Page:Upbuilders by Lincoln Steffens.djvu/196



what it has cost the county to catch this prisoner.” The Judge knew, and he promised to give a written order of court, if necessary, and the officer left.

It was ten o’clock at night, dark and cold. The boy, sixteen years old, was strong, and his face was not very prepossessing. The Judge is built like a flower, but he had worked hard on this boy, and he believed in his method. So when the door closed behind the officer, he went straight up to the boy.

“Henry,” he said, “the officer who brought you here says you had your eye on the fire-escape, and that you are looking for a chance to skip. He said he wouldn’t be responsible for your return to jail if I made him leave you alone in this room with me. He said that you d be down that fire-escape quicker’n a wink. Now, I don't believe it. I believe in you, Henry, and I hope you believe in me.”

With that, the Judge went to the window and, throwing it up as high as it would go, he said:

“There, Henry, there’s the fire-escape and the night and two hours the best of it, for I’ll promise, if you decide to ‘duck,’ not to report to the Warden till twelve o’clock. Now, then, if you think you are not worth saving, not worth helping -