Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-10


The girl turned away quickly. She
knew that her cheeks flushed and
she did not want Richardson to see.
But his keen eyes did not miss the
gesture and he experienced q quick
contraction Of the heart. Lois didn't
seem TO know how he felt. With him
she made no effort 70 conceal her
own feelings, and II she knew that
be loved her, she gave no sign. He
was the mar to whom she turned
for friendship and counsel, and
Bruce knew that the line between
mere friendship and love - a bar
rier difficult &c surmount. He waited
for the inevitable question.
what is she like?"
sWho ~
-Carmody's s~ecretary?"
81 don't know" He chose his
words with care. "Tve only heard
rumors, Of course: not particularly
pleasant ones. Her uncle in q con
vict- il seems to be pretty general
knowledge around town that Car
mody's weakness Is women But
then there would be that sort Of
talk under those circumstances The
public tongue Is not overly charit-
abie.S
She spoke without looking I MIN.
sYou can find out?"
II can try"
"You self she is that sort Of a
girl, and IL she is the attraction
which keeps Bob out every day and
every night oh! Can't you see,
Bruce how important she becomes
In this effort Dad and / are making!
Can't you see that il is the direct
cos.fiict between deeeney and indie
cen xygF
so II everything in Bob's life right
now. Lois. / dian { know him before
he went TO prison; but ! know him
now. Even set ne il sensitive 70 i'm
pressions, and ] can fancy that he
must have been three years ago. In
all that time he has associated only
with convicted criminals: his one
friend is a burglar OF a robber-or
whstever you like. What Is more
natural than that he should hate you
and me-our whole class? We are
the decent. snug. self-satisfied people
who do not commit crimes, who have
no contact with the seamy side OF
life. We are the type hated by the
very ones on whom Bob has relied
for three years Tor friendship. That's
why the task isn't easy: Bob has
never committed a crime, but he has
been made a criminal"
"A criminal
"Of course. Phychologically he's a
criminal. He thinks as they do. sees
things through their eyes. And re-
members that the very fact Of his in
nocence has intensified that bitter
ness"
Then you think"
Merely that he cannot be made
over in a day. Nearly two months
have passed. Apparently no prog
ress has been made. But there Is
some change. At least he has not
definitely cast his lot with the fri
ends Of his prison cellmate. He con-
tinues to live in this house, and the
environment must be having its et-
feet. You mustn't expect too much
too soon. II will work out all right
She caught his hand: "You truly
think SO. Brueef"
His eyes smiled. bat HIS heart
shriyeled. He looked into her face
and saw that her original pity for
the wreck of n young man was perl
lousy close to the borderland Of a
deeper sentiment. She was ideaiiE-
ing Bob Terry rather than under
standing him. She was suffering
with him, rather than for him. And
40, because Lois Borden cared more
for Terry than she knew, she turned
in her trouble to this vistful friend
Of a lifetime; this tall and slender
and gentle young mar who had been
her knight-errant and her lover since
childhood
"We must pull him through,
Bruce" she cried. 81 can't do i
alone. Some man must help. Will
your
III the hand which held the pipe
trembled, and il the fine blue eyes
clouded with pain, Lois Borden did
not know. She only knew that his
deep voice soothed her with its quiet
confidence.
Certainly, I'll help, Lois" Then
with a wistfulness she did not
fathom-"I always have"
At a first glance one might have no
ticed a physical similarity between
Peter Borden and Jonas Merriwether-
They were Of an age and about the
came height; the hair Of each man
was rather sparse and definitely In