The Washington times., 1930-10-02
CHAPTER So

1t was noon of the following
day. Cathie had had so many
visitors that her head ached.
Not that 1t hadn't ached all
night. It had, but this was a
new kind Of ache. Tt throbbed,
It pulsed and ,throbbed, keeping
such perfect time that she
found herself talking in time to
itS rhythm. Her voice probably
sounded very funny, but what Of
that? She was a lost soul >. :.
one found guilty of murder in
the first degree .. so little
thing like funny voice is just
nothing.
Ruth came and told her not
to worry about Ma. Ma had a
trained nurse, and DR.. Doogan
said it was only the shock,
though, of course, at her
age
TT will probably kill her"
Cathie said.
"Cathie!"
"1'm sorry" Cathie said hum
bly,. She hadn't meant to
frighten Ruth. She had passed
so far beyond being frightened,
so far beyond pretending, that
she had forgotten for the. mo-
ment that everyone else hadn't
Numb Inside"
Ruth, red-eyed and indignant,
left as soon eshe could. Cathie
watched her go without feeling
of any kind. She thought, "Un.
less I change I won't mind
walking to what do they call it?
the death chamber. I won't
mind anything, because I'm all
numb inside ;. -
Mr.. Allan and Mr.. Gunther
came. They had filedsa a petit
ton for an appeal. That meant
it had to be done all over.
Don't you think It's rather
q waste?" Cati1ie asked, nod.
ding her head o. little, in. time
with. the ache!" -.
my God. we can't give up
noW!" Mr.. Allan roared. They
found you guilty. Don't you
know what that means?"
Eyes, they'll hang me-" she
said indifferently.
mo. no. -. Don't please,
for Gods sake, breathe that
tho thought! The worst will be be
''Life?"
"Prison for life"
Catlie looked around her
little whitewashed room. Gould
Gordon come to see me when
ever want lim?"
Mr.. Allan looked frightened.
"No, no. you don't understand.
It would be prison for life.
San Quentin. Not here. You'd
get parole eventually. but my
God, girl = aren't you inno-
cent?"
Eyes. Oh, yes
''Then have you no fight IN
you?".
"No," said Cathie.
WlA1mG 10 OuAG
Mr.. Allan paced the floor.
He wiped his perspiring head
with the fancy handkerchief in
his coat pocket. Don't you
want to prove to the world
that you're innocent? II you
don't care for yourself, ;, think
Of your mother. Do you want
her disgraced2" 2" So,
."She's disgraced now. Shes
sick. Maybe she'll die before
they hang me-or shut me, up
for life, or whatever. they De
eide to do" Then, more gent
ly,. 81 wish you'd thought Of
this before. =. I mean, OF ma,
and clearing me. It's too late
now. I'd have given anything
even my, life. to spare her
But you don't understand.
It's done now. I've killed her,
broken her heart, she won't
want to live. oh, no. don't,
try to comfort me, because you
can't. Nobody ca n. that's
why 1T doesn't matter :. what
they do to me. because I'm
dead already. =, inside. .."
Nonsense. You're depressed,
your. nerves are all shot. But
YOU'RE young. Years Of life
ahead. Try to- think. Surely
you don't want to go to prison
for life?"
Pleads for Help
Cathie tried to think. Prison
for life. She, an old woman,
in San Quentin, that place
. with the gray walls that you
pass when you're driving to.
san Rafael ON a picnic. And
time going on. and other girls
driving by in cars, on their way
to picnics. and you inside the
gray walls. :.
MRS. Farnsworth, I beg you,
help me as I'm trying to help
you!"
You're very kind" Cathie
said gently. and smiled.
MI: Jesse Allan could not
bear to see her smile. To see
that thin, paln-wracked face
with its dark shadowed eyes
and cloud of fair, softly shin
ing hair, suddenly light, as If
from some inner radiance. So
he. found an excuse, and went
away. ~ -
It was evening when Gordon
came. She had been waiting for
him all day. } She couldn't see
why they kept him from her
now, when she was lost any