第20章 THE VICTIM OF THE LAW(6)

"And, so, you claim that you were forced to steal.That's the plea you make for yourself and your friends.""I wasn't forced to steal," came the answer, spoken in the monotone that had marked her utterance throughout most of the interview."I wasn't forced to steal, and I didn't steal.But, all the same, that's the plea, as you call it, that I'm making for the other girls.There are hundreds of them who steal because they don't get enough to eat.I said I would tell you how to stop the stealing.Well, I have done it.Give the girls a fair chance to be honest.You asked me for the names, Mr.

Gilder.There's only one name on which to put the blame for the whole business--and that name is Edward Gilder!...Now, won't you do something about it?"At that naked question, the owner of the store jumped up from his chair, and stood glowering at the girl who risked a request so full of vituperation against himself.

"How dare you speak to me like this?" he thundered.

There was no disconcertion exhibited by the one thus challenged.

On the contrary, she repeated her question with a simple dignity that still further outraged the man.

"Won't you, please, do something about it?""How dare you?" he shouted again.Now, there was stark wonder in his eyes as he put the question.

"Why, I dared," Mary Turner explained, "because you have done all the harm you can to me.And, now, I'm trying to give you the chance to do better by the others.You ask me why I dare.Ihave a right to dare! I have been straight all my life.I have wanted decent food and warm clothes, and--a little happiness, all the time I have worked for you, and I have gone without those things, just to stay straight....The end of it all is: You are sending me to prison for something I didn't do.That's why Idare!"

Cassidy, the officer in charge of Mary Turner, had stood patiently beside her all this while, always holding her by the wrist.He had been mildly interested in the verbal duel between the big man of the department store and this convict in his own keeping.Vaguely, he had marveled at the success of the frail girl in declaiming of her injuries before the magnate.He had felt no particular interest beyond that, merely looking on as one might at any entertaining spectacle.The question at issue was no concern of his.His sole business was to take the girl away when the interview should be ended.It occurred to him now that this might, in fact, be the time to depart.It seemed, indeed, that the insistent reiteration of the girl had at last left he owner of the store quite powerless to answer.It was possible, then, that it were wiser the girl should be removed.With the idea in mind, he stared inquiringly at Gilder until he caught that flustered gentleman's eye.A nod from the magnate sufficed him.Gilder, in truth, could not trust himself just then to an audible command.He was seriously disturbed by the gently spoken truths that had issued from the girl's lips.He was not prepared with any answer, though he hotly resented every word of her accusation.So, when he caught the question in the glance of the officer, he felt a guilty sensation of relief as he signified an affirmative by his gesture.

Cassidy faced about, and in his movement there was a tug at the wrist of the girl that set her moving toward the door.Her realization of what this meant was shown in her final speech.

"Oh, he can take me now," she said, bitterly.Then her voice rose above the monotone that had contented her hitherto.Into the music of her tones beat something sinister, evilly vindictive, as she faced about at the doorway to which Cassidy had led her.Her face, as she scrutinized once again the man at the desk, was coldly malignant.

"Three years isn't forever," she said, in a level voice."When Icome out, you are going to pay for every minute of them, Mr.

Gilder.There won't be a day or an hour that I won't remember that at the last it was your word sent me to prison.And you are going to pay me for that.You are going to pay me for the five years I have starved making money for you--that, too! You are going to pay me for all the things I am losing today, and----"The girl thrust forth her left hand, on that side where stood the officer.So vigorous was her movement that Cassidy's clasp was thrown off the wrist.But the bond between the two was not broken, for from wrist to wrist showed taut the steel chain of the manacles.The girl shook the links of the handcuffs in a gesture stronger than words.In her final utterance to the agitated man at the desk, there was a cold threat, a prophecy of disaster.From the symbol of her degradation, she looked to the man whose action had placed it there.In the clashing of their glances, hers won the victory, so that his eyes fell before the menace in hers.

"You are going to pay me for this!" she said.Her voice was little more than a whisper, but it was loud in the listener's heart."Yes, you are going to pay--for this!"