按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
dred dollars。 The management 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 feeling。 She was not minded to disturb her employer a second time this morning by injudicious comment。
〃Take it to Smithson；〃 Gilder continued； 〃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 response 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 lawyer； who； however； shook his head in refusal； and continued to move about the room rather restlessly。 Demarest paid no attention to the other's invitation 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 contentment in the rich voice。
〃Three yearsthree years！ That ought to be a warning to the rest of the girls。〃 He looked toward Demarest for acquiescence。
The lawyer's brows were knit as he faced the proprietor of the store。
〃Funny thing； this case！〃 he ejaculated。 〃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 leisurely 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 different。 The point is； somehow； she makes her protestations more convincing than they usually do。 They ring true； as it seems to me。〃
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；〃 Demarest returned； coolly。 If he meant any subtlety of allusion to his hearer； it failed wholly to pierce the armor of complacency。
〃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 circumstantial evidence alone is never quite safe as proof of guilt。 Naturally； she says some one else must have put the stolen goods there。 As a matter of exact 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？〃 he demanded。 〃It's too absurd to think about。〃
〃In similar cases；〃 the lawyer answered； 〃those actually guilty of the thefts have thus sought to throw suspicion on the innocent in order to avoid it on themselves when the pursuit got too hot on their trail。 Sometimes； too； such evidence has been manufactured merely to satisfy a spite against the one unjustly accused。〃
〃It's too absurd to think about；〃 Gilder repeated； impatiently。 〃The judge and the jury found no fault with the evidence。〃
Demarest realized that this advocacy in behalf of the girl was hardly fitting on the part of the legal representative of the store she was supposed 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 something in her favor。〃
Gilder； however； was not disposed to be sympathetic as to a matter so flagrantly opposed to his interests。
〃A court of justice has decreed her guilty；〃 he asserted once again； in his ponderous manner。 His emphasis indicated 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 that he could afford； since those same courts served his personal purposes well in deed。
〃Anyway；〃 he declared； becoming genial again； 〃it's out of our hands。 There's nothing we can do； now。〃
〃Why； as to that；〃 the lawyer replied； with a hint of hesitation； 〃I am not so sure。 You see； the fact of the matter is that； though I helped to prosecute the case； I am not a little bit proud of the verdict。〃
Gilder raised his eyebrows in unfeigned astonishment。 Even yet； he was quite without appreciation of the attorney's feeling in reference to the conduct of the case。
〃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 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 t