the two children. He drew the girl on to tell what “trouble” the violation of the law had caused her and her mother. The Judge explained why she should not hate, but be sorry for the man, since he was only thoughtless, as she was, and was in trouble, too.
“Here is his son, Paul, who has come to ask that his father may be allowed to come home for Christmas to see his family. His mother suffers as yours does; his sister has wept as you have wept. It is all, all trouble, and no one is worse than another. Now, what shall I do about letting Mr. Baker go home for Christmas?”
“Let him go,” the girl said, and she and the boy joined in the plea. The Judge consented.
When Paul brought in his father to see the Judge, on the day after Christmas, the Judge sent the boy out of the room, then he praised the son to the father. It was a pity, he said, to bring up that boy in such a business.
“Judge,” the man said, “you are right. I’ve been thinking it all over in jail, and I’ve made up my mind to get rid of this business and go back to the mountains where I came from.
The Judge did not send Baker back to jail; he suspended sentence, as his law authorized him to do, and the man did sell out and go back to the mountains. Now, when they come to town.
