Within the Law: From the Play of Bayard Veiller

ut her term of service there had been without real intimates, so that now none was ready to mourn over her fate. Even the two room-mates had felt some slight offense, since they se

n the troubles of others. Contemplation of such suffering renders more striking the contrasted well-being of our own lot. We need the pains of others to serve as background for our joys-just as sin is essential as the background for any appreciation of virtue, even any knowledge of its existence.... So now, on the day of Mary Turner's trial, there was a subtle gaiety of gossipings to and fro through the store. The girl's plight was like a shuttlecock driven hither and yon by the battledore

on, while the possessor of a dignity nourished by years of floor-walking, was not given to the holding of vigorous opinions. Yet, his commen

ary, as she was passing through one of the departments that

retary's answer, with the te

somewhat disturbed by the information

. "He went down-town, to the Court of General Session

with a trace of genuine feeling, "I hope the poor girl gets of

. For Sarah, while a most efficient secretary, was not in her person of that slender elegance which always characterized her favorite heroines in the novels she affected. On the contrary, she was of a sort to have gratified Byron,

stateliness of manner which was th

, as saleswomen go. For the matter of that," he added with a sudden access of energy, "she was the last girl in the world I'd take for a thief." He displayed some evidences of embarrassment over the honest feeling into wh

briskly, and she hurried o

n the violent opening of the door startled her,

lo,

, his face radiant. But, as his glance went to the empty arm-chair at the d

as on his lips as his eyes fell on the secretary, who

Dick!" Sar

The young man advanced and shook hands wit

oved his father. The death of the mother years before had left him without other opportunity for affection in the home, since he had neither brother nor sister. He loved his father with a depth of feeling that made between the two a real camaraderie, despite great differences in temperament. In that simple and sincere regard which he bore for his father, the boy revealed a heart ready for love, willin

ss. Luxury had not sapped the strength of him. He had not grown vicious, as have so many of his fellows among the sons of the rich. Some instinct held him aloof from the grosser vices. His were t

too, of every means for the gratification of desire. As yet, the man of him was unrevealed in its integrity. No test had been put upon him. The fires of suffering had not tried the dross of him. What real worth might lie under this sunny surface the future must determine. There showed now only this one significant fact: that, in the first moment of his return from journeyings abroad, he sought his father with all e

had been called to the Court o

d her with a gu

d? I thought he would have the whole police force discharged." He smiled again. "The trouble is," he declared sedately, "that sort of thing requires practice. Now, when I'm arrested for sp

disturbed by the irruption of the young man. Her round face shone delightedly as

ct you back for two

fectious gaiety that brought a smile

, Sadie, I got kind of homesick for Dad-yes, just that!" He spoke the words with a sort of shamefaced wonder. It is not easy for an Anglo-Saxon to confess the real

sincere feeling, he continue

Sadie, I w

retary

dled that end of it, I gu

, from ample experience, knew that any demand for

d doing in cour

e matter with her

ls was arrested

ts. At once, he exhibited his instinct toward the quality of mercy, a

et her out of the scrape. T

little prone to flights. In that prosaic quality, was to be found the explanation of

e sent for Mr. Gilder to come down this mornin

certainty on the young man's face. He love

tone of entire conviction. "Dad's heart

gave a violent start. He

ally. There was shame in his v

ded him with an exp

what?" she

t any time hitherto. He leaned toward the secretary

'm broker My taxi' has been w

retary said, cheerf

opposite while Sarah went through those acrobatic performances obligator

a few panting seconds, and

y and seized the b

. "But I must run. Otherwise, this wouldn't be enough f