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They crossed the street； walking toward the drugstore on the next corner。 A group of boys were lounging about the store window； dressed in their Sunday best。 The boys fell silent as they approached； staring at them with their wise； street…corner eyes。 Tom stared back angrily at them and their eyes fell before his。 They walked by and turned the corner to their house。
From around the corner behind him； Tom could hear the sudden explosion of their whispered conversation。 Then one boy snickered and another boy laughed and the merriment had a sick； dirty sound to it that tore at his heart。 Abruptly he let go of Jennie's arm and walked back around the corner。 They looked at him in surprise； the laughter frozen on their lips。
〃What's the joke； boys？〃 he asked； his anger making his face white and cold。 〃Tell it to me so I may laugh with you。〃
They stared at him silently； shamefaced。 They looked down at their feet； they shuffled awkwardly； glancing at each other with secret looks filled with a meaning that Tom remembered from his own youth。 It was as if they'd been surprised looking at dirty pictures。
A shame for what he'd been at their age came over him and a sick weariness replaced the anger。 〃Get off this corner；〃 he said softly。 〃And if ever I hear of any of you laughing or making any remarks about me or any member of my family； I'll e down here and tear the lot of you apart with my bare hands！〃
The tallest of the boys took a step toward him。 His eyes were sly and insolent。 He was slightly taller than Tom and he looked down at him with a faint； contemptuous smile。 〃It's a free country。 We can stand here if we like。〃
The resentment in Tom suddenly exploded。 He seized the boy by his jacket lapels and forced him to his knees。 〃Free； is it？〃 he shouted； his veins purple on his forehead。 〃Free for you to stand here and choose who you'll rape tonight？〃 He raised an open hand to slap the boy across the face。
The boy cringed； the insolence gone from his face。 〃What yuh pickin' on us for； Mr。 Denton？ We aren't the ones fucked Jennie。〃
The words seemed to freeze the blood in Tom's veins。 He stood there； his hand still upraised； staring down at the boy。 Fucked Jennie。 They could say that about his own daughter and there was nothing he could do that could change the fact of it。 Slowly he let his hand fall to his side； then with a violent gesture； he flung the boy away from him。
Tom glared at them； looking from one to another。 They were only boys； he told himself。 He couldn't hate all boys because of what two had done。 The boy was right。 They weren't the guilty ones。
A sense of failure came over him。 If anyone was guilty； he was the guiltiest of all。 If he'd been a man and kept his job； all this might never have happened。 〃Get off this corner；〃 he said。 〃If any of you ever see me ing this way again； you'd better be on the other side of the street。〃
They looked at him and then at each other and it almost seemed now as if they were pitying him。 Suddenly； as if a secret message had been passed mysteriously between them； they began to disperse in ones and twos。
A moment later； he was alone on the corner。 He stood there for a moment to quiet the sudden trembling that came over him； then he； too； turned and walked around the corner to where his wife and daughter were waiting for him。 〃It's over now；〃 he said for the second time that morning； as he took Jennie's arm and started for the house again。 But this time； he knew； even as he said it； that it wasn't over … that it would never be over as long as he was alive to remember。
The cool September breeze held the first hint of autumn。 Jennie looked out the cable…car window toward her stop。 Her father was standing there under the street lamp； waiting for her as he did each night now。 The car stopped and she stepped down。
〃Hello； Daddy。〃
〃Hi； Jennie Bear。〃
She fell into step beside him as they turned the corner toward home。 〃Any luck today？〃
He shook his head。 〃I don't understand it。 There just are no jobs。〃
〃Maybe there'll be one tomorrow。〃
〃I hope so；〃 he said。 〃Maybe after the election； things will look up。 Roosevelt says the government has to take the lead in providing work； that big business has fallen down on its responsibilities。 He makes more sense for the working man than Hoover and the Republicans。〃 He looked at her。 〃How did it go today？〃
〃All right；〃 she said。 But there still was an unfortable feeling in the office。 Many of the pany agents had taken to stopping at her desk on their way in and out of the office。 Sometimes they just chatted； but some of them had tried to date her。 Maybe if things had been different； she'd have gone out with them。 But when she looked up from her desk into their eyes； she knew what they were thinking。 She'd refuse politely and some of them would stammer or even blush； for they knew somehow that she knew。
〃You don't have to meet me every night； Daddy；〃 she said suddenly。 〃I'm not afraid to e home alone。〃
〃I know you're not。 I've known it from that first day I came to meet you。 But I want to do it。 It's the one time of the whole day that I feel I've really got something to do。〃
Jennie didn't answer and they walked along silently for a moment。 〃Do you want me to stop？〃
〃Not if you want to meet me； Daddy。〃
They were at the steps of the house now and she started up。 Her father placed a hand on her arm。 〃Let's not go up just yet； Jennie Bear。 Let's sit here and talk a minute。〃
She looked down at him。 His face was serious。 〃What is it； Daddy？〃
〃I didn't tell your mother。 I went to see Father Hadley today。〃
〃Yes？〃
〃He won't e down to court to testify to your character。 He told me it's against the rules of the church。 And the same goes for the sisters at the school。〃
〃Oh；〃 she said。 The sick feeling came up inside her again。 The lawyer had been right。 He'd e to see them a month ago； a little man with the eyes of a weasel。
He'd sat down in the kitchen and looked across the table at them。 〃Mr。 Burke and Mr。 Tanner asked me to see you；〃 he said。 〃I think you know how much they regret this； er … 〃 He had glanced at her quickly and then away。 〃 … this incident and they would like to make amends if they can。〃
Her father's face had flushed angrily。 〃In the first place； Mr。 O'Connor；〃 he had said quickly。 〃That incident you are referring to was not an incident。 Those two boys ra… 〃
The lawyer held up his hand interrupting。 〃We know what they did；〃 he said。 〃But surely； Mr。 Denton； what purpose would their trial serve except to call even greater attention to your daughter and remind her of what already must be a painful experience。 And what if the boys should be adjudged not guilty？〃
Her father laughed。 〃Not guilty？ I was at the station when the police brought them in。 I heard them sniveling and crying then how sorry they were that they did it。〃
〃What they said then； Mr。 Denton；〃 the attorney had said； 〃is unimportant。 It's what they say in court that counts。 And they will say that your daughter led them on； that she asked them to go to the park with her。〃
〃They will have to prove that；〃 Tom said grimly。
〃It will be harder for you to disprove it；〃 the lawyer said。 〃There's two of them and only the word of your daughter。 And they will have as many character witnesses for them as you will have to have for your daughter。〃
〃It's beginning to sound as if my daughter were on trial； not them！〃 Tom burst out。
〃Exactly；〃 the lawyer nodded。 〃That is the way it is in these cases。 The accuser stands to lose more than the accused。〃
〃My daughter's reputation speaks for itself；〃 Tom said。 〃Father Hadley of St。 Paul's and the sisters at Mercy High School will tell you of my Jennie。〃
The lawyer had smiled mysteriously。 〃I doubt it； Mr。 Denton；〃 he said quietly。 〃I doubt it very much。〃 He glanced at Jennie again； then back at Tom。 〃I am authorized by my clients to offer you a thousand dollars if your daughter will drop the charges against the boys。〃
〃I think you might as well go； Mr。 O'Connor；〃 her father had said； getting to his feet。 〃You cannot buy what's already been stolen。〃
The attorney rose also。 He took a card from his pocket and placed it on the table and walked to