The Washington times., 1938-10-18
THE CHOICE
Daily Short Story

DICK OakeS Den1nQ the DarS 1Or as
long a time as I can. The safety
Of society demands it."
"And so does your hatred,
doesn't it, Jim? Glenna smiled.
"Im sorry about that. I can see
your point and, Of course, you're
right legally. But If you convict
Dick Oakes, I'm afraid that any
feeling I may have for you will
be pretty thoroughly cooled"
"STILL A WOMAN"
"You realize, don't you, that you
are practically bribing me to break
my oath of office and go lightly on
his prosecution, don't you?" he
asked. well, I'm sorry. won't
do it. I'm surprised at you. But I
shouldn't. AS smart as you are,
Glenna, you're still a woman. You
don't think straight. You'll see my
point when Dick Oakes is in prison.
Then I have something important
to ask you"
Perhaps you're right" Glenna
admitted thoughtfully. "I am a
woman. I never realized it so thor
oughly until this trial began. They
say women always lo-are inter-
eSted in men who are wild and
That's it," Jim soothed. You'll
get over it."
I'm afraid won't" Glenna
smiled. "And if Dick is convicted,
think would better not ask me
that important question. I'm
afraid the answer will be Mo-"
Jim smiled. He knew women.
He went on with his bitter prose
cution. And the jury seemed to
agree with him thoroughly. They
found Dick guilty with a recon-
mendation for mercy. Judge Cor
rain, much against his will, SEN
fenced him to q year in State
prison.
That night, Dick Oakes had a
visitor in jail. It was Glenna.
Dick" she told him, 1--WE come
to say Au rcvoir. I want you to
notice that it isn't Good-by. I'll
be seeing you as often as there is
a visiting day down in the place
you're headed for"
Dick looked at her long and
thoughtfully.
"I wouldn't do that, Glenna,"
he said. After all, I'm not a cit
izen any more. I'm an outlaw,
a convicted criminal. You don't
want to be mixed up with that
kind Of person"
II don't intend to be-" Glenna
told him calmly. You're not that
kind Of a person. That money
you took really belonged to you.
Everybody knows that. The way
you collected it certainly was un-
conventional. But I'm tired of
conventions. I'm sick Of the un-
monotony Of the law
abiding.
My Sympathies have always been
with the men who have been in
prison and who come out to find
society against them. OF course,
most of them are born criminals.
Most of them belong in prison.
I don't think you're very smart
but your action is pretty typical
of a short sighted individual who
fOrgetS consequences when he sets
his mind on any act. And,
strangely, I can understand just
how you felt. I don't know
you know it or not, but
there have been seven thieves. one
pirate and q murderer in my an
cestry."
TITS no good, Glenna," he
laughed. I'm out Of your orbit. I"
Would you be if I told you I
love you, Dick?" she asked softly.
I'D be a fool if I did," he ad-
after a long look at her
and took her in his arms.
They were married when Dick
had served nine months. At first,
Judge Corrain offered strenuous
objections. He threatened Dick.
He told him he would hound him
until the day he died. So did
Jim Spinnet, who was nearly wild.
But Dick said he would take the
chance.
Two years after they were mar
ried, some stocks that Dick had
thought were worthless turned out
to be worth great deal of money.
Dick used some of it to put into
an automobile agency and he be-
gan to make money. Two children
came along in the next five years
and Dick, in spite of the fact that
he couldn't vote, rose to be the
leading citizen of the community.
So well was he liked that depu-
tation of citizens went to the gov.
ernor and applied for a pardon
for Dicks crime. The governor
granted it and Dick was where he
belonged again.
A funny thing happened the
day Dick was restored to citizen
ship. Jim Spinnet, then in pri-
vate practice, was arrested on the
charge Of misusing $4,000 en-
trusted to him by an aged woman,
one of his clients. Later, he
pleaded guilty. He is now serving
five years in States Prison, the
place to which he had so enthuSi-
aStically sent Dick.
Glenna never says anything,
but it is generally suspected that
she is pretty happy about the
whole thing.
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