“You believe, then, that these men might be reformed by kindness and judicious treatment?”
“I do,” Earle replied, gravely; “of course there are exceptions, but I really would like to see the power of true, disinterested kindness tried upon some of these reckless fellows.”
In after years he did see it tried, and of the result we have yet to tell.
Upon leaving the court-room with her father, after bidding Earle good-by, Editha appeared very much disturbed and kept shooting indignant glances from beneath her vail at her unconscious companion.
At last, when they were seated in their carriage, and rolling smoothly toward home, her wrath broke forth.
“Papa, I think it was real shabby of you not to shake hands with Earle, and express a little genuine sympathy for him.”
“I do not know as I particularly desire to shake hands with, or that I experience any great amount of ‘genuine’ sympathy for, the man who is supposed to have robbed me,” returned Mr. Dalton, with exasperating indifference.
“Papa Dalton! you know Earle Wayne did not rob you as well as I do,” Editha said, her eyes sparkling angrily; for the sweet little maiden could show anger upon occasion. “And as for myself,” she continued, spiritedly, “I am proud of him; I was proud to shake hands with him before the multitude, and I shall be proud to greet him as my friend when his term expires and he comes among us again.”
“Very likely,” Mr. Dalton answered sarcastically, his thin lips curling with scorn; “and after the very marked exhibition to-day, I should be prepared to know of your being ‘proud’ of him in almost any capacity. But pray, Editha, do not gush any more about it; it’s all very well for a young lady to express her sympathy and proper feeling in a proper way and at a proper time; but it was exceedingly mortifying to me to-day to see you carry quite so much sail.”