The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-14
CONTINUED.

Cassidy faced about. and in his
movement there was tug at the wrist
OF the girl that set her moving toward
the door. Her realization of what this
meant was shown In her final speech.
Three years isn't forever" she said
ia a level voice when l come out
you are going TO pay Tor every minute
Of them. Mr.. Glider. There won't be
a day or an hour that l won't remem-
Der that at the last it was your word
sent me TO prison. And you are going
to pay me for that. You are going to
pay me for the five years have starv-
ed making money for you-that too!
You are going to pay me for all the
things | am losing today, and
The girl thrust forth her left hand.
on that side where stood the officer.
So vigorous was her movement that
Cassidy's clasp was thrown off the
wrist But the bond between the two
was not broken, for from wrist to
wrist showed taut the steel chain of
the manacles. The girl shook the links
of the handouts in gesture stronger
than words.
You are going to pay me for this!''
she said. Her voice was little more
than a whisper, but it was loud in the
listeners heart. Yes, you are going
to pay-for this"
They were grim years. those three
years during which Mary Turner serv-
ed her sentence in Burnsing. There
was no time off for good behavior. The
girl learned soon that the favor of those
set in authority over her could only be
won at cost against which her every
maldenly instinct revolted. So she
went through the inferno of days and
nights in a dreariness Of suffering that
was deadly Naturally the life there
was altogether an evil thing. There
was the material i'll ever present in the
round of wearisome physical toil-the
coarse. distasteful food: the hard mar
row couch: the constant. gnawing irk-
Someness of Imprisonment, away from
light and air. away from all that
makes life worth while.
The best evidence of the fact that
Mary Turner's soul was not fatally
soiled must be found in the fact that
still at the expiration of her sentence
she was fully resolved to live straight.
as the saying is which she had quoted
10 Glider This. toe. in the face OF
sure knowledge as to the difficulties
that would beset the effort and in the
B face of the temptations offered to fol-
low an easier path.
There was, for example. Aggie
Lynch, fellow convict, with whom
she had a slight degree of acquaintance
nothing more. This young woman. q
criminal by training. offered allure.
ments of iIlegitimate employment In
the outer world when they should be
free. Mary endured the companion
ship with this prisoner because Il sixth
sense proclaimed the fact that here
was one immoral rather than immoral
and the difference is mighty.
For that reason Aggie Lynch was
not actively offensive. as were most OF
the Others. She was a dainty little
blond, with Il baby face. in which were
set two light blue eyes of Il sort to
widen often in demure wonder over
most things in surprising and naugh
~ world. She had been convicted OF
blackmail. and she made no pretenst
even of innocence. Instead. she was
inclined TO boast over her ability tc
bamboOZle men at her will. She was
natural actress of the ingenue role
and in that pose she could unfailingly
beguile the heart of the wisest Of
worldly rlen.
She had been reared in crimina
family. which must excuse much
Long ago she had lost track of he
father Her mother she had neve
known Her one relation was broth
er of high standing as Il pickpocket
One principal reason Of her success il
leading on men TO make fools of them
selves over her. to their everlasting re
greet afterward, lay In the fact that Il
spite Of all the gross Irregularities o
her life she remained cbaste.
The girl saw in Mary Turner tn
possibilities OF a ladylike personalit.
that might mean much financial prof
in the devious ways of which she wa
Il mistress With the frankness char
acteristic of her. she proceeded to pain
glowing pictures OF Il future shared t
the undoing of ardent and fatuOu
swains Mary Turner listened wit
curiosity. but she. was in no wis
moved to follow such a life. eve
though it did not necessitate anythin
worse than fraudulent playing a
love. So, she steadfastly continued he
refusals. She would live straight.
''You will find that you are u
against an awful frost" Aggie woul
declare brutally.