" Sarah demanded, with the
! directness habitnal to her. why are
/ you so anxious about it? This is the
third time you have asked me about
! Mary Turner What's it to you, I'd
like to know?"
! The salesgir started violently, and
deep flush drove the accustomed pal
lor from her cheeks. She was obvi
/, ously much disturbed by the question
What is it to me?' she repeated In
an effort to gain time. why. nothing
nothing at all, only-she's friend OF
mine. a great friend of mine. Oh
yes!
i There was monotone of desolation
as she went on speaking in whisper
meant for the ears of no other. Its
J awful-three years! Oh, l didn't un
derstand! It's awful-awful!' With
the final word she hurried off, her at
titude one of wondering grief.
Sarah was thinking intently of Mary
Turner after her return to the Office
AS she glanced up at the opening of the
door she did not at first recognize the
figure outlined there. She remembered
Mary Turner as a tall, slender girl
who showed an underlying vitality In
every movement. a girl with a face OF
regular features, in which was com
plexion of blended milk and roses. with
radiant joy Of life shining through
all her arduous and vulgar conditions
Instead of this, now she saw frai
form that stood swaying In the door
way, that bent in sinister fashion
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