The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1914-08-29
CONTINUED from Page 81
THE ROSARY.


ed the rosary and-thought. The
telephone rang sharply to disturb his
uneasy reverie. 1t was Big Sandy,
calling to make assurance doubly sure.
lingering the beads, Cassidy did
not put boldness into his voice it had
carried in their last interview. In
sheer disgust, finally, he snapped the
receiver up.
"Have that fellow brought in" he
growled to the secretary.
The pitiful desperate dragged into
his presence was disconcerting sight.
His face was CHASTITY and his bloodless
lips quivered in fright. Hardly twenty,
his eyes had even less of sophistica
ton than is worn by one much
younger, as he rolled them pleadingly
toward the chief. The terrible news
the turnkey joyfully communicated
when he awoke set him off in a frenzy
The grim Cassidy dispensed with the
accusing glare which had awed holder
criminals-the lump in his throat
checked it.
"Sit down, my boy" he commanded,
in tones that bore note of friendship
even to the numbed ears of the cover
ing lad, who sank weakly into chair
and was forced to grip the sides to
keep from slipping to the floor. Wait
ing until the boy had Gained himself
somewhat, the Chief asked recountal
of the immediate past. Thawing I'M
der the mild manner of the questioner,
he quickly unburdened himself
He had run away from home in the
summer; shame kept him from return
ing when he had chance, and when,
family, suffering and priVation drove
him to attempt the trip, the winter fell
on him and found him totally unpro-
vided. His very ignorance Of the ways
of the professional beat was mani
tested in his innocent confession. The
way was long, he grew weak and more
helpless. In utter desperation, the
night before, he had sought admission
to switchman's shanty to stay until
he could steal ride. Some one rude
ly objected, and the result was stun
ming blow from behind. When his
senses partly returned he found him.
self staggering along the streets of an
unknown city. Of the apartment
house he had not the slightest recol-
lection.
"Why, I never owned gun in my
life" he cried, as the hating tale
ended. 81 can't deny a thing, of
course, but God knows I'm innocent
can they do anything with me?"
Yes, the Chief assured him as gently
as possible, they could detain him for
time at least. AS to convicting him,
he felt that that was out of the ques-
ton. Yet he felt very sad at the pros
pect.
'I'll do the best I can for you, lad"
he said, after a pause; "and all be-
cause of these" holding up the beads.
"Are they yours?" The young fellow
reached for them with glad smile.
Eyes, sir; | thought had lost them
when | felt in my pockets this morn
ing. l gave up hope then"
you believe they'll help your" The
prisoner looked up, a surprised light
in his eyes.
"Why, I know they will; an old
Dominican Father blessed them for
me when made my first Communion,
and he said as long as l was faithful
to them the Mother of God would be
faithful to me-"
Eyes, but how are they going to help
you now?" the Chief persisted. The
boy smiled quietly.
"Why, haven't they already made
you my friend? l know you can help
me. l know you will" There was a
long silence after that. Chief Cassidy
stared out into the wintry street; he
felt ashamed that the rosary had Sc
lected him for it's advocate. And then
he saw himself cast off by the gang
and spurned by the reformers. Even
if he did not become actually de-
pendent in his old age, he would lose
some of the dignity and pride he al
ways carried. This strange boy was
asking the rosary to accomplish a
whole lot, but Chief Cassidy was game.
In a flash the struggle ended. He
consigned the boy to the turnkey
again with assurances of immediate
results. Then he looked up the boss
to make his report-the most disagree
able thing he had done for many
day.
He found him hidden away in a
secluded corner of his club, silently
plotting for the future. The weary,
bloodshot eyes frightened at. the ap-
proach of the old reliable Cassidy. All,
here was a man to rely on at any stage
of the game!
"Well?" he wheezed, in subdued
eagerness, chow are we progressing?"
Cassidy, with cool stare, sank into a
chair opposite him.
with the Stanford suicide case?"
innocently, as he bit off the end of his
cigar. The boss ground out an oath.
moi" he Kissed, 'the Stanford
murder-murder-h about the sus-
pect?" Cassidy expelled a cloud of
smoke before replying.
"Cut out the murder stuff, Sandy"
he answered, looking squarely into the
astonished face of the dictator. 1T
isn't going to carry" Sandy was a
good imitation of a man about to roll
on the floor
Whats that?" he finally managed
to articulate. do the newspaper
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