Judge — October 25, 1919 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Drawn by Catvenr Sart Disrossessep ready for occupancy on their return. Even a skilled housekeeper was engaged. During their felicitous journeyings both ignored the subject of the law except for superficial discussion now and then of its benefits to humanity. In their state- room on the steamer that was about to dock at the end of their trip Blanche made the subject personal. “IT wonder, dear,” she ventured, “if you would like me to have an office with you “An office with me? Are you serious, sweetheart ?” “Of course I'm serious! I am a lawyer. Did you imagine IT had given up the idea?” “IT had hoped you were happy enough to forget it. How can you make a home for us—an ideal home— and practice law?” “How do you play golf almost every pleasant after- noon, dear, and yet carry on your practice? I need not give all my time to the law. I can get some idea of its practice and still make a home.” Densmore was thoughtful. “Will you postpone the subject a little? You know I must plunge right into politics. Wait, please, until I am elected—or defeated —dear girl!” And Blanche loved him enough to promise to wait. But her ultimate idea persisted. s elected District Attorney anc assumed office. He was very busy. Blanche siderate. But she scanned the proceedings of the courts daily with a feverish interest. A number of women were appearing as attorneys. And the election had furnished political surprises. Three of the new Board of Alder- men were women, and women were planning to con- test for seats in the Legislature at the next election. But women figured in other aspects of the news. The daily journals made much of a sensational case of grand larceny. yung woman, Grace Bellair, who had held a cenfidential clerkship in a prominent bank, had been indicted for that crime. A bundle of bank notes of high denomination had been found in the pocket of her coat at the ba The newspapers said she was a girl who had no special call to work. Her parents were well-to-do, and her fiancé, a rising young architect, had qualified as her bondsman in court and secured her temporary freedom. Like other girls in good circumstances she had been ambitious to do some- thing, having been active in canteen work during the war. She protested her innocence of the theft, although evidence against her seemed conclusive. The Densmores talked the case over at dinner the day the “story” came out. “A sad case,” said Dens- more, “but I must do my duty to society. I shall per- sonally prosecute.” “Why can’t one of your deputies act?” Blanche asked. “How would it look, dear? To let some one else handle the first important case that comes to me?” And he was so intent upon it that he went to his office after dinner to look over the indictment. That evening Blanche had a visitor—Grace Pellair herself. She had come alone, she said, although her fiancé had wished to accompany her. [Blanche saw in her a young woman of strong chara “TI understand you are a lav “and I had an impulse to tell you my story, although Densmore wv you are the wife of the District Attorney.” The story she told was of detail that the newspapers could not get. Blanche at once saw a remarkable possibility in it. “Don't engage a lawyer,” she said to the girl. “I shall appear for you in court, but you must keep it a secret. In the meantime I am going to work upon a theory.” Grace Bellair was duly arraigned for trial. “I ap- pear for the prisoner,” said Blanche, coming forward. The court room was so crowded that her presence had not been noted. Densmore for the moment was stunned with amazement. The judges favorably noted the appearance, and the situation was novel enough even to astonish them. “I am ready to prove,” continued Blanche, “that the theft of this money was not committed by the prisoner at the bar.” She turned and gave a signal and a noted detective appeared with a young man almost in a state of col- lapse. This young man confessed that he had taken the money from a safe in the bank, where he was also em- ployed, and placed it in Miss Bellair’s pocket. It came out that she had discouraged his love-mak- ing and rejected his proposal of marriage. comichooks.