within the law-第27部分

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t；　and　his　sole　concern　was　with　the　regeneration　of　a　life；　that　of　his　son；　which　bade　fair　to　be　ruined　by　the　wiles　of　a　wicked　woman。　　He　was　anxious　for　the　coming　of　Dick；　to　whom　he　would　make　one　more　appeal。　　If　that　should　failwell；　he　must　use　the　influences　at　his　command　to　secure　the　forcible　parting　of　the　adventuress　from　his　son。

The　room　in　which　he　paced　to　and　fro　was　of　a　solid　dignity；　well　fitted　to　serve　as　an　environment　for　its　owner。　　It　was　very　large；　and　lofty。　　There　was　massiveness　in　the　desk　that　stood　opposite　the　hall　door；　near　a　window。　　This　particular　window　itself　was　huge；　high；　jutting　in　octagonal；　with　leaded　panes。　In　addition；　there　was　a　great　fireplace　set　with　tiles；　around　which　was　woodwork　elaborately　carved；　the　fruit　of　patient　questing　abroad。　　On　the　walls　were　hung　some　pieces　of　tapestry；　where　there　were　not　bookcases。　　Over　the　octagonal　window；　too；　such　draperies　fell　in　stately　lines。　　Now；　as　the　magnate　paced　back　and　forth；　there　was　only　a　gentle　light　in　the　room；　from　a　reading…lamp　on　his　desk。　　The　huge　chandelier　was　unlighted。。。。　It　was　even　as　Gilder；　in　an　increasing　irritation　over　the　delay；　had　thrown　himself　down　on　a　couch　which　stood　just　a　little　way　within　an　alcove；　that　he　heard　the　outer　door　open　and　shut。　　He　sprang　up　with　an　ejaculation　of　satisfaction。

〃Dick；　at　last！〃　he　muttered。

It　was；　in　truth；　the　son。　　A　moment　later；　he　entered　the　room；　and　went　at　once　to　his　father；　who　was　standing　waiting；　facing　the　door。

〃I'm　awfully　sorry　I'm　so　late；　Dad；〃　he　said　simply。

〃Where　have　you　been？〃　　the　father　demanded　gravely。　　But　there　was　great　affection　in　the　flash　of　his　gray　eyes　as　he　scanned　the　young　man's　face；　and　the　touch　of　the　hand　that　he　put　on　Dick's　shoulder　was　very　tender。　　〃With　that　woman　again？〃　

The　boy's　voice　was　disconsolate　as　he　replied：

〃No；　father；　not　with　her。　　She　won't　see　me。〃

The　older　man　snorted　a　wrathful　appreciation。

〃Naturally！〃　he　exclaimed　with　exceeding　bitterness　in　the　heavy　voice。　　〃She's　got　all　she　wanted　from　you　my　name！〃　He　repeated　the　words　with　a　grimace　of　exasperation：　〃My　name！〃　

There　was　a　novel　dignity　in　the　son's　tone　as　he　spoke。

〃It's　mine；　too；　you　know；　sir；〃　he　said　quietly。

The　father　was　impressed　of　a　sudden　with　the　fact　that；　while　this　affair　was　of　supreme　import　to　himself；　it　was；　after　all；　of　still　greater　significance　to　his　son。　　To　himself；　the　chief　concerns　were　of　the　worldly　kind。　　To　this　boy；　the　vital　thing　was　something　deeper；　something　of　the　heart：　for；　however　absurd　his　feeling；　the　truth　remained　that　he　loved　the　woman。　　Yes；　it　was　the　son's　name　that　Mary　Turner　had　taken；　as　well　as　that　of　his　father。　　In　the　case　of　the　son；　she　had　taken　not　only　his　name；　but　his　very　life。　　Yes；　it　was；　indeed；　Dick's　tragedy。　　Whatever　he；　the　father；　might　feel；　the　son　was；　after　all；　more　affected。　　He　must　suffer　more；　must　lose　more；　must　pay　more　with　happiness　for　his　folly。

Gilder　looked　at　his　son　with　a　strange；　new　respect；　but　he　could　not　let　the　situation　go　without　protest；　protest　of　the　most　vehement。

〃Dick；〃　he　cried；　and　his　big　voice　was　shaken　a　little　by　the　force　of　his　emotion；　〃boy；　you　are　all　I　have　in　the　world。　　You　will　have　to　free　yourself　from　this　woman　somehow。〃　　He　stood　very　erect；　staring　steadfastly　out　of　his　clear　gray　eyes　into　those　of　his　son。　　His　heavy　face　was　rigid　with　feeling；　the　coarse　mouth　bent　slightly　in　a　smile　of　troubled　fondness；　as　he　added　more　softly：　〃You　owe　me　that　much。〃

The　son's　eyes　met　his　father's　freely。　　There　was　respect　in　them；　and　affection；　but　there　was　something　else；　too；　something　the　older　man　recognized　as　beyond　his　control。　　He　spoke　gravely；　with　a　deliberate　conviction。

〃I　owe　something　to　her；　too；　Dad。〃

But　Gilder　would　not　let　the　statement　go　unchallenged。　His　heavy　voice　rang　out　rebukingly；　overtoned　with　protest。

〃What　can　you　owe　her？〃　　he　demanded　indignantly。　〃She　tricked　you　into　the　marriage。　　Why；　legally；　it's　not　even　that。　　There's　been　nothing　more　than　a　wedding　ceremony。　　The　courts　hold　that　that　is　only　a　part　of　the　marriage　actually。　　The　fact　that　she　doesn't　receive　you　makes　it　simpler；　too。　　It　can　be　arranged。　We　must　get　you　out　of　the　scrape。〃

He　turned　and　went　to　the　desk；　as　if　to　sit；　but　he　was　halted　by　his　son's　answer；　given　very　gently；　yet　with　a　note　of　finality　that　to　the　father's　ear　rang　like　the　crack　of　doom。

〃I'm　not　sure　that　I　want　to　get　out　of　it；　father。〃

That　was　all；　but　those　plain　words　summed　the　situation；　made　the　issue　a　matter　not　of　advice；　but　of　the　heart。

Gilder　persisted；　however；　in　trying　to　evade　the　integral　fact　of　his　son's　feeling。　　Still　he　tried　to　fix　the　issue　on　the　known　unsavory　reputation　of　the　woman。

〃You　want　to　stay　married　to　this　jail…bird！〃　he　stormed。

A　gust　of　fury　swept　the　boy。　　He　loved　the　woman；　in　spite　of　all；　he　respected　her；　even　reverenced　her。　To　hear　her　thus　named　moved　him　to　a　rage　almost　beyond　his　control。　　But　he　mastered　himself。　　He　remembered　that　the　man　who　spoke　loved　him；　he　remembered；　too；　that　the　word　of　opprobrium　was　no　more　than　the　truth；　however　offensive　it　might　be　to　his　sensitiveness。　　He　waited　a　moment　until　he　could　hold　his　voice　even。　　Then　his　words　were　the　sternest　protest　that　could　have　been　uttered；　though　they　came　from　no　exercise　of　thought；　only　out　of　the　deeps　of　his　heart。

〃I'm　very　fond　of　her。〃

That　was　all。　　But　the　simple　sincerity　of　the　saying　griped　the　father's　mood；　as　no　argument　could　have　done。　　There　was　a　little　silence。　　After　all；　what　could　meet　such　loving　loyalty？

When　at　last　he　spoke；　Gilder's　voice　was　subdued；　a　little　husky。

〃Now；　that　you　know？〃　　he　questioned。

There　was　no　faltering　in　the　answer。

〃Now；　that　I　know；〃　Dick　said　distinctly。　　Then　abruptly；　the　young　man　spoke　with　the　energy　of　perfect　faith　in　the　woman。　　〃Don't　you　see；　father？　　Why；　she　is　justified　in　a　way；　in　her　own　mind　anyhow；　I　mean。　　She　was　innocent　when　she　was　sent　to　prison。　She　feels　that　the　world　owes　her〃

But　the　older　man　would　not　permit　the　assertion　to　go　uncontradicted。　　That　reference　to　the　woman's　innocence　was　an　arraignment　of　himself；　for　it　had　been　he　who　sent　her　to　the　term　of　imprisonment。

〃Don't　talk　to　me　about　her　innocence！〃　he　said；　and　his　voice　was　ominous。　　〃I　suppose　next　you　will　argue　that；　because　she's　been　clever　enough　to　keep　within　the　law；　since　she's　got　out　of　State　Prison；　she's　not　a　criminal。　　But　let　me　tell　youcrime　is　crime；　whether　the　law　touches　it　in　the　particular　case；　or　whether　it　doesn't。〃

Gilder　faced　his　son　sternly　for　a　moment；　and　then　presently　spoke　again　with　deeper　earnestness。

〃There's　only　one　course　open　to　you；　my　boy。　　You　must　give　this　girl　up。〃

The　son　met　his　father's　gaze　with　a　level　look　in　which　there　was　no　weakness。

〃I've　told　you；　Dad〃　he　began。

〃You　must；　I　tell　you；〃　the　father　insisted。　　Then　he　went　on　quickly；　with　a　tone　of　utmost　positiveness。　　〃If　you　don't；　what　are　you　going　to　do　the　day　your　wife　is　thrown　into　a　patrol　wagon　and　carried　to　Police　Headquartersfor　it's　sure　to　happen？　　The　cleverest　of　people　make　mistakes；　and　some　day　she'll　make　one。〃

Dick　threw　out　his　hands　in　a　gesture　of　supreme　denial。　　He　was　furious　at　this　supposition　that　she　would　continue　in　her　irregular　practices。

But　the　father　went　on　remorselessly。

〃They　will　stand　her　up　where　the　detectives　will　walk　past　her　with　masks　on　their　faces。　　Her　picture；　of　course；　is　already　in　the　Rogues'　Gallery；　but　they　will　take　another。　　Yes；　and　the　imprints　of　her　fingers；　and　the　measurements　of　her　body。〃

The　son　was　writhing　under　the　words。　　The　woman　of　whom　these　things　were　said　was　the　woman　whom　he　loved。　　It　was　blasphemy　to　think　of　her　in　such　case；　subjected　to　the　degradation　of　these　processes。　Yet；　every　word　had　in　it　the　piercing；　horrible　sting　of　truth。　　His　face　whitened。　　He　raised　a　supplicating　hand。

〃Father！〃　

〃That's　what　they　will　do　to　your　wife；〃　Gilder　went　on　harshly；　〃to　the　woman　who　bears　your　name　and　mine。〃　　There　was　a　little　pause；　and　the　father　stood　rigid；　menacing。　　The　final　question　came　rasping。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃　

Dick　went　forward　until　he　was　close　to　his　father。　Then　he　spoke　with　profound　conviction。

〃It　will　never　happen。　　She　will　go　straight；　Dad。　That　I　know。　　You　would　know　it　if　you　only　knew　her　as　I　do。〃

Gilder　once　again　put　his　hand　tenderly　on　his　son's　shoulder。　　His　voice　was　modulated　to　an　unaccustomed　mildness　as　he　spoke。

〃Be　sensible；　boy；〃　he　pleaded　softly。　　〃Be　sensible！〃　

Dick　dropped　down　on　the　couch；　and　made　his　answer　very　gently；　his　eyes　unseeing　as　he　dwelt　on　the　things　he　knew　of　the　woman　he　loved。

〃Why；　Dad；〃　he　said；　〃she　is　young。　　She's　just　like　a　child　in　a　hundred　ways。　　She　loves　the　trees　and　the　grass　and　the　flowersand　everything　that's　simple　and　real！　And　as　for　her　heart〃　His　voice　was　low　and　very　tender：　〃Why；　her　heart　is　the　biggest　I've　ever　known。　　It's　just　overflowing　with　sweetness　and　kindness。　I've　seen　her　pick　up　a　baby　that　had　fallen　in　the　street；　and　mother　it　in　a　way　thatwell；　no　one　could　do　it　as　she　did　it；　unless　her　soul　was　clean。〃

The　father　was　silent；　a　little　awed。　　He　made　an　effort　to　shake　off　the　feeling；　and　spoke　with　a　sneer。

〃You　heard　what　she　said　yesterday；　and　you　still　are　such　a　fool　as　to　think　that。〃

The　answer　of　the　son　came　with　an　immutable　finality；　the　sublime　faith　of　love。

〃I　don't　thinkI　know！〃　

Gilder　was　in　despair。　　What　argument　could　avail　him？　　He　cried　out　sharply　in　desperation。

〃Do　you　realize　what　you're　doing？　　Don't　go　to　smash；　Dick；　just　at　the　beginning　of　your　life。　　Oh；　I　beg　you；　boy；　stop！　Put　this　girl　out　of　your　thoughts　and　start　fresh。〃

The　reply　was　of　the　simplest；　and　it　was　the　end　of　argument。

〃Father；〃　Dick　said；　very　gently；　〃I　can't。〃

There　followed　a　little　period　of　quiet　between　the　two。　　The　father；　from　his　desk；　stood　facing　his　son；　who　thus　denied　him　in　all　honesty　because　the　heart　so