The San Francisco call., 1913-09-16


sentiment toward the man who had
been the direct cause of her impris-
onment--Edward Glider 1t seemed
to her that the general warfare
against the world might well be
made an initial step in the warfare
she meant to wage. somehow, some
time. against the man personally, in
accordance with the hysterical threat
she had uttered TO his face.
The factor that was the immediate
cause of her decision on an irregular
mode of life was an editorial in one
of the daily newspapers. This was
a scathing arraignment of master
in high finance. The point Of the
writer's attack was the grim sarcasm
for such methods of thievery s are
kept within the law That phrase
held the girls fancy. and she read
the article again with a quickened IN
terest. Then she began to mediate
She herself was In curios, lnde-
terminate attitude as far as con-
cerned the law. 1t was the law that
had worked the ruin of her life
which she had striven to make whole
some. In consequence she felt for the
law no genuine respect, only detesta-
tion as for the epitome of injustice.
Yet she gave it a superficial respect,
ing which had beer the result of the
penalty inflicted on her. 1t was as
an effect OF this latter feeling that
she was determined on one thing OF
vital Importance. that never would
she be guilty Of anything to pit her
against the laws decrees. She had
known too many hours of anguish in
the doom set on her life because she
had been deemed a wiolator OF the
law. No, never would she let her
self take any position in which the
law could accuse her. But
there remained the fact that the
actual cause OF her long misery was
this same law, manipulated BY the
man she hated 1t had punished her,
though she had been without fault.
For that reason she must always re-
gard It as her enemy: must. indeed.
hate it with an intensity beyond
words-with an intensity equal TO
that she bore She man Glider Now.
in the paragraph she had Just read
she found a clew to suggestive
thought, a hint as TO q means by
which she might satisfy her rancor
against the law that had outraged
her-and this in safety, since she
would attempt nought save that with
in the law.
Mary's heart leaped at the possi-
bility back of those three words,
within the law" She might do
anything. seek any revenge, work
as she should keep within the law.
There could be no punishment
then. That was the lesson taught
by the captain in high fnance. he
was at pains always In his stu
pendous robberies to keep with
in the law To that end
he employed lawyers of mighty
cunning and learning TO guide his
steps Alright in such tortuous paths.
There, then, was the secret Why
should she not use the like means 7
Why, indeed? She had brains enough
to devise, surely. Beyond that. she
needed only to keep her course most
carefully within those limits OF
wrongdoing permitted by the statutes.
For that, the sole requirement would
be a lawyer equally unscrupulous and
astute. At once Mary's mind was
made up After all, the thing was ab-
surdly simple. 1t was merely a mat
ter for ingenuity and for prudence
in alliance. Moreover. there
would come eventually some adequate
device against her arch enemy, Ed
ward Glider.
Mary meditated on the idea for
many days, and ever it seemed in
creasingly good to her. Finally, II
developed to a point where she be-
lieved it altogether feasible and then
she took Joe Carson into her conn
dence. He was vastly astonished at
the outset and not quite pleased. TO
his view. this plan offered merely a
fashion of setting difficulties In the
way Of achievement. Presently, how
ever, the sincerity and persistence or
the girl won him over. The task OF
convincing him would have been
easier had ne himself ever known the
torment of serving a term in prison.
Thus far, however, the forger had al
ways escaped the penalty for his
crimes. though often close to convic-
tion. But Mary's arguments were OF
a compelling sort Is she set them
forth In detail. and they made their
appeal to Carson, who was by no
means lacking in a shrewd native in
tellfgence He agreed that the ex-
pertinent should be made. notwith-
standing the ract that he felt no par
ticular enthusiasm over the proposed
scheme of working. 1t is likely that
his own strong feeling of attraction
toward the girl whom he had saved
from death, who now appeared before
him as a radiantly beautiful young
woman, was more persuasive than the
excellent ideas which she presented
so emphatically, and with logic SO
impressive.
An agreement was made by which
Joe Carson and certain OF his more
trusted intimates in the underworld
were to put themselves under the or
ders of Mary concerning the sphere
OF their activities. Furthermore. they
bound themselves not to engage in
any devious business without her con-
sent Aggie, too, was one Of the COM
pany thus constituted, but she figured
little in the preliminary discussions
since neither Mary nor the forgef had
much respect for the intellectual capa-
biuties of the adventures, though
they appreciated to the full her re-
markable powers of influencing men
to her will
1t was not difficult to find a lawyer
suited to the necessities Of the under
taking Mary bore In mind constantly
the high financier's reliance on the
legal adviser competent to invent a
method whereby to battle the law at
any desired point, and after judicious
investigation she selected an ambi-
tfous and experienced Jew named
sigismund Harris, just in the prime
of his mental yigors, who possessed
a knowledge of the law only to be
equaIed by his disrespect for 1t. He
seemed, indeed. precisely the man to
At the situation for one desirous OF
outraging the law remorselessly. while
still retaining a place absolutely with
in it.
Forthwith the scheme was set
In operation. AS q first step, Mary
Turner became a young lady of inde-
pendent fortune, who had living with
her a cousin. Miss Agnes Lynch. The
fiat was abandoned. In It's stead was
an apartment In the nineties on Riv-
erside drive, in which the ladies lived
4.. c.tn