within the law-第5部分

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〃Because；〃　the　lawyer　said；　again　halting　directly　before　the　desk；　〃in　spite　of　all　the　evidence　against　her；　I　am　not　sure　that　Mary　Turner　is　guiltyfar　from　it；　in　fact！〃　

Gilder　uttered　an　ejaculation　of　contempt；　but　Demarest　went　on　resolutely。

〃Anyhow；〃　he　explained；　〃the　girl　wants　to　see　you；　and　I　wish　to　urge　you　to　grant　her　an　interview。〃

Gilder　flared　at　this　suggestion；　and　scowled　wrathfully　on　the　lawyer；　who；　perhaps　with　professional　prudence；　had　turned　away　in　his　rapid　pacing　of　the　room。

〃What's　the　use？〃　　Gilder　stormed。　　A　latent　hardness　revealed　itself　at　the　prospect　of　such　a　visitation。　And　along　with　this　hardness　came　another　singular　revelation　of　the　nature　of　the　man。　　For　there　was　consternation　in　his　voice；　as　he　continued　in　vehement　expostulation　against　the　idea。　　If　there　was　harshness　in　his　attitude　there　was；　too；　a　fugitive　suggestion　of　tenderness　alarmed　over　the　prospect　of　undergoing　such　an　interview　with　a　woman。

〃I　can't　have　her　crying　all　over　the　office　and　begging　for　mercy；〃　he　protested；　truculently。　　But　a　note　of　fear　lay　under　the　petulance。

Demarest's　answer　was　given　with　assurance〃

〃You　are　mistaken　about　that。　　The　girl　doesn't　beg　for　mercy。　　In　fact；　that's　the　whole　point　of　the　matter。　She　demands　justicestrange　as　that　may　seem；　in　a　court　of　law！and　nothing　else。　　The　truth　is；　she's　a　very　unusual　girl；　a　long　way　beyond　the　ordinary　sales…girl；　both　in　brains　and　in　education。〃

〃The　less　reason；　then；　for　her　being　a　thief；〃　Gilder　grumbled　in　his　heaviest　voice。

〃And　perhaps　the　less　reason　for　believing　her　to　be　a　thief；〃　the　lawyer　retorted；　suavely。　　He　paused　for　a　moment；　then　went　on。　　There　was　a　tone　of　sincere　determination　in　his　voice。　　〃Just　before　the　judge　imposed　sentence；　he　asked　her　if　she　had　anything　to　say。　You　know；　it's　just　a　usual　forma　thing　that　rarely　means　much　of　anything。　　But　this　case　was　different；　let　me　tell　you。　　She　surprised　us　all　by　answering　at　once　that　she　had。　　It's　really　a　pity；　Gilder；　that　you　didn't　wait。　　Why；　that　poor　girl　made　adamnfine　speech！〃　

The　lawyer's　forensic　aspirations　showed　in　his　honest　appreciation　of　the　effectiveness　of　such　oratory　from　the　heart　as　he　had　heard　in　the　courtroom　that　day。

〃Pooh！　pooh！〃　came　the　querulous　objection。　　〃She　seems　to　have　hypnotized　you。〃　　Then；　as　a　new　thought　came　to　the　magnate；　he　spoke　with　a　trace　of　anxiety。　There　were　always　the　reporters；　looking　for　space　to　fill　with　foolish　vaporings。

〃Did　she　say　anything　against　me；　or　the　store？〃　

〃Not　a　word；〃　the　lawyer　replied；　gravely。　　His　smile　of　appreciation　was　discreetly　secret。　　〃She　merely　told　us　how　her　father　died　when　she　was　sixteen　years　old。　　She　was　compelled　after　that　to　earn　her　own　living。　　Then　she　told　how　she　had　worked　for　you　for　five　years　steadily；　without　there　ever　being　a　single　thing　against　her。　　She　said；　too；　that　she　had　never　seen　the　things　found　in　her　locker。　　And　she　said　more　than　that！　She　asked　the　judge　if　he　himself　understood　what　it　means　for　a　girl　to　be　sentenced　to　prison　for　something　she　hadn't　done。　　Somehow；　Gilder；　the　way　she　talked　had　its　effect　on　everybody　in　the　courtroom。　I　know！　It's　my　business　to　understand　things　like　that。　　And　what　she　said　rang　true。　　What　she　said；　and　the　way　she　said　it；　take　brains　and　courage。　　The　ordinary　crook　has　neither。　　So；　I　had　a　suspicion　that　she　might　be　speaking　the　truth。　　You　see；　Gilder；　it　all　rang　true！　And　it's　my　business　to　know　how　things　ring　in　that　way。〃　　There　was　a　little　pause；　while　the　lawyer　moved　back　and　forth　nervously。　　Then；　he　added：　〃I　believe　Lawlor　would　have　suspended　sentence　if　it　hadn't　been　for　your　talk　with　him。〃

There　were　not　wanting　signs　that　Gilder　was　impressed。　But　the　gentler　fibers　of　the　man　were　atrophied　by　the　habits　of　a　lifetime。　　What　heart　he　had　once　possessed　had　been　buried　in　the　grave　of　his　young　wife；　to　be　resurrected　only　for　his　son。　　In　most　things；　he　was　consistently　a　hard　man。　　Since　he　had　no　imagination；　he　could　have　no　real　sympathy。

He　whirled　about　in　his　swivel　chair；　and　blew　a　cloud　of　smoke　from　his　mouth。　　When　he　spoke；　his　voice　was　deeply　resonant。

〃I　simply　did　my　duty；〃　he　said。　　〃You　are　aware　that　I　did　not　seek　any　consultation　with　Judge　Lawlor。　He　sent　for　me；　and　asked　me　what　I　thought　about　the　casewhether　I　thought　it　would　be　right　to　let　the　girl　go　on　a　suspended　sentence。　　I　told　him　frankly　that　I　believed　that　an　example　should　be　made　of　her；　for　the　sake　of　others　who　might　be　tempted　to　steal。　　Property　has　some　rights；　Demarest；　although　it　seems　to　be　getting　nowadays　so　that　anybody　is　likely　to　deny　it。〃　　Then　the　fretful；　half…alarmed　note　sounded　in　his　voice　again；　as　he　continued：　〃I　can't　understand　why　the　girl　wants　to　see　me。〃

The　lawyer　smiled　dryly；　since　he　had　his　back　turned　at　the　moment。

〃Why；〃　he　vouchsafed；　〃she　just　said　that；　if　you　would　see　her　for　ten　minutes；　she　would　tell　you　how　to　stop　the　thefts　in　this　store。〃

Gilder　displayed　signs　of　triumph。　　He　brought　his　chair　to　a　level　and　pounded　the　desk　with　a　weighty　fist。

〃There！〃　he　cried。　　〃I　knew　it。　　The　girl　wants　to　confess。　　Well；　it's　the　first　sign　of　decent　feeling　she's　shown。　　I　suppose　it　ought　to　be　encouraged。　　Probably　there　have　been　others　mixed　up　in　this。〃

Demarest　attempted　no　denial。

〃Perhaps；〃　he　admitted；　though　he　spoke　altogether　without　conviction。　　〃But；〃　he　continued　insinuatingly；　〃at　least　it　can　do　no　harm　if　you　see　her。　　I　thought　you　would　be　willing；　so　I　spoke　to　the　District　Attorney；　and　he　has　given　orders　to　bring　her　here　for　a　few　minutes　on　the　way　to　the　Grand　Central　Station。　They're　taking　her　up　to　Burnsing；　you　know。　　I　wish；　Gilder；　you　would　have　a　little　talk　with　her。　　No　harm　in　that！〃　With　the　saying；　the　lawyer　abruptly　went　out　of　the　office；　leaving　the　owner　of　the　store　fuming。



CHAPTER　IV。　KISSES　AND　KLEPTOMANIA。　

〃Hello；　Dad！〃　

After　the　attorney's　departure；　Gilder　had　been　rather　fussily　going　over　some　of　the　papers　on　his　desk。　　He　was　experiencing　a　vague　feeling　of　injury　on　account　of　the　lawyer's　ill…veiled　efforts　to　arouse　his　sympathy　in　behalf　of　the　accused　girl。　　In　the　instinct　of　strengthening　himself　against　the　possibility　of　yielding　to　what　he　deemed　weakness；　the　magnate　rehearsed　the　facts　that　justified　his　intolerance；　and；　indeed；　soon　came　to　gloating　over　the　admirable　manner　in　which　righteousness　thrives　in　the　world。　　And　it　was　then　that　an　interruption　came　in　the　utterance　of　two　words；　words　of　affection；　of　love；　cried　out　in　the　one　voice　he　most　longed　to　hearfor　the　voice　was　that　of　his　son。　　Yet；　he　did　not　look　up。　　The　thing　was　altogether　impossible！　The　boy　was　philandering；　junketing；　somewhere　on　the　Riviera。　　His　first　intimation　as　to　the　exact　place　would　come　in　the　form　of　a　cable　asking　for　money。　　Somehow；　his　feelings　had　been　unduly　stirred　that　morning；　he　had　grown　sentimental；　dreaming　of　pleasant　things。。。。　All　this　in　a　second。　　Then；　he　looked　up。　　Why；　it　was　true！　It　was　Dick's　face　there；　smiling　in　the　doorway。　　Yes；　it　was　Dick；　it　was　Dick　himself！　Gilder　sprang　to　his　feet；　his　face　suddenly　grown　younger；　radiant。

〃Dick！〃　The　big　voice　was　softened　to　exquisite　tenderness。

As　the　eyes　of　the　two　met；　the　boy　rushed　forward；　and　in　the　next　moment　the　hands　of　father　and　son　clasped　firmly。　　They　were　silent　in　the　first　emotion　of　their　greeting。　　Presently；　Gilder　spoke；　with　an　effort　toward　harshness　in　his　voice　to　mask　how　much　he　was　shaken。　　But　the　tones　rang　more　kindly　than　any　he　had　used　for　many　a　day；　tremulous　with　affection。

〃What　brought　you　back？〃　　he　demanded。

Dick；　too；　had　felt　the　tension　of　an　emotion　far　beyond　that　of　the　usual　things。　　He　was　forced　to　clear　his　throat　before　he　answered　with　that　assumption　of　nonchalance　which　he　regarded　as　befitting　the　occasion。

〃Why；　I　just　wanted　to　come　back　home；〃　he　said；　lightly。　　A　sudden　recollection　came　to　give　him　poise　in　this　time　of　emotional　disturbance；　and　he　added　hastily：　〃And；　for　the　love　of　heaven；　give　Sadie　five　dollars。　I　borrowed　it　from　her　to　pay　the　taxi'。　　You　see；　Dad；　I'm　broke。〃

〃Of　course！〃　With　the　saying；　Edward　Gilder　roared　Gargantuan　laughter。　　In　the　burst　of　merriment；　his　pent　feelings　found　their　vent。　　He　was　still　chuckling　when　he　spoke；　sage　from　much　experience　of　ocean　travel。　　〃Poker　on　the　ship；　I　suppose。〃

The　young　man；　too；　smiled　reminiscently　as　he　answered：

〃No；　not　that；　though　I　did　have　a　little　run　in　at　Monte　Carlo。　　But　it　was　the　ship　that　finished　me；　at　that。　　You　see；　Dad；　they　hired　Captain　Kidd　and　a　bunch　of　pirates　as　stewards；　and　what　they　did　to　little　Richard　was　something　fierce。　　And　yet；　that　wasn't　the　real　trouble；　either。　　The　fact　is；　I　just　naturally　went　broke。　　Not　a　hard　thing　to　do　on　the　other　side。〃

〃Nor　on　this；〃　the　father　interjected；　dryly。

〃Anyhow；　it　doesn't　matter　much；〃　Dick　replied；　quite　unabashed。　　〃Tell　me；　Dad；　how　goes　it？〃　

Gilder　settled　himself　again　in　his　chair；　and　gazed　benignantly　on　his　son。

〃Pretty　well；〃　he　said　contentedly；　〃pretty　well；　son。　　I'm　glad　to　see　you　home　again；　my　boy。〃　　There　was　a　great　tenderness　in　the　usually　rather　cold　gray　eyes。

The　young　man　answered　promptly；　with　delight　in　his　manner　of　speech；　and　a　sincerity　that　revealed　the　underlying　merit　of　his　nature。

〃And　I'm　glad　to　be　home；　Dad；　to　be〃there　was　again　that　clearing　of　the　throat；　but　he　finished　bravely〃with　you。〃

The　father　avoided　a　threatening　display　of　emotion　by　an　abrupt　change　of　subject　to　the　trite。

〃Have　a　good　time？〃　　he　inquired　casually；　while　fumbling　with　the　papers　on　the　desk。

Dick's　face　broke　in　a　smile　of　reminiscent　happiness。

〃The　time　of　my　young　life！〃　He　paused；　and　the　smile　broadened。　　There　was　a　mighty　enthusiasm　in　his　voice　as　he　continued：　〃I　tell　you；　Dad；　it's　a　fact　that　I　did　almost　break　the　bank　at　Monte　Carlo。　　I'd　have　done　it　sure；　if　only　my　money　had　held　out。〃

〃It　seems　to　me　that　I've　heard　something　of　the　sort　before；〃　was　Gilder's　caustic　comment。　　But　his　smile　w