state capital. The Governor motioned him into a chair and made a sign of dismissal to the doorkeeper.

"I have sent for you, Mr. Thorpe, at the instance of my daughter. She wishes me to exercise my prerogative and pardon you. I will tell you frankly, however, that it would be very bad politics to pardon an escaped prisoner. In order, though, to satisfy my daughter, I have summoned you to hear from your own lips what reason you have for expecting me to use executive clemency in your case."

Thorpe's face flushed crimson and then went white. "I had no reasons for expecting you to pardon me. In fact, I did not know why you summoned me here."

"You do not deny your guilt, then?" "Most certainly not." He paused and added, "Moreover I would do it again."

"Be careful, sir, what you say," cautioned the Governor, "for upon your statements depends your pardon. Did I understand you to say you would do it again?" Thorpe's eyes slowly rose to the level of the Governor's face. He looked him squarely in the eye and answered, "Yes, sir, I would."

"Well, I must confess that this is rather out of the ordinary," said the Governor. "Here is a prisoner who refuses to sue for pardon and does not deny his guilt. guilt. Would you mind refreshing my memory as to the circumstances of your crime and conviction ?"

Thorpe looked up quickly at the word crime. "In my state, Virginia, they would not term what I did a crime. I was studying for the bar. My sister was afraid that she would be a burden upon me. Against my better judgment she learned stenography and typewriting. I am old-fashioned enough to believe that a woman's place is in the home, not in the office. She was employed by Judge A. B. Hall. My sister was budding into womanhood. If you ever have seen her you will know I speak only the truth when I say she was a beautiful girl. And, Governor,

she was as pure and good as she was beautiful. Judge Hall made a proposal to her that no man may make to a virtuous Southern girl and hope to go unpunished. It nearly broke my sister's heart and I was furious. I went to his office and horsewhipped him. When he drew his revolver I wrested it from him and shot him. Unfortunately, he lived. In my state they would honor a man for defending his sister's virtue and fair name instead of imprisoning him."

"And you are not sorry you did it?" questioned the Governor.

"No; I would hate myself if I had not done so," said Thorpe.

"You may not be aware," said the Governor, "that I, myself, am from Virginia. If you were sorry for what you have done I would let you go back and serve out your full term. I honor your sentiments. Yet you can understand that it would not do for me to pardon you while you remain an escaped prisoner. Go back. Give yourself up. Thanksgiving day is not far distant. When that day arrives you will have something to be thankful for. I have been looking up your antecedents during the past few days. You must be a son of Henry Fairfax Thorpe. You are? I thought as much. Harry Thorpe, your father, was a brother officer of mine from Virginia. Once when I was wounded in a running fight with the Yankees I would have been captured if Harry Thorpe had not put me on his horse and taken his chances afoot. If you have no previous engagement my daughter and myself would be pleased to have you eat your Thanksgiving dinner with us. You will doubtless be interested in the silver cup she will show you. It is the prize which was awarded her at the recent military ball for the best sustained character. It seems that the judges who awarded the prizes supposed that she took the part of a convict during the entire evening. Under the circumstances I think you could rightfully claim a half-interest in that prize."