, 1921-08-20

81 can guess" Bronson said.
yes. I suppose you can" the girl
answered. well. you can believe It
or not. just as you please-as
though he had accused her OF SONG
thing-"but, before God. II wasn't
my d~oings." She pointed with a wave
of her hand towards the prison wall
II did not know It was for me he
helped them get the money until he
said so on the stand. / didn't know
he was thinking of running on with
me ut all. 1 guess I'D ave gone II
he had asked me. But ! dfdn't put
him up to il as they said I'd done.
1 knew he cared for me a lot. but l
didn't think he cared as much as
that. His wife" she stopped, and
seemed TO consider her words care
fully. as IL to be quite fair in what
she said-"his wife. ] guess. didn't
Know just how to treat him She
was too fond OF going out, and hay-
ing company at the house. when he
was away nights watching at the
bank. When they was first married
she used to go down to the bank and
sit up with him 10 keep him COM
pany: but it was lonesome there in
the dark, and she give IL up. She
was always fond of company and hav-
ing men around. Her and her mother
are a good deal alike. Henry used
to grumble about IL. and then she'd
get mad. and that's how IT begun.
And then the neighbors talked. too.
II was after that that he get to COM
ing to see me. l was living out in
service then. and he used TO stop in
to see me on his way back from the
bank, about seven in the morning.
when I was up in the kitchen getting
breakfast. I'd give him a cup OF cof-
fec or something. and that's how we
got acquainted"
She turned her face away. and
looked at the lights farther down the
street. They said a good Zeal about
me IND him that wasn't true" There
was n pause. and then she looked ut
Bronson again. II told him he ought
to stop coming to see M and to
make II up with his wife. but he said
he liked me best. I couldn't help his
saying that, could /. II he did? Then
he-then this come" she nodded to
the jail. land they blamed me for It.
They said hat / stood in with the
b~ank-robbers, and was working with
them: they said they used me for to
get him 10 help them" She lifted
her face to the boy and the man. and
they saw that her eyes were wet and
that her face was %quivering. That's
AAhEAgf Aoh I 1At AtlAduutuH win
a sob. She stood for a moment look
ing at the great iron gate. and Their
at the clock-face glowing duly
through the falling NOW it showed
a quarter to twelve. when he was
put away" she went on. sadly. 81
started in to wait for him. and to
ave something against his coming
out. ! only got three dollars a week
and my keep, but l had saved one
hundred and thirty dollars up to last
April. and then l took sick. and II all
went TO the doctor and for medicines.
I didn't want to spend 1t that way.
but | couldn't die and not see him.
Sometimes / thought 1t would be bet
ter il ] did die and save the money
for him. and then there wouldn't be
any more trouble. anyway. But l
couldn't make up my mind to do 1t.
did go without taking medicines
they laid out for me for three days:
but l had TO live-I just had to.
Sometimes I think I ought to have
given up, and not tried to get well.
What do you think"
Bronson shook his head, and
cleared his throat as IL he were going
to speak. but said nothing. Gale
CHER was looking up at the girl with
large. open res. Bronson wondered
IL any woman would ever love him
as much as that, or il he would ever
love any m SO. 1t made. him feel
lonesome, and he shook his head.
"Well?" he said, impatiently.
We'll. that's all; that's how it is"
she said. she's been living on there
at Tacony with her mother. She kept
seeing as ia men as before. and
kept getting pitied all the time;
everybody was so sorry for her. When
he was so bad that time a year ago
with his lungs, they said in Eacony
that IL he died she'd marry Charley
Cakes. the conductor. He's always
going to see her. Them that knew
her knew me. and l got word about
how Henry was getting on. 1
! couldn't see him. because she told
) lies about me to the warden, and
they wouldn't let me. But I got word
: about him. He's been fearful sick
just lately. He caught a cold walk
ing in the yard, and 1t got down to
his lungs. That's why they are let
ting him out. They say he's changed
| so. l wonder II I'm changed much?
I've fallen off since l was ILL., She
l passed her hands slowly over her
! face, with a touch Of vanity that hurt
Bronson somehow. and he wished he
might tell her how pretty she still
vas ~ yOo lntuh ne IL KNOW me =
she asked. Do you think she'll let
me speak to him?"
} Il don't know. How Fan I tell?"
said the reporter. sharply. He was
strangely nervous and upset. He
could see no way out OF it. The girl
seemed to be telling the truth, and
) yet the mans wife was with him and
by his side, as she should be, and this
woman had no place on the scene.
and could mean nothing but trouble
TO herself and to every n else.
Come" he said, abruptly, I'VE had
!. better be getting up there. It's only
| Ave minutes of twelve"
The girl turned with a quick start.
J and walked on ahead of them UP the
drive leading between the snow-cov-
, r grass-plots that stretched from
5 the pavement to the wall of the
prison. She moved unsteadily and
slowly. and Bronson saw that sba