within the law-第12部分

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as　to　the　difficulties　that　would　beset　the　effort；　and　in　the　face　of　the　temptations　offered　to　follow　an　easier　path。

There　was；　for　example；　Aggie　Lynch；　a　fellow　convict；　with　whom　she　had　a　slight　degree　of　acquaintance；　nothing　more。　　This　young　woman；　a　criminal　by　training；　offered　allurements　of　illegitimate　employment　in　the　outer　world　when　they　should　be　free。　　Mary　endured　the　companionship　with　this　prisoner　because　a　sixth　sense　proclaimed　the　fact　that　here　was　one　unmoral；　rather　than　immoraland　the　difference　is　mighty。　　For　that　reason；　Aggie　Lynch　was　not　actively　offensive；　as　were　most　of　the　others。　　She　was　a　dainty　little　blonde；　with　a　baby　face；　in　which　were　set　two　light…blue　eyes；　of　a　sort　to　widen　often　in　demure　wonder　over　most　things　in　a　surprising　and　naughty　world。　She　had　been　convicted　of　blackmail；　and　she　made　no　pretense　even　of　innocence。　　Instead；　she　was　inclined　to　boast　over　her　ability　to　bamboozle　men　at　her　will。　She　was　a　natural　actress　of　the　ingenue　role；　and　in　that　pose　she　could　unfailingly　beguile　the　heart　of　the　wisest　of　worldly　men。

Perhaps；　the　very　keen　student　of　physiognomy　might　have　discovered　grounds　for　suspecting　her　demureness　by　reason　of　the　thick；　level　brows　that　cast　a　shadow　on　the　bland　innocence　of　her　face。　　For　the　rest；　she　possessed　a　knack　of　rather　harmless　perversity；　a　fair　smattering　of　grammar　and　spelling；　and　a　lively　sense　of　humor　within　her　own　limitations；　with　a　particularly　small　intelligence　in　other　directions。　　Her　one　art　was　histrionics　of　the　kind　that　made　an　individual　appeal。　　In　such；　she　was　inimitable。　　She　had　been　reared　in　a　criminal　family；　which　must　excuse　much。　　Long　ago；　she　had　lost　track　of　her　father；　her　mother　she　had　never　known。　　Her　one　relation　was　a　brother　of　high　standing　as　a　pickpocket。　　One　principal　reason　of　her　success　in　leading　on　men　to　make　fools　of　themselves　over　her；　to　their　everlasting　regret　afterward；　lay　in　the　fact　that；　in　spite　of　all　the　gross　irregularities　of　her　life；　she　remained　chaste。　　She　deserved　no　credit　for　such　restraint；　since　it　was　a　matter　purely　of　temperament；　not　of　resolve。

The　girl　saw　in　Mary　Turner　the　possibilities　of　a　ladylike　personality　that　might　mean　much　financial　profit　in　the　devious　ways　of　which　she　was　a　mistress。　With　the　frankness　characteristic　of　her；　she　proceeded　to　paint　glowing　pictures　of　a　future　shared　to　the　undoing　of　ardent　and　fatuous　swains。　　Mary　Turner　listened　with　curiosity；　but　she　was　in　no　wise　moved　to　follow　such　a　life；　even　though　it　did　not　necessitate　anything　worse　than　a　fraudulent　playing　at　love；　without　physical　degradation。　　So；　she　steadfastly　continued　her　refusals；　to　the　great　astonishment　of　Aggie；　who　actually　could　not　understand　in　the　least；　even　while　she　believed　the　other's　declaration　of　innocence　of　the　crime　for　which　she　was　serving　a　sentence。　　But；　for　her　own　part；　such　innocence　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　matter。　　Where；　indeed；　could　be　the　harm　in　making　some　old　sinner　pay　a　round　price　for　his　folly？　　And　always；　in　response　to　every　argument；　Mary　shook　her　head　in　negation。　　She　would　live　straight。

Then；　the　heavy　brows　of　Aggie　would　draw　down　a　little；　and　the　baby　face　would　harden。

〃You　will　find　that　you　are　up　against　a　hell　of　a　frost；〃　she　would　declare；　brutally。

Mary　found　the　profane　prophecy　true。　　Back　in　New　York；　she　experienced　a　poverty　more　ravaging　than　any　she　had　known　in　those　five　lean　years　of　her　working　in　the　store。　　She　had　been　absolutely　penniless　for　two　days；　and　without　food　through　the　gnawing　hours；　when　she　at　last　found　employment　of　the　humblest　in　a　milliner's　shop。　　Followed　a　blessed　interval　in　which　she　worked　contentedly；　happy　over　the　meager　stipend；　since　it　served　to　give　her　shelter　and　food　honestly　earned。

But　the　ways　of　the　police　are　not　always　those　of　ordinary　decency。　　In　due　time；　an　officer　informed　Mary's　employer　concerning　the　fact　of　her　record　as　a　convict；　and　thereupon　she　was　at　once　discharged。　The　unfortunate　victim　of　the　law　came　perilously　close　to　despair　then。　　Yet；　her　spirit　triumphed；　and　again　she　persevered　in　that　resolve　to　live　straight。　　Finally；　for　the　second　time；　she　secured　a　cheap　position　in　a　cheap　shoponly　to　be　again　persecuted　by　the　police；　so　that　she　speedily　lost　the　place。

Nevertheless；　indomitable　in　her　purpose；　she　maintained　the　struggle。　　A　third　time　she　obtained　work；　and　there；　after　a　little；　she　told　her　employer；　a　candy　manufacturer　in　a　small　way；　the　truth　as　to　her　having　been　in　prison。　　The　man　had　a　kindly　heart；　and；　in　addition；　he　ran　little　risk　in　the　matter；　so　he　allowed　her　to　remain。　　When；　presently；　the　police　called　his　attention　to　the　girl's　criminal　record；　he　paid　no　heed　to　their　advice　against　retaining　her　services。　　But　such　action　on　his　part　offended　the　greatness　of　the　law's　dignity。　　The　police　brought　pressure　to　bear　on　the　man。　　They　even　called　in　the　assistance　of　Edward　Gilder　himself；　who　obligingly　wrote　a　very　severe　letter　to　the　girl's　employer。　　In　the　end；　such　tactics　alarmed　the　man。　　For　the　sake　of　his　own　interests；　though　unwillingly　enough；　he　dismissed　Mary　from　his　service。

It　was　then　that　despair　did　come　upon　the　girl。　　She　had　tried　with　all　the　strength　of　her　to　live　straight。　Yet；　despite　her　innocence；　the　world　would　not　let　her　live　according　to　her　own　conscience。　　It　demanded　that　she　be　the　criminal　it　had　branded　herif　she　were　to　live　at　all。　　So；　it　was　despair！　For　she　would　not　turn　to　evil；　and　without　such　turning　she　could　not　live。　　She　still　walked　the　streets　falteringly；　seeking　some　place；　but　her　heart　was　gone　from　the　quest。　　Now；　she　was　sunken　in　an　apathy　that　saved　her　from　the　worst　pangs　of　misery。　　She　had　suffered　so　much；　so　poignantly；　that　at　last　her　emotions　had　grown　sluggish。　　She　did　not　mind　much　even　when　her　tiny　hoard　of　money　was　quite　gone；　and　she　roamed　the　city；　starving。。。。　Came　an　hour　when　she　thought　of　the　river；　and　was　glad！

Mary　remembered；　with　a　wan　smile；　how；　long　ago；　she　had　thought　with　amazed　horror　of　suicide；　unable　to　imagine　any　trouble　sufficient　to　drive　one　to　death　as　the　only　relief。　　Now；　however；　the　thing　was　simple　to　her。　　Since　there　was　nothing　else；　she　must　turn　to　thatto　death。　　Indeed；　it　was　so　very　simple；　so　final；　and　so　easy；　after　the　agonies　she　had　endured；　that　she　marveled　over　her　own　folly　in　not　having　sought　such　escape　before。。。。　Even　with　the　first　wild　fancy；　she　had　unconsciously　bent　her　steps　westward　toward　the　North　River。　　Now；　she　quickened　her　pace；　anxious　for　the　plunge　that　should　set　the　term　to　sorrow。　　In　her　numbed　brain　was　no　flicker　of　thought　as　to　whatever　might　come　to　her　afterward。　　Her　sole　guide　was　that　compelling　passion　of　desire　to　be　done　with　this　unbearable　present。　　Nothing　else　matterednot　in　the　least！

So；　she　came　through　the　long　stretch　of　ill…lighted　streets；　crossed　some　railroad　tracks　to　a　pier；　over　which　she　hurried　to　the　far　end；　where　it　projected　out　to　the　fiercer　currents　of　the　Hudson。　　There；　without　giving　herself　a　moment's　pause　for　reflection　or　hesitation；　she　leaped　out　as　far　as　her　strength　permitted　into　the　coil　of　waters。。。。　But；　in　that　final　second；　natural　terror　in　the　face　of　death　overcame　the　lethargy　of　despaira　shriek　burst　from　her　lips。

But　for　that　scream　of　fear；　the　story　of　Mary　Turner　had　ended　there　and　then。　　Only　one　person　was　anywhere　near　to　catch　the　sound。　　And　that　single　person　heard。　　On　the　south　side　of　the　pier　a　man　had　just　tied　up　a　motor…boat。　　He　stood　up　in　alarm　at　the　cry；　and　was　just　in　time　to　gain　a　glimpse　of　a　white　face　under　the　dim　moonlight　as　it　swept　down　with　the　tide；　two　rods　beyond　him。　　On　the　instant；　he　threw　off　his　coat　and　sprang　far　out　after　the　drifting　body。　　He　came　to　it　in　a　few　furious　strokes；　caught　it。　Then　began　the　savage　struggle　to　save　her　and　himself。　The　currents　tore　at　him　wrathfully；　but　he　fought　against　them　with　all　the　fierceness　of　his　nature。　　He　had　strength　a…plenty；　but　it　needed　all　of　it；　and　more；　to　win　out　of　the　river's　hungry　clutch。　　What　saved　the　two　of　them　was　the　violent　temper　of　the　man。　Always；　it　had　been　the　demon　to　set　him　aflame。　　To…night；　there　in　the　faint　light；　within　the　grip　of　the　waters；　he　was　moved　to　insensate　fury　against　the　element　that　menaced。　　His　rage　mounted；　and　gave　him　new　power　in　the　battle。　　Maniacal　strength　grew　out　of　supreme　wrath。　　Under　the　urge　of　it；　he　conqueredat　last　brought　himself　and　his　charge　to　the　shore。

When；　finally；　the　rescuer　was　able　to　do　something　more　than　gasp　chokingly；　he　gave　anxious　attention　to　the　woman　whom　he　had　brought　out　from　the　river。　Yet；　at　the　outset；　he　could　not　be　sure　that　she　still　lived。　　She　had　shown　no　sign　of　life　at　any　time　since　he　had　first　seized　her。　　That　fact　had　been　of　incalculable　advantage　to　him　in　his　efforts　to　reach　the　shore　with　her。　　Now；　however；　it　alarmed　him　mightily；　though　it　hardly　seemed　possible　that　she　could　have　drowned。　　So　far　as　he　could　determine；　she：　had　not　even　sunk　once　beneath　the　surface。　　Never