Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-01-07

SHOWN III Iesc next WOFuS. VIZ r.. s>,:55ts Fl :
$50 you have met me before?
Wheref" @
The girl unwittingly made confess
sion In her hating words.
II can't tell you" There was de-
spair in her voice.
"You must" IT.
The girl only crouched lower.
Il can't!'' she cried again, painting AZ
IL In exhaustion.
"Why can't youY ,--
not go on.
what were you sent up for?''
"For stealing"
STEALING whatT'
Goods
"Where from?''
The Emporium"
In a fash of intuition the whole
truth was revealed to the woman who
stood looking down at the covering
creature before her.
"The Emporium she repeated.
There was tragedy in the single
word. "Then you are the one who''-
The accusation was cut short by the
girls shrek.
II am not! am not, l tell your
For a moment Mary lost her poise.
Her voice rose in a fare Of rage.
"You are! You arev'
The craven spirit Of the girl could
struggle no more. She could only sit
In huddled, shaking heap Of dread.
Mary soon mastered her to such an
extent that when she spoke again, as
1t in self communion, her words came
quietly, yet with overtones of q su-
preme woe.
'She did it!' Then after little she
addressed the girl with a certain Won
dering before this mystery of horror.
why did you throw the blame on
me?"
The girl made several efforts before
her mumbling became intelligible, and
then her speech was gasping, broken
with fear.
Il found out they were watching
me. and was afraid they would catch
me. So took them and ran into the
cloak room and put them in locker
that wasn't close to mine and some in
the pocket of coat that was hanging
there. God knows l didn't know
whose it was. just put them there
was frightened''-
"But they caught you later. Why
didn't you tell then?'
II was afraid" came the answer
from the shuddering girl II told them
1t was the first time had taken any
thing, and they let me off with year."
"You cried and lied, and they let you
of with year. I wouldn't cry. I
told the truth-and"- Mary's voice
broke in fearless sob. The color had
gone out of her face, and she stood
rigid. looking down at the girl whose
crime had ruined her life with an ex-
preston Of infinite loathing in her eyes
Aggie took advantage of the pause.
Her voice was acid. "Some people are
sneaks-just sneaksv'
Somehow the speech was welcome
to the girl. gave her a touch of cour-
age sufficient for cowardly protesta-
tons. It was more like the abuse that
was familiar to her. A gush of tears
came.
'I'll never forgive myself, never!
she moaned.
"Oh, yes, you will.'' Mary said
malevolently. "People forgive them
selves pretty easily. Stop crying. No.
body is going to hurt you" She thrust
the money again toward the girl and
crowded it into the half reluctant, half
greedy hand. "Take it, and get out"
The contempt in her voice rang still
sharper. "Go, before I change my
mind!'
The girl needed no second bidding.
With the money still clutched in her
hand she went forth swiftly. stumbling
a little in her haste, fearful lest at the
last moment the woman she had so
wronged should change in mood and
take back the money.
Freed from the miasma of that pres
ence. Mary remained motionless for a
long minute. then sighed from her tor
tured heart.
"A girl didn't KNOW she said be-
wilderedly, perhaps had never spoken
to-who smashed my life like that!
Oh, If it wasn't so awful it would be-
funny! 1t would be funny!'