Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

JUDGMENTS. The walk in the bracing air had a sooth- ing effect on Janet’s temper and she felt her impatience subside and her interest quicken as she turned into Center Street and saw the gray granite walls of the Tombs just before her. A large crowd had gath- ered in the street and Janet soon discovered the cause of their interest. They were all intent on a gate in the prison wall marked _ Visitors’ Entrance. : So she must stand with this seething ‘mob until they saw fit to admit her? This ~ would have pleased Wade—no chance here for any special consideration. Janet glanced curiously over the crowd. People of all races and nationalities were jostling for positions of advantage. Here and there sad eyed Italian women lugging heavy infants in their arms, while others tugged at their voluminous skirts, waited stolidly. A slender little woman of the Orient clad in her native dress, stood apart, trying to appear unconscious. Undoubted- ly, the innocent sufferer of some episode of the Tongs, was Janet’s thought. Colored men and women; long-whiskered _ Jews; - plain Americans of every caste and condi- - tion, crowded the narrow street. A slim little Italian girl engaged Janet in conversation. Her sweetheart was in there. Yes, he had been in a stabbing affair. In halting English, interspersed with many pious ejaculations, she related the story, calling upon all the saints to wit- ness his innocence. Did Janet think there was danger of his being convicted? Courts were so cruel! Janet’s attempt at reassurance was sud- denly cut short. The gate was open. The line was moving. She found herself inside the building in a long corridor, on one side of which, be- hind a rail and a wire caging, ranged a series of booths. These booths were al- ready occupied by prisoners. The air was alive with wails and calls and conversation shouted in every tongue. Eager questions hurled across the space; halting answers from gray and hopeless lips. Sobs and gig- _ gles and angry epithets! How useless! thought Janet. Was there any one there able to pick his answer from that bedlam of sound? Poor wretches! == 255 What an interloper she felt in the face of — all that misery. Her old irritation with Wade arose again and she was about to struggle toward the entrance when an at- tendant approached her, She told him that she had come to see Mme. Le Montague. ‘“‘ T’ll see if she’ll come down. Chances are her counsel won’t let her talk to any one.”’ Janet thanked him and waited. Her little Italian acquaintance had gained entrance and was standing near shouting to her sweetheart on the opposite side. Janet watched the dark, eager face with its swift change of expression, as a perfect torrent of emotion poured from her lips. The only word he uttered, but it came at regular in- tervals, was a repetition of “ St—si—” but his face glowed. Janet smiled and moved nearer. She’s brought him good news, poor soul! She’d speak to the girl later. Might be a story in it. | “ Mme. Le Montague ‘ll see you, miss. She’s over’ there!” Janet turned and looked across.. A tall, dark woman clad simply but perfectly in a black crépe gown, the long lines accentuat- ing her grace and slimness, looked ques- tioningly across the gap. Her dark eyes set in a face of extreme pallor had an ex- pression that Janet found it hard to fathom. They were not unfriendly—for when Janet bowed, her rouged lips parted in a smile. She gestured deprecatingly at the motley throng as if apologizing for the poverty of her welcome; then in a low voice she said something in rapid French. Janet moved nearer. Above the din she heard her own voice frame the question: “On the eve of your trial, Mme. Le Montague, the Blade would like to know upon what you base your hope of acquit- tal.””. How crass and bold it sounded. The words were scarcely out of her mouth be- fore she wished that she could take them back. 3 At the mention of the Blade, Janet no- ticed an almost imperceptible straightening of the woman’s figure—as if bracing herself for an attack; but the lips continued to smile as she pressed forward and in per- fectly collected tones sPid = a yalke ear