For Gold or Soul?

by Lurana Sheldon

  CHAPTER IX.

  THE PLEA OF MISS JENNINGS.

  When Faith Marvin entered her mother's four-room flat on the top floorof a dingy brick building she was almost out of breath from indignationand rapid walking.

  She tried to calm herself a little before her mother saw her, for Mrs.Marvin was on the verge of nervous prostration.

  When Faith looked into the little parlor she saw what she dreaded most,her mother lying on the sofa suffering from a terrible headache.

  "I must say absolutely nothing," whispered Faith to herself; "but whatif that fellow should follow me home! Oh, it would be terrible!Terrible! I am sure it would kill her!"

  She washed her face and hands and smoothed her hair, then went quietlyinto the parlor and kissed her mother.

  "Oh, Faith," cried the sick woman, sharply.

  "How did you get along, dear? Were they kind to you in that dreadfulstore, or will they kill my daughter, as they did my husband?"

  "Hush, mother; don't say anything like that, there's a dear," said Faithquickly. "Don't let your mind dwell so steadily on unpleasant things,and just as soon as your head is better I'll tell you all about it."

  "Tell me now, Faith, I insist," cried her mother, irritably. "I mustknow the truth at once. Just think, dear, I have lain here all dayworrying about you, my child! It has been the hardest day of your life!I feel it and I can see it."

  She was gazing at Faith with a keen, penetrating glance. It would havebeen cruel to have kept her in ignorance any longer.

  "Well, then, lie down, dear, and I'll begin at the beginning," saidFaith gently, "and you must promise not to ask questions until I havefinished."

  She laid her mother back on the sofa and began her tale, but she tookcare to touch upon some things very lightly and leave others out of hernarration altogether.

  When she had finished her mother still lay silent for a few minutes,then she suddenly sat up straight and stared at her daughter.

  "It is a thousand times worse than I thought," she said slowly."Although your father told me a great deal about the evils that exist inbusiness places. Why, those men are criminals and nothing less! They aredestroying women's souls as well as starving their bodies, and all toswell their own bank accounts and ride in carriages. Oh, it is shameful!And to think that nothing can be done to stop it."

  "But something must be done! Something shall be done!" cried Faithstoutly. "There is one power alone that can conquer all evil. We mustinvoke that power upon this dreadful curse, and God has promised thatthe prayer of faith shall not go unanswered."

  "Oh, child, can you not see how foolish all that is?" asked her motherirritably. "As if prayer was needed for what God can see for Himself! IfHe wished things different He could easily change them. I have no faithin His goodness, His love or His mercy."

  The tears sprang to Faith's eyes, but the words did not surprise her.She laid them to the weakness of her mother's physical condition.

  "Some day you will see it differently, dear little mother," she said,sweetly. "You are still resentful for the injury which you havesuffered. When that spirit has been conquered your faith will return.'All things work together for good to them that love Him.'"

  "Do you mean that your dear father's death was intended for my good?"her mother almost screamed. "Do you see mercy, child, in such cruelinjustice, injustice that allows the rich to prosper in their evil waysand puts the knife of poverty to the throat of the deserving? No! athousand times no! I will not believe it! Your father was an honest mandoing a legitimate business. Those sharks opened their store and put ina book department. They undercut his figures even when it was a loss todo so, knowing that in the end they would ruin him and drive him out oftheir path forever! What followed? You know only too well, my poor,fatherless daughter. In a fit of despondency he killed himself; the manwho had done no wrong--except to lose his courage, and they, Denton, Day& Co., have accumulated millions. They have his blood on their hands asthey have the blood of many others!"

  The poor woman was rocking herself back and forth as she talked, whileFaith could only bury her head in the sofa pillows and pray silently forwisdom.

  She knew that the frenzy would wear away soon. Her mother's strengthcould not stand the strain of such agony many minutes.

  "I can understand that girl stealing the jewelry, Faith," she went onmore calmly, "It was a terrible thing to do, but she doubtless justifiedherself in doing it. And the woman who is going from bad is worse--oh,she has my sympathy, poor wretch! She is hopeless, discouraged; she doesnot know what she is doing."

  Faith got up silently and went out into the kitchen. In a few momentsshe came back with a cup of tea for her mother.

  In a second her action had reaped its results. The mother instinctasserted itself. Mrs Marvin suddenly remembered that Faith had had nosupper.

  "I am to have a visitor soon, mother," said Faith with a smile, whileher mother was getting the supper, "Miss Jennings is coming in later.She lives only two blocks from the corner."

  "She is a consumptive, I think you said. I shall be glad to see her,"said Mrs. Marvin, "and I'll try, Faith, to calm my nerves, and not forcemy bitterness on another."

  Faith smiled very sadly at her mother's words.

  "Miss Jennings is far more bitter than you can ever be, mother dear,"she said slowly. "She is almost callous, while you are still smartingwith anguish."

  For the next half-hour Faith busied herself with their frugal supper.Before the meal was over she was pleased to see that her mother wasbecoming more composed and natural. When Miss Jennings came in bothladies greeted her warmly. There was a hectic glow in her cheeks, andshe coughed almost constantly.

  Mrs. Marvin left the two girls together at an early hour. She had kepther promise and been remarkably cheerful.

  "Now, Faith, to business," said Miss Jennings, as soon as they werealone. "I want to tell you why you must not report that clerk's theftto-morrow."

  Faith drew her chair a little nearer and prepared to listen. She wasbeginning to understand her friend's character a little better.

  "In the first place," began Miss Jennings, "we will consider the girl. Iknow her well. You need not describe her. What I know about her is this:She is the daughter of a criminal. Her father was a pickpocket, he diedin prison. Now I ask you, Faith, what can you expect from this girl?According to your Bible are not 'the iniquities' of the fathers visitedupon the children, and are the innocents to blame for their undesirableinheritance? Furthermore, that girl's mother was what we call anoutcast. Can you reasonably look for morality of any sort in theoffspring of such an infamous union? You do not answer, because youcannot! I defy any of your Christians to straighten out this matter. Theviciousness of most children is their only endowment, unless we add thepoverty, the diseases and the hopelessness that go with it. Now toconsider her environments and her temptations in that store. She isworking for thieves, why should she not steal? She is working forsuccessful people, why should she not take example of their methods.These things seem harsh and hard to you, Faith, but they are actualfacts, just as you will surely see them. If you report that girl whatwill be the result? Listen, here it is, the outcome in a nutshell. Youwill be reporting to robbers that they are being robbed, not of theirlives, their liberties and their honors, as they rob us, but of a paltrypiece of jewelry, which they have bought out of their enormous profits.You will, no doubt, lose for the girl a position which has the semblanceof respectability, and like poor Kate Travers, she will go from bad toworse, only, unlike Kate, she will have no pure motive. Then, lastly, toconsider your own position in the matter, from that standpoint which youchoose to call your Christian duty--"

  She stopped to cough, and Faith broke in upon her.

  "I know what you would say. You think by reporting her crime I will onlybe driving her to more vicious depths, whereas, by protecting her fromthe punishment she deserves I may be able to influence her toward abetter life. Oh, Mary, I thank you! You have shown me my error. Say nomore to me to-
night about censuring any one for their wrongdoing! Itgrows more wonderful every moment that the girls are as good as theyare. God help them, they are innocent! It is all the fault ofconditions! If we could only strike at the root of it all, Mary."

  "We would have to go back many years and generations, I'm afraid,"whispered Miss Jennings. "But at present we need go no further than theheads of that firm--for Denton, Day & Forbes are the roots in this case,from which emanate the evils which are destroying us soul and body."