A guard came to the prison shoe-shop, where Jimmy Valentine was assiduously stitching uppers, and escorted him to the front office.

A man always believed that "his" will be protected. A public office was a private graft.

What are you doing in Ardmore? That’s not in my district.

Matches gave him a name to know him by. You had to have a name--lots of them do by grabbing at the first thing that comes along, like a dog or a rat.

You can’t tell him yourself. What’s the matter with you, Jimmy? Have you forgotten about ‘Chicago’ and how you used to love to hang out there and enjoy yourself?

Haven’t you got sense enough to tell when a man’s doing you a favor?

Now, here’s a letter from her. She’s mighty sick, Spencer.

She’s the best girl that ever strung beads on a string or dumped a laundry.

I won’t hang around if you don’t want me; but I thought you'd be glad to see me. You must give me up if you think it’s best, but it’ll be the worst day’s work you ever did.

Annabel was still human enough to enjoy herself a bit when things didn’t go her way. That was one of the main reasons why so many people liked her.

A Retrieved Reformation