Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-11-20
Al DAUGHTER OF TWO WORLDS n FT.=E q. ssss

lot easier all around II you come
across clean"
She considered the situation rap
idly Tor moment, gazing from her
father to the detective. Then, "all
right did It" she admitted sulIenly.
Jennie, I'm surprised at you !" put
in Uncle George. THE forgery was
clever work, all right, but all the rest
was pretty rotten, Jennie--pretty rot e
ten.' He shook his head sadly. Uncle
1 George, in the days before his retire
ment. had been an artist and at this
moment his dominant feeling was an
artists impatience with clumsy work.
How'd you get the check7" de-
manded Jerry.
She remembered Sims request and
her own promise. "Mr. Morrison was
drinking, you know, and he must have
dropped his checkbook. / tore out a
check, and then a waiter gave the
book back TO him"
Anybody in the game with you?"
inquired Casey.
Again her answer was guided by
Sims request: "No, ] did it all
alone
Once more Black Jerry's wrath
surged up. And in Jerry's inchoate,
inarticulate soul sense that wrong
had been done, law broken, was no
element in his wrath. The few who
knew Jerry most intimately knew him
as straight guy but for him there
was no right or wrong-the sole mean
! ing of this to him was that something
! had happened which was violently con-
trary to his interests and his desires
for Jennie.
"You damned little fool - he burst
out.
Again he raised his hand. She
stepped swiftly back the angered palm
fell to his side, clenching and un-
clenching.
Don't be too sore, dad" she ar
gued rapidly. You're not going to
'ose anything" She turned and lifted
! the artificial roses from the jar on the
piano, recovered the money and held it
out to her father Il heard you say
! you were going to square this case:
There's the twenty five dollars
| haven't spent a cent of it. Take 1t
and square that Mr.. Morrison"
He looked at her grimly. "Mr
Morrison won't be squared.
but ] thought"
$50 did l. but I just learned that
| Morrison don't care about the money.
He's sore and wants to prosecute to
the limit
"Then--then-" Jennie stopped, be-.
widered.
Casey moved to her side. Sorry,
but l guess you'll have to come along
with me-"
"You mean--I'm N pinched?"
Eyes. Better put on your hat and
coat. Wen be going right over to the
women's night court We got taxi
waiting below. don't want. to make
a scene if / can help it.
! She hesitated. still bewildered by the
turn events had taken. Her g'ances
shifted about the four men, then rested
on Harry. The young man was staring
at her with loose jaw, taken aback by
the revelation Of her forgery and by
the manner in which a little earlier
she had secured a loan from him and
by her easy prevarication concerning
that money.
Jennie turned and went into her bed
room and presently she re entered
dressed to- leave; and in another min
ute she and her father and Uncle
George and Casey . e out upon the
sidewalk--a cold ram was misting
drearily down-and Casey was pressing
her before them into the taxicab. She
was thoroughly frightened. Suspense
and vivid apprehensions shot her
wildly through. What was about to
happen? Courts-prisons! What would
the judge do to her?
But frightened as she was, even so
her self confidence did not all desert
her. She sat up very rigid in her
corner and listened to the talk of the
men as the car jolted over granite
paved streets She learned that Uncle
George had already telephoned law
yer to be waiting at the Jefferson Mar
ket Court. Black Jerry and Uncle
George, with occasional advice from
the friendly central Office detective, dis
cussed what would be the wisest pro-
cedure, whether to have an immediate
trial or waive examination and have
the case held for the Court of Special
Sessious.
Better have Jennie stand trial
onight,," argued Uncle George,
experience in such matters.
"That'll give her two trials: two
chances-see? The judge tonight may
be easy on her and let her off. On
the other hand the worst he can do is
to hold her for Special Sessions"
To that Jerry agreed.
And. Of course, the wise thing IL
for. her to plead guilty and throw her
.elf on the mercy of the court" Uncle
George went on. And you, Jerry,
you'd better keep as much out Of it as
you can-you can't help much; and
I'll do the same. Well leave 1T up
to the lawyer"
The car stopped and they all got out
into the rain before dingy red build
ing. Overhead an elevated train went
laundering through the night.
Understand what you re to do, Jen
ME p queried Uncle George.
Yes" said Jennie.
At the last moment the old man could
not forgo giving further words to his
provoked artistic sense. 1T was raw
work. Jennie, awfully raw WORKOUT
remember-keep your head in there"
She felt Casey slip hand under her
arm, and guided by him she went UP
through the wide portals of the build
ing, across the rear of the courtroom
and through a passage into q grimy
chamber in which some ten or a dozen
women lounged about awaiting trial
For all her sense of impending per
sonal disaster Jennie looked her fellow
prisoners over quickly. A few were
bedraggled. hats awry, with skirts
rudely dissociated from waists, and
Others had high -colored bold eyed
faces. Circumstances had acquainted
Jennie witty wide area of life, and she
knew what these women were charged
with. She was not shocked this was
the way things we're; but she drew
,. Moro Thnn HnJf fbo Tim,