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• • A Powerful Story of • •
• • Adventure, Intrigue and Love • •
WITHIN THE LAW
9 0 By MARVIN DANA from the • ©
© • Play of BAYARD VEILLER • •
Copyright. 11*18, by the H. K. Fly Com-
pany. The play "Within the Law" 1h
copyrighted bv Mr. Veilier and this
novolization of it is published by his
'■ermisslon. The American Play Com
pany is the sole proprietor of the ex
clusive rights of the representation
and performance of "Within the Law"
in all languages.
SYNOPSIS
Mary Turner, an orphan, faces the
world and its complex problems alone
at the age of sixteen. Her mother
died at her hlrth and her sole legacy
from an indulgent but poor father is
a character well instructed in the ex
cellent principles that had been his.
> The girl secures employment at the
> Emporium. a department store owned
( by Edward Gilder. The struggle for
) existence is a bitter one. Five years
/ elapse. Valuable silks are stolen.
( The thefts are. traced to Mary’s de-
S partment and some of the good* is
> found in her locker The girl, though
t innocent of the thievery, Is arrested,
s tried and sentenced to three years in
> prison.
Now go on with the story.
TODAY’S INSTALLMENT.
In the 23 years of his life every Rift
that money could lavish had been his.
If the sum total of benefit was small,
at least there remained the consoling
fact that the harm was even less.
Luxury had not sapped the strength
of him. He had not grown vicious a*
have so many of his fellows among
the sons of the rich. Some instinct
held him aloof from the grosser vices.
His were ftie trifling faults that had
their origin chiefly in the joy of life
which manifest occasionally in riotous
extravagances, of a sort actually to
harm none, however absurd and use
less they may be.
Sb much one might see by a glance
into the face. He was well groomed,
of course; healthy, all a-tingle with
vitality. And in the clear eyes, which
avoided no man’s gaze nor sought any
woman's unseemly, there showed a,
soul untainted, not yet developed, not
yet debased. Through all his days
Dick Gilder had walked gladly, in
the content that springs to the call of
one possessed of a capacity for en
joyment; possessed, too, of every
means for the gratification of desire.
As yet the man of him was unre
vealed in its integrity. No test had
been put upon him. The fires of suf
fering had not tried the dross of him.
Y\ hat real worth might lie under this
sunny surface the future might deter
mine. There showed now only this
one significant fact—that in the first
moment of his return from journey-
ings abroad he sought his father with
all eagerness, and was sorely grieved
because the meeting must still be de
layed. It was a little thing, perhaps.
Sarah Explained.
Yet it was capable of meaning much
concerning the nature of the lad. It
revealed surely a tender heart, one
responsive to a pure love. And to
one of his class there are many forces
ever present to atrophy such simple,
wholesome power of loving. The abil
ity to love cleanly and absolutely is
the supreme virtue.
Sarah explained that Mr. Gilder
Jiad been called to the Court of Gen
eral Sessions by the judge.
Dick interrupted her with a gust of
laughter.
“What’s dad been doing now?" he
^demanded, his eyes twinkling. Then a
reminiscent grin shaped itself on his
lips. "Remember the time that fresh
cop arrested him for speeding?
Wasn't he wild? I thought he would
have the whole police force discharg
ed.” He smiled again. "The trouble
is," he declared, sedately, "that sort
of thing requires practice. Now,
when I’m arrested for speeding, I’m
not In the least flustered—oh, not a
Jittle bit! But poor dud! That one
^experience of his almost soured his
whole life, it was near the death of
Jlim—also of the city’s finest.”
By this time the secretary had re
gained her usual poise, which had
been somewhat disturbed by the ir- '
fuptlon of the young man. Her face I
sshonc delightedly as she regarded him. f
There was a maternal note of rebuke
In her voice as she spoke;
"Why, we didn’t expect you back
for two or three months yet.”
Once again Dick laughed with an
infectious gayety that brought a smile
of response to the secretary’s lips.
"Sadie,” he explained confidentially,
"don’t you dare ever to let the old
man know. He would be all swollen
up. It’s bad to let a parent swell up.
Hut the truth Is. Sadie, I got kind of
homesick for dad—yes. Just that!”
He spoke the words with a sort of j
shame-fared wonder. It Is not easy
for an Angol-Saxon to confess the
realities of affection in vital Intima
cies. He repented the phrase in a cu
riously appreciative hesitation, as one
astounded by his own emotion. "Yes,
homesick for dad!”
Then, to cover an excess of sincere
feeling, he continued, with a burst of
laughter;
"Besides, Sadie, I was broke."
The secretary sniffed.
"The cable would have handled that
end of It, I guess," she said, suc
cinctly.
There was no word of contradiction
from Dick, who from ample experi
ence knew that any demand for funds
would have received answer from his
father.
“But what is dad doing In court?”
he demanded.
Sarah explained the matter with
her usual conciseness;
’’One of the girls was arrested for
stealing.”
The nature of the son was shown
then clearly in one of its best aspects.
At once he exhibited his Instinct to
ward the quality of mercy, and, too,
j his truth In the father whom he loved,
by his eager comment.
"And dad went to court to get her
out of the scrape. That’s just like the
old man!”
For pot All About It!
Sarah, however, showed no hint of
enthusiasm. Her mind wne ever of
the prosaic sort, little prone to flights.
In that prosaic quality was to be
found the explanation of her depend
ability as a private secretary. So,
now, she merely made a terse state
ment:
"Shewas tried to-day and convicted.
The Judge sent for Mr. Gilder to corny
down this morning and have a talk
with him about the sentence.”
There \va* no lessening of the ex
pression of certainty on the young
man’s face. He loved his father, and
he trusted where he loved.
"It will be all right,” he declared
in a tone of entire conviction. "Dad’s
heart Is as big as a barrel Ale’ll get
her off."
Then of a sudden Dick gave a vio
lent start. He added a convincing
groa n.
"Oh, Lord!” he ifXolaimed. dismal
ly. There was shame In his voice. "I
forgot all about it!”
The secretary regarded him with an
expression of amazement.
"All about what?*’ she questioned.
Dick assumed an air vastly more
confidential than at any time hitherto.
He leaned toward the secretary’s desk
and spoke with a new seriousness of
manner:
"Sadie, have you any money? I’m
broke! My taxi has been waiting out
side all this time."
"Why, yes,” the secretary said,
cheerfully, "if you will—”
Dick was discreet enough to turn
his attention to a picture on the wall
opposite while Sarah went through
those acrobatic performances obliga
tory on women who take no chances
of losing money by carrying it in
purses.
"There." she called after a few
panting seconds, and exhibited a
flushed face.
Dick tumfed eaggerly and seized the
bank note offered him.
the receiver and pushed the telephone
u8id*- as he turned his attention to the
paper neatly arranged on the <!■ k
read) to his hand.
Thf curiosity of the secretary could
not bn longer delayed.
"What did they do with the Turner
girl?" she inquired In an, elaborately
casual manner
Gilflar did not look up from the heap
of papers, but answered rather harshly,
while once again his expression grew'
forbidding. *
"I don’t know 1 couldn't wait," he
said. He made a petulant gesture as
weni on: *’I don't see why Judge
Lew I or bothered me about the matter.
He ia the one to impose sentence, not
I. T am hours behind with my work
now ”
For a few minutes he gave him^lf
up to the routine of business, distribut
ing the correspondence and other va
rious papers for the action of subordi
nates, and speaking bis orders occasion
ally to the attentive secretary with a
quickness and precision that proclaimed
‘ But I do want to know,’ Mary continued, “What you
meant by talking in the public street yesterday with a common
pick-pocket. ’ ’
would have realized at once that here
was a man obviously fitted to the con
trol of large affairs. The ability that
marches inevitably to success showed
unmistakably in the face and form, and
In the fashion of speech. Edward Gil
der w'Qh a big man physically, plainly
the possessor of that abundant vital
i energy which is a prime requisite for
j achievement In the ordering of modern
business concerns. Force was, indeed,
the dominant quality of the man. His
tall figure was proportionately broad,
and he was heavily fleshed. In fact, the
body was too ponderous, spiritually and
mentally, as w r ell as materially. The
fact was displayed suggestively In the
face, which was too heavy with Its
prominent jowls and aggressive chin
and rather bulbous nose. But there
was nothing flabby anywhere The am
ple features showed no trace of weak
ness, only a rude abounding strength.
There was no lighter touch anywhere.
Evidently a just man according to his
own Ideas, yet never one to temper
Justice with mercy. He appeared, and
was, a very practical and most prosaic
business man He was not given to a
humorous outlook on life, lie took it
and himself with the utmost serious
ness. He was almost entirely lacking
in Imagination, that faculty which is
essential to sympathy.
$1,000 For Free Ice.
"Take this," lie directed presently,
when he had disposed of the matters
before him Forthwith, he dictated the
following letter, and now his voice took
LOCAL DRUGGIST
MAKES STATEMENT
Says Dodson’s Liver Tone Is the
Best Remedy for Constipation
and Shirking Liver He Has
Ever Sold.
Every person who has tried Dod
son’s Liver Tone and knows how
surely and gently it starts the liver
to working and relieves biliousness
if you go to your druggist for it.
statement about Dodson’s Liver
Tone.
"It is a purely vegetable liquid,
that entirely takes the place of
< calomel, harming and pleasant to
[ the taste, that Hias proved itself .
the most satisfactory remedy for a
slow-working liver that most of
ouf customers have ever tried. A
large bottle sells for fifty cents,
and we do not hesitate to give the
money back to any person who
tries a bottle on the strength of
this statement and is not satisfied
with the result."
In these days of doubtful medi
cines and dangerous drugs, a
statement like the above is a
pleasant assurance that Dodson’s
J Liver Tone is a reliable remedy
; for both children and grown-ups.
I In buying a bottle for immediate
i of future use It is well to make
> sure you are getting the genuine
l Dodson’s Liver Tone and not some
J spurious imitation that has cop-
( led our claims, but do not stand
back of their guarantee. You may
( be certain of getting the genuine
‘ will bear out the druggie in this
w
on a more unctuous note, as of one
who is appreciative of his own excel
lent generosity.
"Editor The Herald:
"Dear Sir—Inclosed find my check for
a thousand dollars for jour free Ice
fund. It is going to be a very hard
j summer for the poor and I hope by thus
| starting the contributions for your fine
HEN at last the owner of the 1 ,harUy at ,h ! s early da> that you w "!
be able to accomplish even more good
"Mighty much obliged, Sadie." he
said, enthusiastically. "But 1 must
; run. Otherwise, this wouldn’t be
/enough for the fare!” And, so say-
i ing, he darted out of the room.
CHAPTER III
Only Three Years.
store entered the office his
face showed extreme irrita
tion. He did not vouchsafe any greet
ing to the secretary, who regarded
him with an accurate perception of
his mood. With a diplomacy born of
long experience, in her first speech
Sarah afforded an agreeable diversion
to her employer’s line of thought.
"Mr Hastings, of the Empire store,
called you up. Mr. Gilder, and asked me
to let him know when you returned.
Shall I get him on the wire?"
The man’s face lightened instantly,
and there was even the beginning of a
smile on his Ups as he seated himself
at the great mahogany desk.
"Yes, yes!" he exclaimed, with evi
dent enthusiasm The smile grew in
the short interval before the connection
was made When, finally, he addressed
his friend over the telephone, his tones
w-ere of the cheerfulest.
What Did They Do With Her?’
"Oh. good morning Yes, certs inly.
Four will suit me admirably. . . .
Sunday? Yes, if you like. We can go
out after church, ami have luncheon at
the country club." After listening a
moment, he laughed In a pleased flash
ion that had in it a suggestion of con
scious superiority "My dear fellow,
he declared briskly, "you couldn’t beat
me in a thousand years Why*, I made
the eighteen holes In ninety-two only
last week.” He laughed again at the
answer over the wire, then hung up
than usually. Very truly yours.”
He turned an inquiring glance toward
Sarah.
"That's what 1 usually give, isn’t it?”
The secretary nodded energetically'.
"Yes," she agreed in her brisk man
ner. "that’s what you have given every
year for the last ton years.”
The statement impressed Glider pleas
antly His voice was more mellow' as
he made comment. His heavy face was
radiant, and he smiled complacently.
"Ten thousand dollars to this one
charity alone!" he exclaimed "Well,
it Is pleasant to be able to help those
less fortunate than ourselves." He
paused, evidently expectant of lauda
tory corroboration from the secretary.
But Sarah, though she could be tact
ful enough on occasion, did not choose
to meet her employer’s anticipations
just now. For that matter, her inti
mate services permitted on her part
some degree of familiarity w ith the au
gust head of the establishment. Be
sides, she did not stand in awe of Gil
der, as did the others in his service.
No man is a hero to his valet, or to
his secretary Intimate association is
hostile to hero worship. So, now, Sa
rah spoke nonchalantly, to the indig
nation of the philanthropist:
"Oh, yes, sir. Specially when you
make so much that you don’t miss it.”
Gilder’s thick gra> r brows drew down
In a frown of displeasure, while his
eyes opened slightly in sheer surprise
over the secretary’s unexpected re
mark. He hesitated for only an instant
before replying with an air of great
dignity, fii which was a distinct note
of rebuke for the girl’s presumption.
"The profits from my store are large,
I admit, Sarah. But I neither smuggle
my goods, take rebates from railroads,
conspire against small competitors, nor
do any of the dishonest acts that dis
grace other lines of business. So long
as 1 make my profits honestly, I am
honestly entitled to them, no matter how
big they are.”
The secretary, being quite content
with the havoc she had wrought in her
employer’s complacency over his chari
tableness, nodded, and contented her
self with a demure assent to his out
burst.
“Yes, sir,” she agreed, very meekly.
Gilder stared her for a few sec
onds. somewhat indignantly. Tnen, he
bethought himself of a subtle form of
rebuke by emphasizing this generosity.
Demarest Tells the News.
"Have the cashier send my usual five
hundred to the Charities Organization
Society,” he ordered. With thi^s new
evidence of his generous virtue, the
frown passed from his brows. If, for
a fleeting moment, doubt had assailed
him under th© spur of the secretary’s
word8, that doubt had now vanished
under his habitual conviction as to his
sterling worth to the world at large.
It was, therefore, with his accus
tomed blandness of manner that he
presently acknowledged the greeting of
George Demarest, the chief of the legal
staff that looked after the firm’s af
fairs. He was aware without being told
that the lawyer had called to acquaint
him with the issue in the trial of Mary
Turner.
"Well, Demarest?” he inquired, as
the dapper attorney advanced into the
room at a rapid pace, and came to a
halt facing the desk, after a lively nod
in the direction of the secretary.
The lawj'er’s face sobered, and his
tone as he answered was tinged with
constraint.
"Judge I^awlor gave her three years,"
he replied, gravely. It was plain from
his manner that he did not altogether
approve.
But Gilder was unaffected by the at
torney’s lack of satisfaction over the
result. On the contrary, he smiled ex
ultantly. His oritund voice took on a
deeper note, as he turned toward the
secretary.
He Dictates the Notice.
"Good!” he exclaimed. "Take this. Sa
rah And he continued, as the girl
opened her notebook and poised the pen
cil: "Be sure to have Smithson post a
copy of it conspicuously in all the girls’
dressing-rooms, and in the reading-
room, and in the lunch-rooms, and in
the assembly-room.” He cleared his
throat ostentatiously and proceeded to
the dictation of the notice:
"Mary Turner, formerly employed in
this store, was to-day sentenced to pri
son for three years, having been con
victed for the theft of goods valued at
over four hundred dollars. The manage
ment wishes again to draw attention on
the part of its employees to the fact
that honesty is always the best policy
. . . Got that”
“Yes, sir.” The secretary’s voice was
mechanical, without any trace of feel
ing. She was not minded to disturb
her employer a second time this morning
by injudicious comment.
“Take it to Smithson.” Gilder continu
ed. "and tell him that I wish him to
attend to its being posted according to
my directions at once.”
Again the girl made her formal res
ponse in the affirmative, then left the
room.
Gilder brought forth a box of cigars
from a drawer of the desk, opened it
and thrust it toward the waiting law-
yer, who, however, shook his head in
refusal, and continued to move about
the room rather restless. Demarest
paid no attention to the other's invi
tation to a seat, but the courtesy was
perfunctory on Gilder's part, and he
hardly perceived the perturbation of his
caller, for he was occupied in selecting
and lighting a cigar with the care of a
connoisseur. Finally, he spoke again,
and now there was an infinite content
ment in the rich voice.
“Three years—three yearsl That ought
to be a warning to the rest of the girls.”
He looked toward Demarest for ac
quiescence.
The lawyer’s brows were knit as he
faced the proprietor of the store.
"Funny thing, this case!” he ejacu
lated. "In some features, one of the
most unusual I have seen since I have
been practicing law.’’
The smug contentment abode still on
Gilder's face as he puffed in lellsurely
ease on his cigar and uttered a trite
condolence.
"Very sad!—quite so! Very sad case,
I call it.”
Demarest went on speaking, with a
show of feeling;
"Most unusual case, in my estimation.
You see, the girl keeps on declaring her
innocence. That, of course, is common
enough in a way. But here, it’s differ
ent. The point is, somehow, she makes
her protestations more convincing than
they usually do. They ring true, as it
seems to me.”
Not Quite Enough Proof.
Gilder smiled tolerantly.
“They didn’t ring very true to the
Jury, it would seem.” he retorted. And
his voice was tart as he added: "Nor
to the judge, since he deemed it his
duty to give her three years.”
"Some persons are not very sensitive
to impressions in such cases, I admit,”
I>emarest returned, coolly. If he meant
any subtlety of allusion to his hearer, it
failed wholly to pierce the armor of com
placency.
“The stolen goods were found in her
locker,” Gilder declared in a tone of
finality: "Some of them. I have been
given to understand, were actually in
the pocket of her coat.”
"Well,” the attorney said with a smile,
"that sort of thing makes good-enough
circumstantial evidence, and without
circumstantial evidence there would be
few convictions for crime. Yet, as a
lawyer, I’m free to admit that circum
stantial evidence alone is never quite
safe as proof of guilt. Naturally, she
sa> r 8 some one else must have put the
stolen goods there. As a matter of ex
act reasoning, that is quite within the
measure of possibility. That sort of
thing has been done countless times.”
Gilder sniffed indignantly.
“And for what reason V he demand
ed. "It’s too absurd to think about.”
"In similar cases.” the lawyer an
swered. "those actually guilty of the
thefts have thus sought to throw* sus
picion on the innocent in order to avoid
It on themselves- when the pursuit got
too hot on their trail. Sometimes, too,
*uch evidence has been manufactured
merely to satisfy a spite against the
one unjustly accused.”
"It’s too absurd to think about,” Gil
der repeated, impatiently. "The judge
ind the jury found no fault with the
evidence.”
Demarest realized that his advocacy
a behalf of the girl was hardly fitting
on the part of the legal representative
of the store she was aupposed to have
robbed, so he abruptly changed his line
of argument.
"She says that her record of five years
in your employ ought to count some
thing In her favor.”
Gilder, how'ever, was not disposed to
be sympathetic’ as to a matter so fla
grantly opposed to his interests.
“A court of Justice has decreed her
guilty,” he asserted once again, in his
ponderous manner. His emphasis indi
cated that there the affair ended.
Demarest smiled cynically as he strode
to and fro.
"Nowadays,” he shot out, "we don’t
call them courts of justice: we call
them courts of law.’’
Gilder yielded only a rather dubious
smile over the quip. This much he felt
hat he could afford, since those same
courts served his personal purposes well
indeed.
"Anway,” he declared, becoming gen
ial again, "it’s out of our hands. There’s
nothing we can do, now." •
"Why, as to that," the lawyer re
plied, with a hint of hesitation, "I am
not so sure. You see, the fact of the
matter is that, though I helped to prose-
ite the case, I am not a little bit
proud of the verdict.”
Gilder raised his eyebrows in unfeign
ed astonishment. Even yet he was.quite
without appreciation of the attorney’s
feeling in reference to the conduct of
the cr.se.
"Why?” he questioned, sharply.
"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 guilty'
—far from it, in fact!!"
Gilder uttered an ejaculation of con
tempt, but Demarest went on resolute
ly.
"Anyhow,” he explained, "the girl
wants to see you, and I wish to urge
you to grant her an interview "
“What’s the Use?”
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 us**?" Gilder stormed. A
latent hardness revealed itself at the
prospect of such a visitation. And along
with this hardness came another singu-
'ar revelation of the nature of the man.
For there was consternation in his voice,
as he continued in vehement expostula
tion against the idea. If there was
harshness In his attitude there was,
too, a fugitive suggestion of tenderness
alarmed over the prospect of undergo
ing such an interview with a woman.
"I can’t have her crying all over the
office and begging for mercy," he pro
tested, truculently. But a note of fear
lay under the petulance.
Demarest’s answer was given with as
surance.
*You are mistaken about that. The
girl doesn’t beg for mercy. In fact,
that's the whole point of the matter.
She demands justice—strange as that
may .seem, in a court of law!—and noth
ing else. The truth is, she’s a very
unusual girl, a long way beyond the
ordinary salesgirl, both in brains and
in education.”
‘The less reason, then, for her being
a thief," Gilder grumbled in his heavi
est voice.
‘And perhaps the less reason for be
lieving her to be a thief,” the lawyer
retorted, suavely. He paused for a mo
ment, then went on. There was a tone
of sincere determination ih his voice.
‘‘Just before the judge imposed sen
tence, he asked her if ehe had anything
to say. You know, it’s just a usual
form—a thing that rarely means much
of anything. But this case was differ
ent, 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 a
damn—fine 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 court
room that day.
"Booh! pooh!” came the querulous ob
jection. "She seems to have hynotized
you.” Then, as a new thought came
to the magnate, he spoke with a trace
f anxiety. There were always the re
porters, looking for space to fill wdth
foolish vaporlngs.
'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 16
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 waj r 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 suspi
cion 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 resur
rected 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.
Property Has Rights.
"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 case—whether I
thought it would be right to let the girl
go on a suspended sentence. I told him
frankly that I believed that an exam
ple should be made of her, for the sake
of otners who might be tempted to
steal. Property has some rights, De
marest, although it seems to be get
ting 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 lawj’er smiled dryly, since he had
his hack turned at the moment.
"■Why,” he vouchsafed, "she just said
that, if you would see her for ten min
utes, 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 pound
ed the desk with a weighty fist.
"There!” he cried. "I know it. The
girl wants to confess. Well, it’s the
first sign of decent feeling she’s shown.
1 suppose it ought to be encouraged.
Probably there have been others mixed
up in this.”
Demarest attempted rvo 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 of
fice, leaving the owner of the store
fuming. (
CHAPTER IV.
Kisses and Kleptomania.
"Hello, Dad!"
After the attorney’s dei>arture. Gilder
had been rather fussily going over some
of the papers on his desk. He was ex
periencing a vague feeling of injury on
account of the lawj'er’s Ill-veiled ef
forts to arouse his sympathy in behalf
of the accused girl. In the instinct of
strengthening himself against the pos
sibility 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 righteous
ness thrives in the world. And it was
then that an interruption came in the
utterance of two words, words of af
fection, of love, cried out in the one
voice he most longed to hear—for 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 feel
ings had been unduly stirred that morn
ing; he had grown sentimental, dream
ing 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, for It was Dick himself! Gil
der sprang to his feet, his face sudden
ly grown younger, radiant.
"Dick!” The big voice was softened,
to exquisite tenderness.
He Felt the Tension.
As the eyes of the two met the boy
rushed forw’ard, and in the next mo
ment the hands of father and son^
clasped firmly. They were silent in the
first emotion of their greeting. Pres
ently, Gilder spoke, with an effort to
ward 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 de
manded.
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 as
sumption of nonchalance which he re
garded as befitting the occasion.
"Why, I just wanted to come back
home,” he said, lightly. A sudden rso-
ollection came to give him poise in this
time of emotional disturbance, and he
added hastily: "And, for the love ot f
heaven, give Sadie five dollars. I bor
rowed it from her to pay the taxi. You
see. Dad, I’m broke.”
"Of course!” With the saying, Ed*
ward Gilder roared Gargantuan laugh*
ter. 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 reminis
cently 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 injected,
dryly.
"Anyhow, it doesn’t matter much,’*
Dick replied quite unabashed. "Tell me.
Dad, how goes it?”
To be Continued To-morrow.
felvj
Satisfy
Your Sweet Tooth
with Velva, the syrup in the red can. Make
good things for your kiddies with it, and for their
daddy, too—try it for smothering batter cakes—
wheat, corn, rice. Serve it with waffles and spread
it on muffins. Quality? Fine. Flavor? Nothing better.
.x.
makes great cakes and cookies, desserts and candies.
Use it for fudge and you ’ll know what real fudge is.
No syrup is as good as Velva—none so smooth,
none so full of real, true, old-time flavor. Proof
will come out of your first can. Send for book
of Velva recipes. No charge. Velva in the green
can, too, if you prefer it. At your grocer’s. Ten
cents up, according to size.
PEN1CK & FORD, Ltd.
New Orleans. La.
m
tm
Cup Cakes
/ cupful Red Velva Syrup, 1 -2 cupful
butter, 1-2 cupful sugar, 1 egg, 1-2
cupful milk, 2 teaspoonfuls powdered
cinnamon, 11-2 teaspoonfuls baking
powder, 2 1-2 cupfuls flour, pinch of
salt Beat Ike butter and sugar together until
creamy, then add the egg. well beaten, the
syrup, milk, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking
powder. Mix well and dtvtdointo SB tiered and
floured gemjtans. Bake in a moderate oven for
20 minutes.
i