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〃J。　W。　GASKELL；　ESQ。；　　　　　　　　　　　〃Central　National　Bank；　New　York。

〃MY　DEAR　Mr。　GASKELL：　I　feel　that　I　should　be　doing　less　than　my　duty　as　a　man　if　I　did　not　let　you　know　at　once　that　Mrs。　Gaskell　is　in　urgent　need　of　medical　attention。　　She　came　into　our　store　to…day；　and〃　

He　paused　for　a　moment。　　〃No；　put　it　this　way；〃　he　said　finally：　

〃We　found　her　wandering　about　our　store　to…day　in　a　very　nervous　condition。　　In　her　excitement；　she　carried　away　about　one　hundred　dollars'　worth　of　rare　laces。　Not　recognizing　her；　our　store　detective　detained　her　for　a　short　time。　　Fortunately　for　us　all；　Mrs。　Gaskell　was　able　to　explain　who　she　was；　and　she　has　just　gone　to　her　home。　　Hoping　for　Mrs。　Gaskell's　speedy　recovery；　and　with　all　good　wishes；　I　am；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Yours　very　truly。〃　　

Yet；　though　he　had　completed　the　letter；　Gilder　did　not　at　once　take　up　another　detail　of　his　business。　　Instead；　he　remained　plunged　in　thought；　and　now　his　frown　was　one　of　simple　bewilderment。　　A　number　of　minutes　passed　before　he　spoke；　and　then　his　words　revealed　distinctly　what　had　been　his　train　of　meditation。

〃Sadie；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　of　entire　sincerity；　〃I　can't　understand　theft。　　It's　a　thing　absolutely　beyond　my　comprehension。〃

On　the　heels　of　this　ingenuous　declaration；　Smithson　entered　the　office；　and　that　excellent　gentleman　appeared　even　more　perturbed　than　before。

〃What　on　earth　is　the　matter　now？〃　　Gilder　spluttered；　suspiciously。

〃It's　Mrs。　Gaskell　still；〃　Smithson　replied　in　great　trepidation。　　〃She　wants　you　personally；　Mr。　Gilder；　to　apologize　to　her。　　She　says　that　the　action　taken　against　her　is　an　outrage；　and　she　is　not　satisfied　with　the　apologies　of　all　the　rest　of　us。　　She　says　you　must　make　one；　too；　and　that　the　store　detective　must　be　discharged　for　intolerable　insolence。〃

Gilder　bounced　up　from　his　chair　angrily。

〃I'll　be　damned　if　I'll　discharge　McCracken；〃　he　vociferated；　glaring　on　Smithson；　who　shrank　visibly。

But　that　mild　and　meek　man　had　a　certain　strength　of　pertinacity。　　Besides；　in　this　case；　he　had　been　having　multitudinous　troubles　of　his　own；　which　could　be　ended　only　by　his　employer's　placating　of　the　offended　kleptomaniac。

〃But　about　the　apology；　Mr。　Gilder；〃　he　reminded；　speaking　very　deferentially；　yet　with　insistence。

Business　instinct　triumphed　over　the　magnate's　irritation；　and　his　face　cleared。

〃Oh；　I'll　apologize；〃　he　said　with　a　wry　smile　of　discomfiture。　　〃I'll　make　things　even　up　a　bit　when　I　get　an　apology　from　Gaskell。　　I　shrewdly　suspect　that　that　estimable　gentleman　is　going　to　eat　humble　pie；　of　my　baking；　from　his　wife's　recipe。　　And　his　will　be　an　honest　apologywhich　mine　won't；　not　by　a　damned　sight！〃　With　the　words；　he　left　the　room；　in　his　wake　a　hugely　relieved　Smithson。

Alone　in　the　office；　Sarah　neglected　her　work　for　a　few　minutes　to　brood　over　the　startling　contrast　of　events　that　had　just　forced　itself　on　her　attention。　　She　was　not　a　girl　given　to　the　analysis　of　either　persons　or　things；　but　in　this　instance　the　movement　of　affairs　had　come　close　to　her；　and　she　was　compelled　to　some　depth　of　feeling　by　the　two　aspects　of　life　on　which　to…day　she　looked。　　In　the　one　case；　as　she　knew　it；　a　girl　under　the　urge　of　poverty　had　stolen。　　That　thief　had　been　promptly　arrested；　finally　she　had　been　tried；　had　been　convicted；　had　been　sentenced　to　three　years　in　prison。　In　the　other　case；　a　woman　of　wealth　had　stolen。　　There　had　been　no　punishment。　　A　euphemism　of　kleptomania　had　been　offered　and　accepted　as　sufficient　excuse　for　her　crime。　　A　polite　lie　had　been　written　to　her　husband；　a　banker　of　power　in　the　city。　　To　her；　the　proprietor　of　the　store　was　even　now　apologizing　in　courteous　phrases　of　regret。。。。　And　Mary　Turner　had　been　sentenced　to　three　years　in　prison。　　Sadie　shook　her　head　in　dolorous　doubt；　as　she　again　bent　over　the　keys　of　her　typewriter。　　Certainly；　some　happenings　in　this　world　of　ours　did　not　seem　quite　fair。



CHAPTER　V。　THE　VICTIM　OF　THE　LAW。　

It　was　on　this　same　day　that　Sarah；　on　one　of　her　numerous　trips　through　the　store　in　behalf　of　Gilder；　was　accosted　by　a　salesgirl；　whose　name；　Helen　Morris；　she　chanced　to　know。　　It　was　in　a　spot　somewhere　out　of　the　crowd；　so　that　for　the　moment　the　two　were　practically　alone。　　The　salesgirl　showed　signs　of　embarrassment　as　she　ventured　to　lay　a　detaining　hand　on　Sarah's　arm；　but　she　maintained　her　position；　despite　the　secretary's　manner　of　disapproval。

〃What　on　earth　do　you　want？〃　　Sarah　inquired；　snappishly。

The　salesgirl　put　her　question　at　once。

〃What　did　they　do　to　Mary　Turner？〃　

〃Oh；　that！〃　the　secretary　exclaimed；　with　increased　impatience　over　the　delay；　for　she　was　very　busy；　as　always。　　〃You　will　all　know　soon　enough。〃

〃Tell　me　now。〃　　The　voice　of　the　girl　was　singularly　compelling；　there　was　something　vividly　impressive　about　her　just　now；　though　her　pallid；　prematurely　mature　face　and　the　thin　figure　in　the　regulation　black　dress　and　white　apron　showed　ordinarily　only　insignificant。　〃Tell　me　now；〃　she　repeated；　with　a　monotonous　emphasis　that　somehow　moved　Sarah　to　obedience　against　her　will；　greatly　to　her　own　surprise。

〃They　sent　her　to　prison　for　three　years；〃　she　answered；　sharply。

〃Three　years？〃　　The　salesgirl　had　repeated　the　words　in　a　tone　that　was　indefinable；　yet　a　tone　vehement　in　its　incredulous　questioning。　　〃Three　years？〃　　she　said　again；　as　one　refusing　to　believe。

〃Yes；〃　Sarah　said；　impressed　by　the　girl's　earnestness；　〃three　years。〃

〃Good　God！〃　There　was　no　irreverence　in　the　exclamation　that　broke　from　the　girl's　lips。　　Instead；　only　a　tense　horror　that　touched　to　the　roots　of　emotion。

Sarah　regarded　this　display　of　feeling　on　the　part　of　the　young　woman　before　her　with　an　increasing　astonishment。　It　was　not　in　her　own　nature　to　be　demonstrative；　and　such　strong　expression　of　emotion　as　this　she　deemed　rather　suspicious。　　She　recalled；　in　addition；　the　fact　that　his　was　not　the　first　time　that　Helen　Morris　had　shown　a　particular　interest　in　the　fate　of　Mary　Turner。　　Sarah　wondered　why。

〃Say；〃　she　demanded；　with　the　directness　habitual　to　her；　〃why　are　you　so　anxious　about　it？　　This　is　the　third　time　you　have　asked　me　about　Mary　Turner。　What's　it　to　you；　I'd　like　to　know？〃　

The　salesgirl　started　violently；　and　a　deep　flush　drove　the　accustomed　pallor　from　her　cheeks。　　She　was　obviously　much　disturbed　by　the　question。

〃What　is　it　to　me？〃　　she　repeated　in　an　effort　to　gain　time。　　〃Why；　nothingnothing　at　all！〃　Her　expression　of　distress　lightened　a　little　as　she　hit　on　an　excuse　that　might　serve　to　justify　her　interest。　　〃Nothing　at　all；　onlyshe's　a　friend　of　mine；　a　great　friend　of　mine。　Oh；　yes！〃　Then；　in　an　instant；　the　look　of　relief　vanished；　as　once　again　the　terrible　reality　hammered　on　her　consciousness；　and　an　overwhelming　dejection　showed　in　the　dull　eyes　and　in　the　drooping　curves　of　the　white　lips。　　There　was　a　monotone　of　desolation　as　she　went　on　speaking　in　a　whisper　meant　for　the　ears　of　no　other。　〃It's　awfulthree　years！　Oh；　I　didn't　understand！　It's　awful！awful！〃　With　the　final　word；　she　hurried　off；　her　head　bowed。　　She　was　still　murmuring　brokenly；　incoherently。　　Her　whole　attitude　was　of　wondering　grief。

Sarah　stared　after　the　girl　in　complete　mystification。　She　could　not　at　first　guess　any　possible　cause　for　an　emotion　so　poignant。　　Presently；　however；　her　shrewd；　though　very　prosaic；　commonsense　suggested　a　simple　explanation　of　the　girl's　extraordinary　distress。

〃I'll　bet　that　girl　has　been　tempted　to　steal。　　But　she　didn't；　because　she　was　afraid。〃　　With　this　satisfactory　conclusion　of　her　wonderment；　the　secretary　hurried　on　her　way；　quite　content。　　It　never　occurred　to　her　that　the　girl　might　have　been　tempted　to　stealand　had　not　resisted　the　temptation。

It　was　on　account　of　this　brief　conversation　with　the　salesgirl　that　Sarah　was　thinking　intently　of　Mary　Turner；　after　her　return　to　the　office；　from　which　Gilder　himself　happened　to　be　absent　for　the　moment。　　As　the　secretary　glanced　up　at　the　opening　of　the　door；　she　did　not　at　first　recognize　the　figure　outlined　there。　　She　remembered　Mary　Turner　as　a　tall；　slender　girl；　who　showed　an　underlying　vitality　in　every　movement；　a　girl　with　a　face　of　regular　features；　in　which　was　a　complexion　of　blended　milk　and　roses；　with　a　radiant　joy　of　life　shining　through　all　her　arduous　and　vulgar　conditions。　Instead　of　this；　now；　she　saw　a　frail　form　that　stood　swaying　in　the　opening　of　the　doorway；　that　bent　in　a　sinister　fashion　which　told　of　bodily　impotence；　while　the　face　was　quite　bloodless。　　And；　too；　there　was　over　all　else　a　pall　of　helplessnesshelplessness　that　had　endured　much；　and　must　still　endure　infinitely　more。

As　a　reinforcement　of　the　dread　import　of　that　figure　of　wo；　a　man　stood　beside　it；　and　one　of　his　hands　was　clasped　around　the　girl's　wrist；　a　man　who　wore　his　derby　hat　somewhat　far　back　on　his　bullet…shaped　head；　whose　feet　were　conspicuous　in　shoes　with　very　heavy　soles　and　very　square　toes。

It　was　the　man　who　now　took　charge　of　the　situation。　Cassidy；　from　Headquarters；　spoke　in　a　rough；　indifferent　voice；　well　suited　to　his　appearance　of　stolid　strength。

〃The　District　Attorney　told　me　to　bring　this　girl　here　on　my　way　to　the　Grand　Central　Station　with　her。〃

Sarah　got　to　her　feet　mechanically。　　Somehow；　from　the　raucous　notes　of　the　policeman's　voice；　she　understood　in　a　flash　of　illumination　that　the　pitiful　figure　there　in　the　doorway　was　that　of　Mary　Turner；　whom　she　had　remembered　so　different；　so　frightfully　different。　She　spoke　with　a　miserable　effort　toward　her　usual　liveliness。

〃Mr。　Gilder　will　be　right　back。　　Come　in　and　wait。〃　　She　wished　to　say　something　more；　something　of　welcome　or　of　mourning；　to　the　girl　there；　but　she　found　herself　incapable　of　a　single　word　for　the　moment；　and　could　only　stand　dumb　while　the　man　stepped　forward；　with　his　charge　following　helplessly　in　his　clutch。

The　two　went　forward　very　slowly；　the　officer；　carelessly　conscious　of　his　duty；　walking　with　awkward　steps　to　suit　the　feeble　movements　of　the　girl；　the　girl　letting　herself　be　dragged　onward；　aware　of　the　futility　of　any　resistance　to　the　inexorable　power　that　now　had　her　in　its　grip；　of