Evening star., 1924-07-20

FVlR AqBAl6Q|g W.
Sheriff Holmes smiled understand
| ingIy. Like it?"
Selma 10 did not even turn her
| head. Whose is them air lii gals?"
| she asked breathlessly.
THE state's-for the present" was
| the answer. when girls-young
ones. like you-break the law" the
| sheriff explained, ''they bring them
here to be reformed"
whats reformed"
well, it's like this; before they let
| girl go again. she mas to prove she's
been changed for the better"
Changed" Selma 10 looked up
| with quick indrawn breath. They
| make 'em diffe'ent fun what they
| was?"
"Ye-e-s-that's about it, I guess"
do they learn 'em outen books in
there?'
'Oh, yes: they have regular hours
for study
can could-could a gal git in there
what didn't know nothin' but part
| O. the fust reader -
"You don't understand, yet, child.
| It's only for girls who do wrong.
| Now, a girl like you would never go
there"
Selma Jo sighed dejectedly. Her
| eyes caressed the buildings with their
| spotless white walls and wide-flung
shutters, and the groups of girls scat
| tered about the lawn.
PRESENTLY she pointed to a high iron
picket fence which inclosed the lot.
What's the fence fer?" she asked.
Why, if that fence wasn't there.
little sister, half the girls there would
light out before midnight" the sheriff
answered
They'd run away?" Selma 10 shook
her head incredulously. "F-um them
purity houses?"
= x :. *
! CINCE it would be impossible for her
- to reach home that day, she spent
another night with the sheriff's
| family. Her dreams were peopled
with girls in white blouses and blue
skirts. thousands of them, it seemed
to her. They were all within an iron
! fenced inclosure. beckoning to her to
| enter: and she was always just on the
outside.
| With morning came thoughts OF her
| work in the turrentine orchard The
| idea began to burn itself into her
| consciousness that, though she might
spend lifetime of honest toll, she
would always be referred to as zone
| OF that Hudsill tribe
| During breakfast she was quiet and
thoughtful With shy acknowledge
ment of thanks. she accepted the lib
| eral lunch provided by the sheriff. g
wife and made her adieus. Two miles
outside the town she left the highway.
| A hundred yards from the road she
seated herself upon log and grimly
prepared to wait.
| Darkness had fallen when she again
entered Eastview and cautiously ap-
preached the reformatory from the
rear. She scaled the iron fence with
| comparative ease and crept toward a
| lighted window on the ground floor.
Two girls of about her own age sat
| at study table.
kin l come in?" Selma 10 asked
| softly.
One of the girls screamed slightly;
| the other was more selfpossessed.
"Sure, Rubev' she invited cordially.
| 'Step right in"'
Selma Jo climbed over the low win
| dow sill into the room. '-----
what you doin' here" one OF the
girls asked.
I'm j'inin' O. this here re-formin'
place." was the unruff1cd answer.
You're wha-a-at?"
Very simply Selma 10 made known
her intentions.
But you'll be caught, sure as shoot
in" one of the girls objected. I'm
the first place you've got no uni
FORM"
Naturally, Selma 10 expected TO be
discovered sooner or later: but she
had prepared for this eventuality.
MAYBE we can fix that" the other
girl broke in eagerly. There's that
old blouse of mine and your extra
! skirt. Gee. I wish we could put it
over. Wouldn't old Iron Jaw be
wild?" t,
Between them they rigged uni
form for Selma Jo. At the nightly
inspection she crept under the bed.
Later she slept on a pallet.
The fortunate indispposition Of a
girl across the hall solved the break
fast problem. Selma 10, taking the
vacant place in the formation, passed
undiscovered for the moment.
AS the girls were forming for GER
tain duties shortly after breakfast
Selma Jo felt a heavy hand upon her
shoulder. She looked up into the
! stern face of the matron.
"what. are you doing here?" was
the curt inquiry.
"Mec' Selma JOS attempt at sur
prise was ludicrous. Il b'long
here. ma'am."
"You do? You ought to know me
! then. WHAT'S my name. ?''
Instinct told the girl that this must
be the matron. "Old Iron Jaw" she
fanswered unabashed.
Mary Shane smiled grimly. Come
with. me- she ordered =.