Argosy All-Story Weekly, June 27, 1925 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

$36 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. over her during the little time she had still bitter. “ All the good people in this spent in this room. She had come with no sense of judicial responsibility; with no intent of probing the conduct of another. She had, of course, heard casually of the arnval of a young woman who seemed, from current gossip, to be a misfit in such a life. Acutely conscious as she was of the unique mountain character, Anne Purviance had wondered whether a demoralizing in- fluence might not be coming with the stranger. That was as far as her thoughts world stand together for the law. It doesn’t seem to matter how rotten unfair the law may be.” Again, the woman from the “ fotched- on” school hesitated. She was holding the curb of judgment on impulses of sympathy. The two emotions must be honorably united or judgment must prevail. Then decision came. “There’s a way out, I think,” she said. “TI don’t know just why—unless it’s that I trust my intuitions—but I believe you when had gone, and now in the space of minutes. you say you're not guilty. I happen to be she: found herself called to judgment. In the slight figure that stood white faced and terror stricken, but erect before her, was a heart-twisting declaration of human pathos. Anne Purviance was well equipped to appraise something of her character, and hér appraisal broughgyga rush of pity to her heart. This girl was cheap, uninformed, vulgar even, but somehow one felt that this was partly, at least, because life had done little that wds generous to shape the inert matter of her moral composition into wortby contours, or to galvanize it into admirable vitality. Along Broadway one might see many like her. Some of them sank into degenera- lion and some of them arose to fame. But in her very virago passion there was a germ of gallant battle, and—illogical as it might seem—in her eyes was a convincing light of honesty. She said she was innocent, and her eyes held some intangible light that strongly corroborated that assertion—or so Anne Purviance believed. At last her voice came low, and her words were deliberate. “You shouldn’t have told me all this,” she said reproachfully. ‘I didn’t ask—and you had no right to saddle me with such responsibility. Perhaps you don’t know that one who shields an alleged criminal— compounds a felony—becomes an accom- plice.” “But Pm not guilty. wasn’t guilty.” “You said, too, that you couldn’t prove it.” “Tt’s about what I thought,” Cynthia’s tone was tired and uncombative now, but I told you I lawyer, and although I don’t practise I can consult.”’ She paused, and explained briefly: “ Be- fore I started into this work I decided that I’d need to know some law and I Studied. If you want to regard me as your attomey, you can talk, and what is said between us is legally as confidential as confession to a priest.” ” I’ve been admitted to the bar. “Do you mean you want to keep my secret?” There was incredulous bewilder- ment in the question, and the fine head of the other woman nodded grave affirmation, “Tf we can come to terms—and agree on a fee,” she announced with a faint glimmer of a smile in the soberness of her fine eyes, “I want to help you, but I want you to help me, too. fine. Of course, I mean if I don’t find I’ve been wrong in my estimate of you. based on snap judgment so far, you know.” If we can agree it will be It’s “What can I do for you? Everybody is on your side.” Anne Purviance came over and laid a hand on Cynthia’s shoulder. “Sit down, my dear,” she suggested. “You're tired. DH tell you what you can do for me. Stories about you, and they disturb me. I was glad to have a chance to see you.” It’s true that I heard the ‘Why? How could I hurt you even if the stories were true?” “You don’t know this country. You don’t know how hard it has been to smooth away century old prejudices—to overcome the suspicion for the ‘ furriner.’ to do it—and by patience we succeeded. Otherwise, the children that were thirsting We had COMmica@oo SS Co