Charlevoix county herald., 1916-10-06
teoPIRIenI. 1918. nv ALBERT PArsoH TtRhustJ

where in town that no outsider was
ever able to find. II may be worth
| hunting for. He has a son, too, knock
ing around the city. A cheap tough.
Of the cigarette-eating type. | sup
pose he's arranged to meet him. He'll
bear watching, too, now that his old
mans out"
Max Lamar was not the prisons only
voluntary guest that noon. The grim
old archway leading to hopelessness
was graced by the presence OF two
women who were frequent and well
come visitors to the place-June
Travis and her sweet-faced mother
June was girl of rare beauty, both
of soul and of face. Impatient at the
idle, futile life Of the girls in her own
walk of life, she had chosen to change
much Of her comfortable leisure into
! toll in behalf of released prisoners.
Today June had heard that Circle"
Jim Borden's sentence was to expire
at noon. So noon found her and her
mother in the warden's office, await
ing the cOnvict's appearance.
The door of the warden's office
opened. A keeper stepped into the
room, ushering in a square-built man
Of fifty.
The man with the keeper was clad
in an ill-ftting suit of gray; bearing
in it's every badly cut line the unmis-
! taxable sign of "prisonmade.
Yet, in that heavy face were marks
| Of intellect, character, power. At
sight Of him, June's heart gave
queer little throb. She did not know
why.
The warden rose to his feet smil-
| ing, and stretching out his hand to
the newcomer.
"Good-by, jim" he said, pleasantly,
Il hope you're going to take a brace
this time. You can do it, if you try.
There's plenty of chance for you yet,
! if"
His professionally cheerful voice
gradually died away, and his out
stretched hand dropped to his side
as he saw the sullen contempt in the
convict's sunken eyes.
Circle" Jim said no word in reply.
He made no move to accept the prof
fered hand. Then, as the warden
ceased to speak, the man turned to
leave the room.
Hold on, jim" interposed the war
den. This young lady wants to speak
/ to you"
You are going to let me help you"
she pleaded. you are going to let
me be of use to you-to be your
friend?'
Friend" grimly repeated Borden,
the prison "rasp" making his deep
voice sound as though it needed oil
ing. Friend? He'll"
But l want to help you!" she
urged, undaunted. Il want you to
make a man of yourself 1t is not too
/ late. If not for your own sake, then
for your wifes-"
A spasm of pain twisted the heavy
control of himself
MY wife," he said, shortly, is
dead"
"Oh, I'm so sorry! so sorry" said
! June in quick sympathy. "But-but
surely you have someone - some
daughter or son-for whose sake you
can live honestly. Some son, perhaps,
for whom you can set a splendid ex-
ample Of manhood-of-"
Circle" Jim shook away her gentle
hand, in a violent shudder. Then he
| bolted from the room, pushing past
| the keeper who, after an inquiring
glance at the warden, let him go.
You see how it is, Miss Travis"
began the warden.
But June was not there She had
! sped after the Tetreating convict.
Mrs Travis, worried at her daughters
impetuous pursuit of such hopeless
case, babe the warden goodby and
| followed
Meantime, as a guard threw open
the gate leading from the prison to
the street outside, June caught up
with Borden.
II hurt your feelings, I'm afraid"
she accosted him timidly, as he
paused a moment, irresolute, on the
| pavement. But / didn't mean to-.
Honestly, | didn't. And I'm sorry.
| Please forgive me, Mr.. Borden.
know how bitterly you must feel to-
ward everyone But do want you to
let me do something for you. II il
angers you to have me talk to you,
won't you at least take this, to help
you along until you can find steady
work."
AS she spoke, she drew from her
wristbag a little roll of bills; and
thrust them into the convict's cal
| loused left hand.
The well-meant act scourged Bor-
! den, from contemptuous apathy, into
flaming rage. His gnarled fist gripped
tight on the money, crushing it to a
wad. Then he flung it to the pave
ment and turned sharply away.
Again the girl sought to detain him.
| At her touch he whirled savagely up
on her; his lips drawn back from his
yellowed teeth; his left fist clenched
! and half-raised, as il to strike
81