SECOND CHANCE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 59, Issue 44, 1 December 1938, Page 7

SECOND CHANCE

A Moving Story of a Man with a Past.

chapter xrr

MARY INVESTIGATES. After Mai A Donovan had seen Ferguson and 'Wilson walking together towards the Market Square and—as she had assumed—tin* Theatre Boyal, she hurried in the other direction. A short distance down the London Load is the big Public Library of Mossford, and into this sin l turned. Tin* reading room on the first floor was almost deserted and she ascertained from the girl in charge that they had a file of the “Daily Courier” going back for several years". The bulk of the accumulated copies, however, made the job she had in view appear of much greater magnitude than she had anticipated. “What was it you wanted?” the girl asked.

“Er ... I wanted to trace an old law case—l’m not absolutely certain that there ever was one,” she added with a smile. “Do you know what year?” the girl asked doubtfully. “No. I don’t even know that.”

“It’s rather like looking for a very small needle in a very big haystack,” the librarian said.

“If I had got the year jt would he possible,” Mary said, almost to herself. “It wouldn’t take long to look through the files for one year, of course,” the librarian said. “Thank you. I may come hack,” said Mary. She had decided that without more data to go on the job she had in mind was hopeless. “You look tired, dear,” her mother said when she reached home. “Yes. Audi I’m hungry.” “All right at the office?” “Yes.’”

“Well, I hope you’ro staying in tonight, dear. You look very don’t believe in these late nights.” “Yes. I’m going to put my slippers on and settle down for a read.” '“Bother!” her mother said an hour later as the ’phone went. “I wish we’d never had that thing in the house.” Mary smiled as she rose from her chair.

It Garrod. “I’ve had a chat with your friend Mi Teddy "Wilson,” he said. “Oh?” she said in surprise.

“I don’t think he’ll interfere any more with Ferguson.” “That’s nice of you, George,” she said. “And I’m grateful.”

“I don’t pretend to love him,” lie said? “But he’s a friend of yours.” “Look here, George. Supposing I wanted to read about a certain law case—about a man being sent to prison, aay —what would be the best time to look for?” “I don’t quite see what you mean.” “1 know that your regulations prevent your telling me certain things and I respect you for not telling. But Ido want to find out the truth. There’s jv file of the ‘Courier’ at the library., but it’s an immense job going through year after year. What year was it? Surely it can’t hurt your telling me that?”

There was silence on the ’phone for a moment or so, then a muttered figure. “Quite earl}’ in the year, T think, speaking from memory,’’ lie added. “Thanks, George. You’re a real pal.” “.[-want- to be, Mary,” he said. “It can’t do any harm telling you what I’ve done. I saw the other evening you had tumbled to what had happened.” “Yes, I did.” “And let me know if lie’s worried any more won’t you? Cut I don’t think ho will be.”

“He hasn’t got many friends,” she said quietly. “No. But he’s got one. I hope it is only friendship,” he said doubtfully. ‘‘Don’t be silly, George!” she said. “Still, in spite of' everything, he seems a very decent chap.”

“In spite of everything,” she agreed. “I shall go to the library to-morrow and turn it all up. Em prepared for a bit of a shock, but I feel certain it’s nothing disgraceful.” “It depends what you call disgraceful.”

“Of course. But I'm certain that he wouldn’t have done anything mean.’

_ By HOLLOWAY HORN. (Author of “George,” “Two Men and Mary,” Etc).

Copyright.

‘AYliaf about the pictures on Friday?” “Yes, I think I’d like it, George. You really are an old dear to worry about me at all.”

“This business with Ferguson merely makes me fonder of you. I can see that you’ve acted just ?is 1 should have expected you to.” “You haven’t acted badly either, George. Thanks ever so much! Cheerio!” And with that she rang olf. THE TRUTH AT LAST. At the offices the next day she only saw Ferguson once and that but for a moment or so. He seemed quiet and, she thought, worried, hut that, as she knew', might easily have been her imagination. Just before lunch, however, Mr Mumford was on the ’phone to the London office and although his name was not mentioned she was certain that he and Mr Trevowe were talking about Ferguson. “He’s turning out to be a. very useful man,” Mumford said, evidently in reply to a question. “He s not afraid of work for one thing.”

That was-all, for the manager went on to speak of something else. On her way home, after the day’s work was finished, Mary Donovan went into the public library again and was .soon deep in a file of the “Daily Courier.”

Excepting for the girl behind the counter she was alone in the room. At the end of half-an-hour’s search, suddenly, from the printed page, the picture of Ferguson was looking at her. lb was unmistakable. Below the picture she read: “Ferguson Hallett, who was sentenced at the Old Bailey yesterday to three years’ penal .servitude in connection with the misappropriation of fuuds at Messrs Murray, Bros., East Indian Merchants.” The roomjseemed to be slowly revolving round her, but she gripped herself. So here was the truth! Ho had been in prison. Quickly she worked it out. She knew that prisoners have a quarter of their sentence remitted for good conduct, and that meant that he had come to Mossiford within a week or so of leaving prison. Teddy Wilson knew it; that was the hold he had over him.

And Lucia Desmund must also have known it. Had he been in love with her ? Had she thrown him over when the smash came?

Slowly she turned back the pages. “The Dawson Case,” .she read and then the smaller heading: “Sentences.” “Yesterday at Old Bailey, Mr Justice Macau ley sentenced the three men who were charged in connection with the frauds at Messrs Murray Brothers. John Trevitt, the London Manager, was sentenced to seven years’ penal servitude ; Henry Joyce Foskett, his assistant, received four years, and Ferguson Hallett, who was the senior clerk in the finance department of the firm, three years.

“The Judge in his summing up commented on the fact that Trevitt and Foskett were old and trusted servants of the firm and that tlje fraud had been continued over a considerable period. “Both these prisoners had pleaded guilty, bub Ferguson Hallett denied that he had ever received a penny as the result of the defalcations.

“The result, as far as the two former men were concerned, was a foregone conclusion, but Sir Humphrey Clintock, who appeared for Hallett, put up a very strong defence. His speech to the jury was deeply moving and to a great extent neutralised Mr Jerome’s searching cross-examination of the prisoner. The definitely hostile, but scrupulously fair, summing up of Mr Justice Macauley told heavily against Hallett.” In. another column she found a full report of* the case and as she read the cross-examination the paper had referred to, she could sense the drama that Ferguson had lived through. “So you admit * you made false entries in the various books which were in your charge?” “Yes,” Ferguson had replied. “I

have already admitted it. I did it to shield my two friends.’

“Was that honest to your employer?”

“I felt certain that Mr Trevitt would adjusts the whole thing. .1 still think he meant to do so.”

“You knew lie had robbed bis employer ?” “I knew that lie and Foskett bad used money belonging to the firm.”

“What is the difference between that and theft?” “It wasn’t consciously theft.” “Unconscious robbery?” (Laughter.) Laughter! “You really wish His Lordship and the jury—experienced business men and women—to believe that yon put your head in the noose merely because you were sorry for these men?” “Whether they believe it or not, it was so.” “Just out of loyalty?”

“Yes.” “And did you owe no loyalty to those who employed you? To your bread and. butter?” “I did. And if I knew what I know now I should have acted differently.” “If you had known you would be found out, you mean?” “No. I meant what I said.” “What was your salary?”

‘Six hundred a year.” (To be Continued)