The Argosy, March 1907 — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

_ I suppose. no matter whose—if I here. DOWN case, in the first place, and the other ex- penses will add to the bill.” ~Wib began with shaking voice: “T ought to be grateful to Mr. Ware, I wish that I could believe he was doing this because he knows his mistake is at the foundation of my trouble; but I cannot believe that. ‘But I would accept anybody’s help— could get out of this place honorably. Let me ask you, sir: Would you take this oath, and so purge yourself of a debt and win free- dom?” “You are getting personal, young man!” snapped the attorney, flushing. ‘“] did not come here to answer ques- tions, but to ask them.” ‘And I ask you for advice? ”’ pursued Wib, controlling himself with difficulty... ee ask you if, as a man, you could bring yourself to do what you propose? “You know nothing about this place ~ You never have experienced what it means to be a poor debtor shut up in jail with no honorable means of escape, and no friends, and no money, and sub- ject to: rules that are galling, and de- pendent for life upon food that is some- times not fit to eat! No, you do not ‘know all this. “Therefore, you are excusable, for you do not know how you are tempting a man who has a little self-respect left! I cannot accept your offer. I am obliged to Mr. Ware—as thankful as I can be under the circumstances. But I cannot accept this offer—I won’t accept it! ‘It is dishonorable to take that oath. It will always be a blot on my reputa- tion if I do it. I may be pointed out as a man who was once shut up in prison for debt, but they shall not hon- estly say that I escaped from this place , by declaring my inability to pay a just debt even if I were free! ‘““T am willing to work. Let them set me free and I will pay my debt as quickly as I can earn the money. I don’t wish to be purged of it in any other way. If this is all you have to offer me, sir, you need not keep me longer.” “VYou’re a fool!” exclaimed the law- yer wrathfully, jumping up. “Possibly. I am not a knave,” and Wib turned to the gate in the screen and Marren let him out. 10 A AND OUT. The young man stumbled down the corridor, the tears blinding his eyes. Freedom had been offered him—he had viewed the promised land; but he could not enter upon it on the terms offered. He had come to the crucial point and had acted as his conscience dictated. Perhaps he was a greater fool than ever. Still, he had saved his own self-respect! CHAPTER XVIII. THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS. Ir was not a decision that left peace 721 in Wib Harris’s mind and heart. It © brought him neither contentment nor confidence for the future. Indeed, he had shut the only door of hope opened to him, and the days here in the idleness of the debtors’ court seemed doubly long after the visit of Mr. Ware’s lawyer. = He knew the old gentleman would be too angry to help him further. Why he should have been moved to do so at all was a mystery to Wib, who had long since set Mr. Peter Ware down as a purse-proud and arrogant man. Wib settled into an apathetic existence, like so many of his mates. Some of the debtors went out—notably the negro and Angelo, the Italian, who, with tears and promises, assured his mother that he would “mak-a da dead” if she didn’t pay his debt and have him released. Manyon was in hospital, “the old un” lived his usual life, Billy Grist was as.cheerful as ever, and the others plodded along the old rut. Incidents which would have attracted but mo- mentary attention out in the bigger world became of utmost importance here. The new “ boarders’? who came to Warden Hilary’s hotel were objects of great interest to the older members of the fraternity. Wib noted down such interesting details of their stories as im- pressed him. One day a Chinaman joined the group in the debtors’ court, and when Barney Field learned that he had _ been ‘““chummed” with the Celestial he .went up in the air. If there ever_was a wild Irishman it was Barney, who swore by every saint in the calendar that there would be a EOMIGHOO! <S=GO an : ~