The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-07
'1The jury found you guilty" he as
serted, with an attempt to make his

W Dc QuItt eHOtisu LOT some OF tnctu.
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 yon
think? And that's not all either. Was
it fair of you, Mr.. Glider? Was it
fair or you to come to the court this
morning and tell the Judge that |
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 ''The dock isn't very far from
judge about my case. Yes. heard
YOU 1t wasn't. Did do it? or. Didn't
| do it? No. 1t was only that | must
be made warning TO Others
Again silence fell for a tense inter
val Then finally the girl spoke:
"Mr. Glider" she said simply, las
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 prison?"
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 ii"
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 q 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
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 eonclud-
/ ed, who were your pals?"
II have no pals!' she calculated fu-
riously II never stole anything in
my life. Must I go on telling you over
and over again." Her voice rose in q
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.
Il have something to tell you. Mr..
! Glider" she cried quietly. 'Only IL
sort of lost my grip on the way here
with this man by my side"
"WellE Glider insisted ENORMOUSLY
as the gisl hesitated.
when you sit in cell for three
months waiting for your trial, as did
! you think lot. And SO got the idea
/ that if / could talk to you j might BIZ
able to make you understand what's
really wrong. And if could do thai
and so help out the other girls, wha
! 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 mai
1 at the desk. MIR. Glider" she ques
toned, do you really want to stoE
the girls from stealing?"
Most certainly do" came the for
chile reply.
The girl spoke with great earnest
ness deliberately.
"Then give them fair chance"
The magnate stared in sincere aston
J ishment over this absurd. this futile
suggestion for his guidance.
what do you mean?" he vociferat
ed, with rising Indignation.
why" she said very gently, 81
mean just this: Give them living
chance to be honest"
"A living chance!" The two words
were exploded with dynamic violence
Glider found himself unable to ex-
press the rage that famed within him
The girl showed herself undismayed
by his anger.
"Yes." she went on quietly, that's
all there is to it, Give them a living
chance to get enough food to eat and
| decent room to sleep in and shoes
that will keep their feet off the pave
ment winter mornings. Do you think
that any girl wants to steal? Do you
think that any girl wants to risk
BY this time. however. Glider had
regained his power of speech. and he
interrupted stormily:
"And is this what you have taken
up my time for? You want to make q
maudlin plea for guilty, dishonest
girls. when I thought you really meant
to bring me facts
1--WE work nine hours a day." the
| girls quiet voice went on. curious
pathos in the rich timbre of 1t. mine
hours day for six days in the week.
That's fact, isn't it? And the trou-
BILE is an honest girl can't live on Sc a
week She can't do 1t and buy food
and clothes and pay room rent and
carfare That's another fact. isn't it?''
Mary regarded the owner Of the store
with grave questioning in her violet
eyes.
81 don't care to discuss these things
he declared peremptorily as the girl
remained silent for moment.
land l have no wish to discuss any.
thing" Mary returned evenly. Il only
want to give you what you asked for