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He Fell in Love with His Wife by Edward Payson Roe
page 86 of 348 (24%)
"I can't. I'm a stranger. I haven't any friends in town."

"Well, well, the sergeant will see what can be done in the morning. You've
been up to some foolishness, I suppose, and you'd better tell the whole story
to the sergeant."

She soon entered the station house and was locked up in a narrow cell. She
heard the grating of the key in the lock with a sense of relief, feeling that
she had at least found a temporary place of refuge and security. A hard board
was the only couch it possessed, but the thought of sleep did not enter her
mind. Sitting down, she buried her face in her hands and rocked back and
forth in agony and distraction until day dawned. At last, someone--she felt
she could not raise her eyes to his face--brought her some breakfast and
coffee. She drank the latter, but left the food untasted. Finally, she was
led to the sergeant's private room and told that she must give an account of
herself. "If you can't or won't tell a clear story," the officer threatened,
"you'll have to go before the justice in open court, and he may commit you to
prison. If you'll tell the truth now, it may be that I can discharge you.
You had no business to be wandering about the streets like a vagrant or worse;
but if you were a stranger or lost and hadn't sense enough to go where you'd
be cared for, I can let you go."

"Oh!" said Alida, again wringing her hands and looking at the officer with
eyes so full of misery and fear that he began to soften, "I don't know where
to go."

"Haven't you a friend or acquaintance in town?"

"Not one that I can go to!"

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