“And who are you, my little man?” asked the judge.
“Please, sir, Alex is my brother.”
“And what’s your name?” At this Mr. Rudiger was compelled to present himself, and Alex’s identity was made clear. He tried to lead Tim away, but the judge interposed.
“Please, Judge,” said Tim, “Alex is my brother. We didn’t know where he was last night. I’m sure Alex didn’t mean no harm. He’s my only brother. I knowed they wasn’t good boys that was with him, ’cause I heard ’em talking with Alex. I’m blind and nobody asks me to come anyw’ere, but there’s lots of things to lead a boy where he oughtn’t to go. Alex helps me, Judge, ’cause I can’t see. Please, Judge, let him go this time, and I know he won’t do it again.”
The queer spectacle of the two lads, one tall and manly in form but bent with shame, the other crippled and weak, standing in the presence of the court hand in hand, drew every eye. The high, thin voice was heard distinctly in its plea, for the crowd was silent. The big, glowing, but sightless eyes were filled with earnestness, and finally a few tears began to trickle unheeded down across the weazened face.
“You’re quite a lawyer, my boy,” said the judge as he leaned back in his chair and looked at the two.
“Yes, Tim,” he continued after a moment, “if Alex will promise to keep out of mischief I will let him go this time.” There was a movement of satisfaction in the crowd. Alex’s two associates scowled, for they did not like it.
“And you are in the saloon business, Mr. Rudiger?” asked the judge. “The business you are in makes it impossible for you to bring up a boy rightly, either in the city or out of it. You may make an easy living, sir, but you are putting a fearful handicap upon your boys. As for this one,” said he, pointing to Tim, “God has mercifully sheltered him from the evil influences of this world, and in that fact he is fortunate, deformed as he may be in body and lacking in sight.”
“Yes, sir,” said the judge in answer to a mumbled reply by Mr. Rudiger, “it’s your business, and I wouldn’t have your responsibility for all the world. That,” said he, pointing to Tim, “is the only kind of boy you ought to have. Case dismissed.” The chair creaked as the judge turned about and directed his attention to other affairs.
Nothing could measure the joy of Tim as he accompanied father and brother home. He insisted on being first to enter the house, trembling in his eagerness. But his mother was too overcome with shame to respond to the innocent lad. Alex was shamefaced and silent, and for a week or so scarcely showed himself on the street. Tim was very happy in his brother’s company. They rolled and tossed in their play with the dogs, and Alex took him riding in a wagon up and down the sheltered alley.