two　aspects　of　life　on　which　to…day　she　looked。　　In　the　one　case；　as　she　knew　it；　a　girl　under　the　urge　of　poverty　had　stolen。　　That　thief　had　been　promptly　arrested；　finally　she　had　been　tried；　had　been　convicted；　had　been　sentenced　to　three　years　in　prison。　In　the　other　case；　a　woman　of　wealth　had　stolen。　　There　had　been　no　punishment。　　A　euphemism　of　kleptomania　had　been　offered　and　accepted　as　sufficient　excuse　for　her　crime。　　A　polite　lie　had　been　written　to　her　husband；　a　banker　of　power　in　the　city。　　To　her；　the　proprietor　of　the　store　was　even　now　apologizing　in　courteous　phrases　of　regret。。。。　And　Mary　Turner　had　been　sentenced　to　three　years　in　prison。　　Sadie　shook　her　head　in　dolorous　doubt；　as　she　again　bent　over　the　keys　of　her　typewriter。　　Certainly；　some　happenings　in　this　world　of　ours　did　not　seem　quite　fair。
  CHAPTER　V。　THE　VICTIM　OF　THE　LAW。
  It　was　on　this　same　day　that　Sarah；　on　one　of　her　numerous　trips　through　the　store　in　behalf　of　Gilder；　was　accosted　by　a　salesgirl；　whose　name；　Helen　Morris；　she　chanced　to　know。　　It　was　in　a　spot　somewhere　out　of　the　crowd；　so　that　for　the　moment　the　two　were　practically　alone。　　The　salesgirl　showed　signs　of　embarrassment　as　she　ventured　to　lay　a　detaining　hand　on　Sarah's　arm；　but　she　maintained　her　position；　despite　the　secretary's　manner　of　disapproval。
  〃What　on　earth　do　you　want？〃　　Sarah　inquired；　snappishly。
  The　salesgirl　put　her　question　at　once。
  〃What　did　they　do　to　Mary　Turner？〃
  〃Oh；　that！〃　the　secretary　exclaimed；　with　increased　impatience　over　the　delay；　for　she　was　very　busy；　as　always。　　〃You　will　all　know　soon　enough。〃
  〃Tell　me　now。〃　　The　voice　of　the　girl　was　singularly　compelling；　there　was　something　vividly　impressive　about　her　just　now；　though　her　pallid；　prematurely　mature　face　and　the　thin　figure　in　the　regulation　black　dress　and　white　apron　showed　ordinarily　only　insignificant。　〃Tell　me　now；〃　she　repeated；　with　a　monotonous　emphasis　that　somehow　moved　Sarah　to　obedience　against　her　will；　greatly　to　her　own　surprise。
  〃They　sent　her　to　prison　for　three　years；〃　she　answered；　sharply。
  〃Three　years？〃　　The　salesgirl　had　repeated　the　words　in　a　tone　that　was　indefinable；　yet　a　tone　vehement　in　its　incredulous　questioning。　　〃Three　years？〃　　she　said　again；　as　one　refusing　to　believe。
  〃Yes；〃　Sarah　said；　impressed　by　the　girl's　earnestness；　〃three　years。〃
  〃Good　God！〃　There　was　no　irreverence　in　the　exclamation　that　broke　from　the　girl's　lips。　　Instead；　only　a　tense　horror　that　touched　to　the　roots　of　emotion。
  Sarah　regarded　this　display　of　feeling　on　the　part　of　the　young　woman　before　her　with　an　increasing　astonishment。　It　was　not　in　her　own　nature　to　be　demonstrative；　and　such　strong　expression　of　emotion　as　this　she　deemed　rather　suspicious。　　She　recalled；　in　addition；　the　fact　that　his　was　not　the　first　time　that　Helen　Morris　had　shown　a　particular　interest　in　the　fate　of　Mary　Turner。　　Sarah　wondered　why。
  〃Say；〃　she　demanded；　with　the　directness　habitual　to　her；　〃why　are　you　so　anxious　about　it？　　This　is　the　third　time　you　have　asked　me　about　Mary　Turner。　What's　it　to　you；　I'd　like　to　know？〃
  The　salesgirl　started　violently；　and　a　deep　flush　drove　the　accustomed　pallor　from　her　cheeks。　　She　was　obviously　much　disturbed　by　the　question。
  〃What　is　it　to　me？〃　　she　repeated　in　an　effort　to　gain　time。　　〃Why；　nothingnothing　at　all！〃　Her　expression　of　distress　lightened　a　little　as　she　hit　on　an　excuse　that　might　serve　to　justify　her　interest。　　〃Nothing　at　all；　onlyshe's　a　friend　of　mine；　a　great　friend　of　mine。　Oh；　yes！〃　Then；　in　an　instant；　the　look　of　relief　vanished；　as　once　again　the　terrible　reality　hammered　on　her　consciousness；　and　an　overwhelming　dejection　showed　in　the　dull　eyes　and　in　the　drooping　curves　of　the　white　lips。　　There　was　a　monotone　of　desolation　as　she　went　on　speaking　in　a　whisper　meant　for　the　ears　of　no　other。　〃It's　awfulthree　years！　Oh；　I　didn't　understand！　It's　awful！awful！〃　With　the　final　word；　she　hurried　off；　her　head　bowed。　　She　was　still　murmuring　brokenly；　incoherently。　　Her　whole　attitude　was　of　wondering　grief。
  Sarah　stared　after　the　girl　in　complete　mystification。　She　could　not　at　first　guess　any　possible　cause　for　an　emotion　so　poignant。　　Presently；　however；　her　shrewd；　though　very　prosaic；　commonsense　suggested　a　simple　explanation　of　the　girl's　extraordinary　distress。
  〃I'll　bet　that　girl　has　been　tempted　to　steal。　　But　she　didn't；　because　she　was　afraid。〃　　With　this　satisfactory　conclusion　of　her　wonderment；　the　secretary　hurried　on　her　way；　quite　content。　　It　never　occurred　to　her　that　the　girl　might　have　been　tempted　to　stealand　had　not　resisted　the　temptation。
  It　was　on　account　of　this　brief　conversation　with　the　salesgirl　that　Sarah　was　thinking　intently　of　Mary　Turner；　after　her　return　to　the　office；　from　which　Gilder　himself　happened　to　be　absent　for　the　moment。　　As　the　secretary　glanced　up　at　the　opening　of　the　door；　she　did　not　at　first　recognize　the　figure　outlined　there。　　She　remembered　Mary　Turner　as　a　tall；　slender　girl；　who　showed　an　underlying　vitality　in　every　movement；　a　girl　with　a　face　of　regular　features；　in　which　was　a　complexion　of　blended　milk　and　roses；　with　a　radiant　joy　of　life　shining　through　all　her　arduous　and　vulgar　conditions。　Instead　of　this；　now；　she　saw　a　frail　form　that　stood　swaying　in　the　opening　of　the　doorway；　that　bent　in　a　sinister　fashion　which　told　of　bodily　impotence；　while　the　face　was　quite　bloodless。　　And；　too；　there　was　over　all　else　a　pall　of　helplessnesshelplessness　that　had　endured　much；　and　must　still　endure　infinitely　more。
  As　a　reinforcement　of　the　dread　import　of　that　figure　of　wo；　a　man　stood　beside　it；　and　one　of　his　hands　was　clasped　around　the　girl's　wrist；　a　man　who　wore　his　derby　hat　somewhat　far　back　on　his　bullet…shaped　head；　whose　feet　were　conspicuous　in　shoes　with　very　heavy　soles　and　very　square　toes。
  It　was　the　man　who　now　took　charge　of　the　situation。　Cassidy；　from　Headquarters；　spoke　in　a　rough；　indifferent　voice；　well　suited　to　his　appearance　of　stolid　strength。
  〃The　District　Attorney　told　me　to　bring　this　girl　here　on　my　way　to　the　Grand　Central　Station　with　her。〃
  Sarah　got　to　her　feet　mechanically。　　Somehow；　from　the　raucous　notes　of　the　policeman's　voice；　she　understood　in　a　flash　of　illumination　that　the　pitiful　figure　there　in　the　doorway　was　that　of　Mary　Turner；　whom　she　had　remembered　so　different；　so　frightfully　different。　She　spoke　with　a　miserable　effort　toward　her　usual　liveliness。
  〃Mr。　Gilder　will　be　right　back。　　Come　in　and　wait。〃　　She　wished　to　say　something　more；　something　of　welcome　or　of　mourning；　to　the　girl　there；　but　she　found　herself　incapable　of　a　single　word　for　the　moment；　and　could　only　stand　dumb　while　the　man　stepped　forward；　with　his　charge　following　helplessly　in　his　clutch。
  The　two　went　forward　very　slowly；　the　officer；　carelessly　conscious　of　his　duty；　walking　with　awkward　steps　to　suit　the　feeble　movements　of　the　girl；　the　girl　letting　herself　be　dragged　onward；　aware　of　the　futility　of　any　resistance　to　the　inexorable　power　that　now　had　her　in　its　grip；　of　which　the　man　was　the　present　agent。　　As　the　pair　came　thus　falteringly　into　the　center　of　the　room；　Sarah　at　last　found　her　voice　for　an　expression　of　sympathy。
  〃I'm　sorry；　Mary；〃　she　said；　hesitatingly。　　〃I'm　terribly　sorry；　terribly　sorry！〃
  The　girl；　who　had　halted　when　the　officer　halted；　as　a　matter　of　course；　did　not　look　up。　　She　stood　still；　swaying　a　little　as　if　from　weakness。　　Her　voice　was　lifeless。
  〃Are　you？〃　　she　said。　　〃I　did　not　know。　　Nobody　has　been　near　me　the　whole　time　I　have　been　in　the　Tombs。〃　　There　was　infinite　pathos　in　the　tones　as　she　repeated　the　words　so　fraught　with　dreadfulness。　　〃Nobody　has　been　near　me！〃
  The　secretary　felt　a　sudden　glow　of　shame。　　She　realized　the　justice　of　that　unconscious　accusation；　for；　till　to…day；　she　had　had　no　thought　of　the　suffering　girl　there　in　the　prison。　　To　assuage　remorse；　she　sought　to　give　evidence　as　to　a　prevalent　sympathy。
  〃Why；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃there　was　Helen　Morris　to…day！　She　has　been　asking　about　you　again　and　again。　She's　all　broken　up　over　your　trouble。〃
  But　the　effort　on　the　secretary's　part　was　wholly　without　success。
  〃Who　is　Helen　Morris？〃　　the　lifeless　voice　demanded。　There　was　no　interest　in　the　question。
  Sarah　experienced　a　momentary　astonishment；　for　she　was　still　remembering　the　feverish　excitement　displayed　by　the　salesgirl；　who　had　declared　herself　to　be　a　most　intimate　friend　of　the　convict。　　But　the　mystery　was　to　remain　unsolved；　since　Gilder　now　entered　the　office。　He　walked　with　the　quick；　bustling　activity　that　was　ordinarily　expressed　in　his　every　movement。　　He　paused　for　an　instant；　as　he　beheld　the　two　visitors　in　the　center　of　the　room；　then　he　spoke　curtly　to　the　secretary；　while　crossing　to　his　chair　at　the　desk。
  〃You　may　go；　Sarah。　　I　will　ring　when　I　wish　you　again。〃
  There　followed　an　interval　of　silence；　while　the　secretary　was　leaving　the　office　and　the　girl　with　her　warder　stood　waiting　on　his　pleasure。　　Gilder　cleared　his　throat　twice　in　an　embarrassment　foreign　to　him；　before　finally　he　spoke　to　the　girl。　　At　last；　the　proprietor　of　the　store　expressed　himself　in　a　voice