Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-07-22
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Be pleased to sit.n said the doctor, cotd,p
Now were the features of both father
visible, and never was offered greater con
trast of faces The doctor, who had not beer
in bed all night, had a haggard look, which
showed strongly on his plumpness; mis- eye
were languid with anxiety and fatigue Ye
the dignity of good breeding was in the re
pose of his fnce, and in his manners especial,
marked. On the other hand was the worI
and handsome face of the shipwright, scorr
and shame cleaning with a half-smotheret
light in his eyes, and the iron will of hi
nature hardening the curve and set of hi
mouth, and inclining his head to backward
fall of half-derisive haughtiness. With boil
hands he held his hat to his breast, taking NJ
notice of the others invitation to sit
"Sir," he said, slowly, "there is report be
low that your son is missing. But am no
a man to heed the towns gossip Let m,
know from you that this is So"
at is so" replied the doctor, cycling hin
keenly.
as this sudden leaving Of you unex
pectedp
Totally unexpected. Mr.. Strangfeld, il
You have news to give concerning him, ]
beg you, in the name of humanity, not to
withhold it."
answer me this, DIR. Shaw: Do you
know that he is marrieda' said Strang
field. breathing deeply, and speaking with
difficulty.
married." cried the doctor, with unmis.
taxable establishment Certainly not, sir
most assuredly not, indeedp
IL pray you reflect before you speak, sir.
AS you answer me now, so shall YOU be
judged by Almighty God, who will hold YOU
accountable for this action of your off.
spring. BY word or look has your son Cuth.
bert ever given you reason to suspect he hath
a wifef"
"Mr Strangfeld," replied the doctor,
shocked by the energy of this adjuration, II
have given You plain answer, and still my
reply is No. What has put this extraordi-
nary notion into your headr
"Then your son is villain and robber! thu
plunderer of my child's innocence and nv
name and honorl He hath enticed her into
vile wrong; he hath taught her deceit that
hell itself would rebuke, and now hath left
her to dwell alone in the disgrace and ruin
he hath overwhelmed her with" He let fall
bis hat, and buried his face in his hands
The doctor stood petrified
"ln Gods name, man. he cried, speak
put, and give some meaning TO your charges.
Dead or living, my son is outraged by your
language, and before you leave this room you
shall name me his offense, that may estab-
lsh his innocence"
With a shake of the head as if he would
clear his BRAIN Strangfeld looked up
My daughter Jenny has this day told me
that she is secretly married to your son. Do
you heed mel That she Is his wife, sir, which
you would now make out liei Clear him
of thatw
The doctor put up his hand. He was ma
of decisive theories, and as bigoted at cre
pole OF thought as Strangfeld was at .ll
other. So calmly confident was he his scr
was not married that he would not even cor
descend to reason the matter to himself
"Your daughter, said he, in cold voice,
sis either wilfully deceiving you, or labors
under some astonishing delusion. am init
mately acquainted with my sons nature and
disposition, aud do most positively assure
you that he is the last man in the world to
contract TIorrin cra ri lx
He spoke with little curl of the lin, for
he was very confident on this point
But" he was continuing; then stopped
and frowned, with his eyes bent on the floor
"You were about TO say itr' shrieked the
unhappy father. Speak out and clear him,
in the name of God have called him vii
lain and robber-clear him.
81 must beg you to restrain your impet,i-
osity,' returned the doctor, haughtily. "If
my son has acted the part of a villain, you
viii not mend matters by clamoring at me.
Statements have been made to you by your
daughter, and their verification is a simple
matter. But, mark me, she is deceiving
you"
With heavy effort Strangfeld Gained
himself, and, with struggling face and
twitching fingers, essayed to speak reason.
ably.
"You say my girl hath deceived me. This
truly has she done, he she speaking gospel or
a devils lie, in what she told her mother.
Yet you must know. sir, that up to this day
never had | cause to doubt her as a good
girl. She declares that she was married tc
your son three weeks ago, when we had sen,
her for change of air to her aunt, who lives
at Sydenham."
The doctor grew a shade paler.
"Three weeks agol My son was in London
then. Good heaven, sir, he surely-the i'm
probability the-the-" Mr.. Strangfield kept
his glowing eyes bent on him. "For some
time past" the doctor went on, al have
noticed a change in him, and his answer,
have been full of evasion. But if he were
married, he CRIED in his eagerness strainine
his head forward, and leaning with botf
hands on the table, "would he abandon hi.
wife and mysteriously depart as he has nov
done, leaving no hint behind him either of hi
motive or his whereabouts Oh, Mr.. Strang
field that speaks for itself That is a vef,
persuading argument against your daughter
sir
at is that which has brought me here,'
cried Strangfield in a voice of thunder "Ha
he gonef You answer yes. If he loved hel
well enough to marry her he would not leav,
her. If he had betrayed her, then have yo,
his reason for fyingp
DR.. Shaw turned to pace the room Ligh
was beginning to dawn on him. 1t was diff
cult for him to bring his mind to believe tina
Cuthbert was guilty of mortal sin; We
here was the father of the girl violent il
heavy charges, so that the existence of tn
victim at least was an established fact b,
surest proof.
"As the husband of your daughter he woulC
not have left her. he said, speaking in ton
of pain and shame, and with something lik
horror in the expression of his eyes. "Ma,
God forgive him if he has brought disgrac
upon the Innocent But, Mr.. Strangfield
have nos you approached your conclusion
with extreme hurryl On the statement O
your daughter, unsupported by any evidence
you convict her and my son. She affirm
herself married. and If this be so, it is mos
easy of proof. But though the marriag
cannot be proved, what impeachment shout
there be in the silence of evidence, unles
you have testimony to satisfy you OF thei
guilt"
Mr.. Strangfield picked up his hat an
turned it about vacantly in his hands.
II came here, he said, in low voice, IT
find out if your son hath truly left you, a
reported If he be my daughters husband
it shall be proved soon. Sir, thank you 70
receiving me civilly, and bearing with me
For forty years have dwelt in Greystone
and for all that time no man hath eve
pointed his finger at me for any act q
wrong That my girl hath owned to a secre
marriage is a bitter disgrace upon me. VIII
have ever tried to teach her the hatefulnee
of deceit, as the pathway of one that forget