within the law-第3部分

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u　know　her？〃　　she　questioned；　without　any　real　interest。

Smithson　answered　with　that　bland　stateliness　of　manner　which　was　the　fruit　of　floor…walking　politeness。

〃Well；　I　couldn't　exactly　say　I　knew　her；　and　yet　I　might　say；　after　a　manner　of　speaking；　that　I　didto　a　certain　extent。　　You　see；　they　put　her　in　my　department　when　she　first　came　here　to　work。　　She　was　a　good　saleswoman；　as　saleswomen　go。　　For　the　matter　of　that；〃　he　added　with　a　sudden　access　of　energy；　〃she　was　the　last　girl　in　the　world　I'd　take　for　a　thief。〃　　He　displayed　some　evidences　of　embarrassment　over　the　honest　feeling　into　which　he　had　been　betrayed；　and　made　haste　to　recover　his　usual　business　manner；　as　he　continued　formally。　　〃Will　you　please　let　me　know　when　Mr。　Gilder　arrives？　　There　are　one　or　two　little　matters　I　wish　to　discuss　with　him。〃

〃All　right！〃　Sarah　agreed　briskly；　and　she　hurried　on　toward　the　private　office。

The　secretary　was　barely　seated　at　her　desk　when　the　violent　opening　of　the　door　startled　her；　and；　as　she　looked　up；　a　cheery　voice　cried　out：

〃Hello；　Dad！〃　

At　the　same　moment；　a　young　man　entered；　with　an　air　of　care…free　assurance；　his　face　radiant。　　But；　as　his　glance　went　to　the　empty　arm…chair　at　the　desk；　he　halted　abruptly；　and　his　expression　changed　to　one　of　disappointment。

〃Not　here！〃　he　grumbled。　　Then；　once　again　the　smile　was　on　his　lips　as　his　eyes　fell　on　the　secretary；　who　had　now　risen　to　her　feet　in　a　flutter　of　excitement。

〃Why；　Mr。　Dick！〃　Sarah　gasped。

〃Hello；　Sadie！〃　came　the　genial　salutation。　　The　young　man　advanced　and　shook　hands　with　her　warmly。　〃I'm　home　again。　　Where's　Dad？〃　

Even　as　he　asked　the　question；　the　quick　sobering　of　his　face　bore　witness　to　his　disappointment　over　not　finding　his　father　in　the　office。　　For　such　was　the　relationship　of　the　owner　of　the　department　store　to　this　new　arrival　on　the　scene。　　And　in　the　patent　chagrin　under　which　the　son　now　labored　was　to　be　found　a　certain　indication　of　character　not　to　be　disregarded。　　Unlike　many　a　child；　he　really　loved　his　father。　　The　death　of　the　mother　years　before　had　left　him　without　other　opportunity　for　affection　in　the　home；　since　he　had　neither　brother　nor　sister。　　He　loved　his　father　with　a　depth　of　feeling　that　made　between　the　two　a　real　camaraderie；　despite　great　differences　in　temperament。　In　that　simple　and　sincere　regard　which　he　bore　for　his　father；　the　boy　revealed　a　heart　ready　for　love；　willing　to　give　of　itself　its　best　for　the　one　beloved。　　Beyond　that；　as　yet；　there　was　little　to　be　said　of　him　with　exactness。　　He　was　a　spoiled　child　of　fortune；　if　you　wish　to　have　it　so。　　Certainly；　he　was　only　a　drone　in　the　world's　hive。　　Thus　far；　he　had　enjoyed　the　good　things　of　life；　without　ever　doing　aught　to　deserve　them　by　contributing　in　returnsave　by　his　smiles　and　his　genial　air　of　happiness。

In　the　twenty…three　years　of　his　life；　every　gift　that　money　could　lavish　had　been　his。　　If　the　sum　total　of　benefit　was　small；　at　least　there　remained　the　consoling　fact　that　the　harm　was　even　less。　　Luxury　had　not　sapped　the　strength　of　him。　　He　had　not　grown　vicious；　as　have　so　many　of　his　fellows　among　the　sons　of　the　rich。　　Some　instinct　held　him　aloof　from　the　grosser　vices。　　His　were　the　trifling　faults　that　had　their　origin　chiefly　in　the　joy　of　life；　which　manifest　occasionally　in　riotous　extravagancies；　of　a　sort　actually　to　harm　none；　however　absurd　and　useless　they　may　be。

So　much　one　might　see　by　a　glance　into　the　face。　　He　was　well　groomed；　of　course；　healthy；　all　a…tingle　with　vitality。　　And　in　the　clear　eyes；　which　avoided　no　man's　gaze；　nor　sought　any　woman's　unseemly；　there　showed　a　soul　untainted；　not　yet　developed；　not　yet　debased。　Through　all　his　days；　Dick　Gilder　had　walked　gladly；　in　the　content　that　springs　to　the　call　of　one　possessed　of　a　capacity　for　enjoyment；　possessed；　too；　of　every　means　for　the　gratification　of　desire。　　As　yet；　the　man　of　him　was　unrevealed　in　its　integrity。　　No　test　had　been　put　upon　him。　　The　fires　of　suffering　had　not　tried　the　dross　of　him。　　What　real　worth　might　lie　under　this　sunny　surface　the　future　must　determine。　　There　showed　now　only　this　one　significant　fact：　that；　in　the　first　moment　of　his　return　from　journeyings　abroad；　he　sought　his　father　with　all　eagerness；　and　was　sorely　grieved　because　the　meeting　must　still　be　delayed。　　It　was　a　little　thing；　perhaps。　　Yet；　it　was　capable　of　meaning　much　concerning　the　nature　of　the　lad。　　It　revealed　surely　a　tender　heart；　one　responsive　to　a　pure　love。　And　to　one　of　his　class；　there　are　many　forces　ever　present　to　atrophy　such　simple；　wholesome　power　of　loving。　The　ability　to　love　cleanly　and　absolutely　is　the　supreme　virtue。

Sarah　explained　that　Mr。　Gilder　had　been　called　to　the　Court　of　General　Sessions　by　the　judge。

Dick　interrupted　her　with　a　gust　of　laughter。

〃What's　Dad　been　doing　now？〃　　he　demanded；　his　eyes　twinkling。　　Then；　a　reminiscent　grin　shaped　itself　on　his　lips。　　〃Remember　the　time　that　fresh　cop　arrested　him　for　speeding？　　Wasn't　he　wild？　　I　thought　he　would　have　the　whole　police　force　discharged。〃　　He　smiled　again。　　〃The　trouble　is；〃　he　declared　sedately；　〃that　sort　of　thing　requires　practice。　　Now；　when　I'm　arrested　for　speeding；　I'm　not　in　the　least　flusteredoh；　not　a　little　bit！　But　poor　Dad！　That　one　experience　of　his　almost　soured　his　whole　life。　　It　was　near　the　death　of　himalso；　of　the　city's　finest。〃

By　this　time；　the　secretary　had　regained　her　usual　poise；　which　had　been　somewhat　disturbed　by　the　irruption　of　the　young　man。　　Her　round　face　shone　delightedly　as　she　regarded　him。　　There　was　a　maternal　note　of　rebuke　in　her　voice　as　she　spoke：

〃Why；　we　didn't　expect　you　back　for　two　or　three　months　yet。〃

Once　again；　Dick　laughed；　with　an　infectious　gaiety　that　brought　a　smile　of　response　to　the　secretary's　lips。

〃Sadie；〃　he　explained　confidentially；　〃don't　you　dare　ever　to　let　the　old　man　know。　　He　would　be　all　swollen　up。　　It's　bad　to　let　a　parent　swell　up。　　But　the　truth　is；　Sadie；　I　got　kind　of　homesick　for　Dadyes；　just　that！〃　He　spoke　the　words　with　a　sort　of　shamefaced　wonder。　It　is　not　easy　for　an　Anglo…Saxon　to　confess　the　realities　of　affection　in　vital　intimacies。　　He　repeated　the　phrase　in　a　curiously　appreciative　hesitation；　as　one　astounded　by　his　own　emotion。　　〃Yes；　homesick　for　Dad！〃　

Then；　to　cover　an　excess　of　sincere　feeling；　he　continued；　with　a　burst　of　laughter：

〃Besides；　Sadie；　I　was　broke。〃

The　secretary　sniffed。

〃The　cable　would　have　handled　that　end　of　it；　I　guess；〃　she　said；　succinctly。

There　was　no　word　of　contradiction　from　Dick；　who；　from　ample　experience；　knew　that　any　demand　for　funds　would　have　received　answer　from　the　father。

〃But　what　is　Dad　doing　in　court？〃　　he　demanded。

Sarah　explained　the　matter　with　her　usual　conciseness：

〃One　of　the　girls　was　arrested　for　stealing。〃

The　nature　of　the　son　was　shown　then　clearly　in　one　of　its　best　aspects。　　At　once；　he　exhibited　his　instinct　toward　the　quality　of　mercy；　and；　too；　his　trust　in　the　father　whom　he　loved；　by　his　eager　comment。

〃And　Dad　went　to　court　to　get　her　out　of　the　scrape。　That's　just　like　the　old　man！〃　

Sarah；　however；　showed　no　hint　of　enthusiasm。　　Her　mind　was　ever　of　the　prosaic　sort；　little　prone　to　flights。　In　that　prosaic　quality；　was　to　be　found　the　explanation　of　her　dependability　as　a　private　secretary。　　So；　now；　she　merely　made　a　terse　statement。

〃She　was　tried　to…day；　and　convicted。　　The　judge　sent　for　Mr。　Gilder　to　come　down　this　morning　and　have　a　talk　with　him　about　the　sentence。〃

There　was　no　lessening　of　the　expression　of　certainty　on　the　young　man's　face。　　He　loved　his　father；　and　he　trusted　where　he　loved。

〃It　will　be　all　right；〃　he　declared；　in　a　tone　of　entire　conviction。　　〃Dad's　heart　is　as　big　as　a　barrel。　　He'll　get　her　off。〃

Then；　of　a　sudden；　Dick　gave　a　violent　start。　　He　added　a　convincing　groan。

〃Oh；　Lord！〃　he　exclaimed；　dismally。　　There　was　shame　in　his　voice。　　〃I　forgot　all　about　it！〃　

The　secretary　regarded　him　with　an　expression　of　amazement。

〃All　about　what？〃　　she　questioned。

Dick　assumed　an　air　vastly　more　confidential　than　at　any　time　hitherto。　　He　leaned　toward　the　secretary's　desk；　and　spoke　with　a　new　seriousness　of　manner：

〃Sadie；　have　you　any　money？　　I'm　broker　My　taxi'　has　been　waiting　outside　all　this　time。〃

〃Why；　yes；〃　the　secretary　said；　cheerfully。　　〃If　you　will〃

Dick　was　discreet　enough　to　turn　his　attention　to　a　picture　on　the　wall　opposite　while　Sarah　went　through　those　acrobatic　performances　obligatory　on　women　who　take　no　chances　of　losing　money　by　carrying　it　in　purses。

〃There！〃　she　called　after　a　few　panting　seconds；　and　exhibited　a　flushed　face。

Dick　turned　eagerly　and　seized　the　banknote　offered　him。

〃Mighty　much　obliged；　Sadie；〃　he　said；　enthusiastically。　〃But　I　must　run。　　Otherwise；　this　wouldn't　be　enough　for　the　fare！〃　And；　so　saying；　he　darted　out　of　the　room。



CHAPTER　III。　ONLY　THREE　YEARS。　

When；　at　last；　the　owner　of　the　store　entered　the　office；　his　face　showed　extreme　irritation。　　He　did　not　vouchsafe　any　greeting　to　the　secretary；　who　regarded　him　with　an　accurate　perception　of　his　mood。　　With　a　diplomacy　born　of　long　experienc