For Gold or Soul? Part 38

There was a yearning in her voice that the woman could not miss. She stared at Faith steadily, as though trying to read her soul, and in a moment her face softened and she spoke more gently.

"Oh, I have no doubt you are sorry for me, and all that," she said slowly. "That's natural, but, see here; I don't want any sympathy."

"But you do want my friends.h.i.+p, don't you, Maggie?" said Faith; "and that is what I have come to offer you--just my honest friends.h.i.+p."

In an instant the fiend in the girl woke again.

"Do you expect me to believe that?" she hissed in a whisper, "after doing your best to cut me out with Jim Denton?"

She glanced at the girl with a perfect storm of fury in her eyes, but Faith's glance did not waver; she only shook her head sadly.

"I am sorry you will not believe me, Maggie," she said softly, "but it is the truth that I have never flirted with Mr. Denton, and the only times I ever saw him in my life before this trouble arose were twice, when you saw us together."

"I don't believe you," said her listener, sharply. "If you had never flirted with him why did he send you candy?"

"I don't know, I am sure," said Faith hopelessly. "Perhaps he thought I was young and silly, and would not know that he was insulting me."

Miss Brady looked at her with some surprise in her eyes.

"Did you consider it an insult?" she asked, slowly.

"Certainly," said Faith. "He had no right to do so. He forced it upon me; I did not want it."

"And he has never made love to you?" asked the woman eagerly.

She was bending forward, staring at Faith with a strained expression upon her features. To save her life, Faith could not help blus.h.i.+ng. Hers was a tell-tale face--it portrayed every emotion.

"I knew it! I knew it!" cried Miss Brady sharply. "You would not blush as you are doing if he hadn't done it!"

"But he hasn't, I a.s.sure you," said Faith, as soon as she could speak.

"Mr. Denton has flattered me a little, of course, but I can honestly say that he hasn't made love to me."

She was firm enough now, and her voice was very convincing. Miss Brady gazed at her steadily and seemed impressed with her candor.

"Well, he hadn't better," she muttered sullenly. "Jim Denton had better take care--" She stopped suddenly. "I had forgotten," she said bitterly; "I am helpless and in prison."

"But I am sure you will soon be free, Miss Brady," said Faith, "for I have utterly refused to appear against you, and--"

"What!" exclaimed the woman in a startled whisper. "You have refused to appear against me--and you think me guilty?"

"If I knew you were guilty I would still refuse," said Faith stoutly, "for if you sent that candy you must have been crazy!"

Slowly the frown lifted from the poor girl's brow. She kept gazing at Faith as though she could hardly credit her senses.

"You will not accuse me," she stammered again. "Well, that's more mercy than I ever expected on earth or in heaven."

"What is more, Maggie," continued Faith, "I want you to be my friend.

As soon as you are out of this place we can see more of each other."

This was a little too much for even Maggie Brady's nature. Her lips trembled suspiciously before she answered.

"Oh, I won't get out; you mark my words. Old Denton will send me up, or, if he don't, the District Attorney will do it."

"I don't think so," said Faith. "They won't if I can prevent it, and as I am the person most interested, I think I should have some voice in the matter."

"You understand, I don't admit that I did it, yet," said Miss Brady, sullenly. "I have never admitted a thing, not even to the lawyer."

"Would you not be happier if you did admit it?" asked Faith, softly. "I am sure it would relieve you to get it off of your conscience."

"Oh, it ain't troubling me much!" said the girl indifferently, "but I will say that I'm glad the stuff didn't kill you!"

"But it might have killed Sam Watkins if the dog had not happened to be there. Why, Miss Brady, just think; you might have killed a dozen people!"

The woman shuddered and turned away her face.

"Well, as it didn't kill any one there's some hope for me," she said, "and I want to live long enough to get square with Jim Denton!"

"What has he done to you?" cried Faith, impulsively. "I can't think what he could do to make you hate him so bitterly."

"Hate him!" cried the girl. "Me hate Jim Denton! Why, you don't know what you are talking about! Would I be jealous if I hated him?"

"But you certainly can't love him," said Faith, with another blush. "If you did you could not harm him so much as in your thoughts. You would be glad to suffer anything to be able to protect him."

"Oh, I've protected him all right," said the girl, with a sneer; then she straightened up suddenly and said:

"I want to ask you a favor. I want you to bring old Denton down here,"

she said eagerly. "Bring him yourself and let Fairbanks come with you.

Come any day you like. I'm not particular."

"I will ask Mr. Denton to come, if you wish," said Faith, a little wonderingly, "and I am sure he will come. He is very sorry for you, Maggie."

"He'll be sorrier, I'm thinking," was the answer. "But my time is up.

Good-by, Miss Marvin."

"Good-by," said Faith, sweetly, "and you believe me, Miss Brady. You know now that I am innocent in regard to young Mr. Denton?"

"Bring the old man down, and I'll believe it," was her answer. "If you will do that for me, I shall have some faith in your friends.h.i.+p."

When Faith got back to the store she went straight to Mr. Denton, and repeated in as few words as possible her conversation with Maggie.

Mr. Denton had found out himself many things about his son, so Faith did not hesitate to tell the entire story.

"I can't think that my son has really wronged the woman," he said, sadly, "but he has been very reckless, I fear, and it is my fault in great measure."

"And you will go to see her, will you not?" asked Faith, eagerly.

"With pleasure," said Mr. Denton, "and I trust that with our words and our prayers, Miss Marvin, that we shall be able to bring the poor sinner to repentance."

Faith left the private office feeling very hopeful and happy. She was more so when she met Mr. Watkins just entering the building.