Putnam patriot., 1914-02-27

tdullly. WHICH 1uSI excuse ulHCn.
Long ago she had lost track of her
father Her mother she had never
known. Her one relation was broth
er Of high standing as a pickpocket
One principal reason of her success in
leading on men to make fools of them
selves over her. to their everlasting re-
greet afterward. lay in the fact that in
spite of all the gross Irregularities of
her life she remained chaste.
The girl saw in Mary Turner the
that might mean much financial profit
In the devious ways OF which she was
mistress With the franknesS char
arteristic Of her. she proceeded to paint
glowing pictures of future shared to
the nndoing of ardent and fatuous
SWANS Mary Turner listened with
curiosity. but she WIS in no wise
moved to follow such a life, even
though it did not neceSsitate anything
worse than fraudulent playing at
love So. she steadfastly continued her
refusals She would live straight.
You will find that you are up
against an awful FROST" Aggie would
declare brutality.
Mary found the prophecy true. Back
in New York she experienced a pow
erty more ravaging than any she had
known in those FIVE lean years of her
working In the store. She had been
absolutely penniless for two days, and
without food through the gnawing
hours. when she found employment in
a milliner's shop. Followed a blessed
interval in which she worked content
edly. happy over the meager stipend.
since it served to give her shelter and
food honestly earned
The police informed Mary's employer
concerning her record as convict,
and she was Mt once discharged. The
unfortunate victim of the law came
perilouslv close to despair then ct.
her spirit triumphed. and again she
9ersevered in that resolve to live
straight She found a cheap position
in a cheap shop. only to be again per-
secuted by the police. so that sue
speedily lost the place.
A third time she Obtained work ana
there, after a little. she told hef EN-
ployer candy manufactures III
small wav. the truth as to her having
been in prison. The man llad kindly
heart and he ran little risk, 50 lie al.
lowed her to remain. When the ponce
called his attention to the girls erlm
inal record he paid no heed to their au
vice against retaining her services
The notice brought pressure to bear on
the man. They even called III the as
sistance of Edward Glider himself
who obligingly wrote very severe iet-
ter to the girls employer. In the emu
though unwillingly enough. he dismiss
ed Mary from his service
# was then that despair did come
upon the girl. She had tried with all
the strength OF her to live straight
Yet DESPITE her innocence. the WorIu
vonId not let her live according to heF
own conscience. 1t demanded that she
he the criminal II had branded her-h
she we're to live at all She still walk
ed the streets falteringly. seeking some
mace. but her heart was gone from
the quest. Came an hour when she
th,nght of the river and WAS glad
So she went through the long stretch
of in lighted streets. crossed some ran
road tracks to pier. over when she
hurried to the far end. where II pro
ieeted ont to the fiercer currents or the
Hudson There. without giving her
self moments pause for renectloh OF
hesitation. she leaped out as far as
her strength permitted into the con OF
waters. But In that tinaI second nat
nral terror In the face or death over
came the lethargy of despair-a shriek
burst from her lips.
On the side of the pier man ia"
lust tied I'D motorboat. He STOOD up
In alarm at the cry and WIS just ID
time to gain a glimpse OF white lace
under the dim moonlight as 1t sweep
down with the tide. two rods beyond
him. He threw of his coat ana sprahs
far out after the drifting body lie
came TO it in few furious strokes ana
caught it,
Then began the savage struggle TO
save her and himself The currents
tore at him wrathfully, but be folsht
AGAINST them with all the fierceness OF
his nature. What saved the two OF
them was the violent temper 81 the
man Always il had been the demon
n set him aaame His rage mounted
and eaye him new power in the hattie.
finder the nrge OF it he conquered ana
At last brought himself and his charge
to the shore
Mary revived To clear consciousness.
which was nj first inclined toward
bvsteria. but This phase yielded soon
1uaer the sympathetic ministrations
If the man. His rather low voice was
soo,bine to her tired soul. and ais
ui,ote air was at once masfertni and
gently tender. When finally she va
allie 10 stand and to walk Win II"
support Of his arm she went iofWaf.
slowly at his side without so muci
even as a question of whittier
Joe Cursor had performed pernaps
his first action with 10 thought OF SCI
af the back of it. He had risReu nh
life 10 save that of stranger. IN