Hot  tears  gushed  from  her  eyes,  her  little  throat  was  swollen
with  the  choking  sobs,  and  her  narrow,  rag-covered  chest
heaved  with  tumultuous  agony.  But  after  he  was  taken  away^
when  the  iron  door  which  to  her  was,  indeed,  the  door  of  the
t(  mb,  had  closed  between  them  forever,  she  became  quickly
calm,  and  her  face  soon  wore  an  air  of  quiet  resignation,

"As  she  was  about  leaving  the  court-room  she  stooped  and
picked  up  a  weather-stained  guitar.  I  guessed  her  vocation,
and  was  resolved  to  speak  to  her.
"  '  What  is  your  name,  little  one  ?'


132  THE    SECRETS   OF   THE    GREAT   CITY.
"  'Angela,  sir.'    It  was  a  sad  voice,  but  very  sweet.
"  'And  do  you  play  on  this  for  a  living?'

" '  I  play  and  sing  also,  sir.'

"The  court  had  been  dismissed,  and  the  crowd  were  con-
fusedly dispersing.
'  I  say,  little  gal,  can't  you  give  us  a  song  'afore  you  go  ?'
said  an  inconsiderate  policeman,  meaning  to  be  good-nature  J.
"  'I  shall  not  sing  to-day,  sir!'  said  the  little  girl,  decisively  I
and  then,  with  a  dignity  of  grief  which  sat  well  upon  her,
despite  her  rags,  she  passed  out  of  the  room  with  her  dingy
guitar,  while  the  large  man  who  had  accosted  her  so  rudely
shrank  back,  abashed,  before  the  glance  with  which  the  black
eyes  reproached  him  to  the  heart,  ere  they  vanished  in  the
crowd.
"  Here  was  a  chance  for  me.  I  happened  to  be  the  only  re-
porter present  at  the  scene — 'sensation'  was  my  forte — a
'beat'  upon  all  the  other  dailies  had  come  directly  to  my  hand.
