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〃The jury found you guilty；〃 he asserted； with an attempt to make his voice magisterial in its severity。
Instantly； Mary was aroused to a new outburst of protest。 Once again； her eyes shot their fires at the man seated behind the desk； and she went forward a step imperiously； dragging the officer in her wake。
〃Yes； the jury found me guilty；〃 she agreed； with fine scorn in the musical cadences of her voice。 〃Do you know why？ I can tell you； Mr。 Gilder。 It was because they had been out for three hours without reaching a decision。 The evidence didn't seem to be quite enough for some of them； after all。 Well； the judge threatened to lock them up all night。 The men wanted to get home。 The easy thing to do was to find me guilty； and let it go at that。 Was that fair； do you think？ And that's not all； either。 Was it fair of you； Mr。 Gilder？ Was it fair of you to come to the court this morning； and tell the judge that I should be sent to prison as a warning to others？〃
A quick flush burned on the massive face of the man whom she thus accused； and his eyes refused to meet her steady gaze of reproach。
〃You know！〃 he exclaimed； in momentary consternation。 Again； her mood had affected his own； so that through a few hurrying seconds he felt himself somehow guilty of wrong against this girl； so frank and so rebuking。
〃I heard you in the courtroom；〃 she said。 〃The dock isn't very far from the bench where you spoke to the judge about my case。 Yes； I heard you。 It wasn't： Did I do it？ Or； didn't I do it？ No； it was only that I must be made a warning to others。〃
Again； silence fell for a tense interval。 Then； finally； the girl spoke in a different tone。 Where before her voice had been vibrant with the instinct of complaint against the mockery of justice under which she suffered； now there was a deeper note； that of most solemn truth。
〃Mr。 Gilder；〃 she said simply； 〃as God is my judge； I am going to prison for three years for something I didn't do。〃
But the sincerity of her broken cry fell on unheeding ears。 The coarse nature of the officer had long ago lost whatever elements of softness there might have been to develop in a gentler occupation。 As for the owner of the store； he was not sufficiently sensitive to feel the verity in the accents of the speaker。 Moreover； he was a man who followed the conventional； with never a distraction due to imagination and sympathy。 Just now； too； he was experiencing a keen irritation against himself because of the manner in which he had been sensible to the influence of her protestation； despite his will to the contrary。 That irritation against himself only reacted against the girl； and caused him to steel his heart to resist any tendency toward commiseration。 So； this declaration of innocence was made quite in vainindeed； served rather to strengthen his disfavor toward the complainant； and to make his manner harsher when she voiced the pitiful question over which she had wondered and grieved。
〃Why did you ask the judge to send me to prison？〃
〃The thieving that has been going on in this store for over a year has got to stop；〃 Gilder answered emphatically； with all his usual energy of manner restored。 As he spoke； he raised his eyes and met the girl's glance fairly。 Thought of the robberies was quite enough to make him pitiless toward the offender。
〃Sending me to prison won't stop it；〃 Mary Turner said； drearily。
〃Perhaps not；〃 Gilder sternly retorted。 〃But the discovery and punishment of the other guilty ones will。〃 His manner changed to a business…like alertness。 〃You sent word to me that you could tell me how to stop the thefts in the store。 Well； my girl； do this； and； while I can make no definite promise； I'll see what can be done about getting you out of your present difficulty。〃 He picked up a pencil； pulled a pad of blank paper convenient to his hand； and looked at the girl expectantly； with aggressive inquiry in his gaze。 〃Tell me now；〃 he concluded； 〃who were your pals？〃
The matter…of…fact manner of this man who had unwittingly wronged her so frightfully was the last straw on the girl's burden of suffering。 Under it； her patient endurance broke； and she cried out in a voice of utter despair that caused Gilder to start nervously； and even impelled the stolid officer to a frown of remonstrance。
〃I have no pals！〃 she ejaculated； furiously。 〃I never stole anything in my life。 Must I go on telling you over and over again？〃 Her voice rose in a wail of misery。 〃Oh； why won't any one believe me？〃
Gilder was much offended by this display of an hysterical grief； which seemed to his phlegmatic temperament altogether unwarranted by the circumstances。 He spoke decisively。
〃Unless you can control yourself； you must go。〃 He pushed away the pad of paper； and tossed the pencil aside in physical expression of his displeasure。 〃Why did you send that message； if you have nothing to say？〃 he demanded； with increasing choler。
But now the girl had regained her former poise。 She stood a little drooping and shaken； where for a moment she had been erect and tensed。 There was a vast weariness in her words as she answered。
〃I have something to tell you； Mr。 Gilder；〃 she said； quietly。 〃Only； II sort of lost my grip on the way here； with this man by my side。〃
〃Most of 'em do； the first time；〃 the officer commented； with a certain grim appreciation。
〃Well？〃 Gilder insisted querulously； as the girl hesitated。
At once； Mary went on speaking； and now a little increase of vigor trembled in her tones。
〃When you sit in a cell for three months waiting for your trial； as I did； you think a lot。 And； so； I got the idea that if I could talk to you； I might be able to make you understand what's really wrong。 And if I could do that； and so help out the other girls； what has happened to me would not； after all； be quite so awfulso useless； somehow。〃 Her voice lowered to a quick pleading； and she bent toward the man at the desk。 〃Mr。 Gilder；〃 she questioned； 〃do you really want to stop the girls from stealing？〃
〃Most certainly I do；〃 came the forcible reply。
The girl spoke with a great earnestness； deliberately。
〃Then； give them a fair chance。〃
The magnate stared in sincere astonishment over this absurd； this futile suggestion for his guidance。
〃What do you mean？〃 he vociferated； with rising indignation。 There was an added hostility in his demeanor； for it seemed to him that this thief of his goods whom he had brought to justice was daring to trifle with him。 He grew wrathful over the suspicion； but a secret curiosity still held his temper within bounds 〃What do you mean？〃 he repeated； and now the full force of his strong voice set the room trembling。
The tones of the girl came softly musical； made more delicately resonant to the ear by contrast with the man's roaring。
〃Why；〃 she said； very gently； 〃I mean just this： Give them a living chance to be honest。〃
〃A living chance！〃 The two words were exploded with dynamic violence。 The preposterousness of the advice fired Gilder with resentment so pervasive that through many seconds he found himself unable to express the rage that flamed within him。
The gi