Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-05-12
It is so," replied the doctor, eyeing him

you have news to give concerning hia, beg you, in the name of humanity, not to withhold it"
 Answer me this, Dr. Shaw: Do you know that he is married9n said Etrang- field. breathing deeply, and speaking with difficulty.
 @Marriedl" cried the doctor, with unmis- takable astonishment. Certainly not, sir most assuredly not indeedp q 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 . wifeT'
 "Mr. Strangfald," replied the doctor, shocked by the energy of this adjuration, sI have given you plain answer, and still my reply is, No. What has put this extraordi- nary notion into your head7"
 aThen your son is villain and robberI the plunderer of nay child's innocence and my name and honori He hath enticed her into | vile wrong; he hath taught her a deceit that hell itself would rebuke, and now hath left her to dwell alone in the disgrace and ruin he hath overwhelmed her withI" He let fall bis hat, and buried his face in his hands
 The doctor stood petriied | @In Gods name, man." he cried, aspeak out, and give some meaning to your charges. Dead or living, my son is outraged by your shall name me his offense, that may estab- | fish 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 me! That shs is his wife, sir, which you would now make out a lie! Clear him l of thatin
 The doctor put up his hand He was a man of decisive theories, and as bigoted at one pole of thought as Strangfield was at the other. So calmly confident was he his son was not married that he would not even con- descend to reason the matter to himself
 "Your daughter" said he, in a cold voice, "is either wifully deceiving you, or labors under some astonishing delusion am inti- mately acquainted with my sons nature and disposition and do most positively assure you that he is the last man in the world to contract marriage clandestinely."
 He spoke with a little curl of the lip, for he was very confident on this point
 "But-" he was continuing; then stopped and drowned, with his eyes bent on the floor.
 "You were about to say it!" shrieked the unhappy father. Speak out and clear him. in the name of God! have called him viii lain and robber-clear him"
 "I must beg you to restrain your impetu osity," returned the doctor, haughtily. "Ii my son has acted the part of villain, you will not mend matters by clamoring at me Statements have been made to you by youl daughter, and their verifcation is simple matter. But, mark me, she is deceivine you"
 With a heavy effort Strangfeld calmec himself, and, with a struggling face ane i twitching fingers, essayed to speak reason ably.
 "You say my girl hath deceived me. mi : truly has she done, be she speaking gospel o 1 a devils lie, in what she told her mother Yet you must know, sir, that up to this da, , never had I cause to doubt her as goot girl. She declares that she was married t . your son three weeks ago, when we had sen her for change of air to her aunt who live at Sydenham."
 The doctor grew shade paler. } "Three weeks agol My son was in Londo 3 then. Good heaven, sir, he surely-the in probability -the-the-" Mir. Strangfeld kep : his glowing eyes bent on him. "For som
 time past" the doctor went on, q hay noticed change in him, and his answer have been full of evasion. But if he wer s married. he cried, in his eagerness strainin q his head forward, and leaning with bot e hands on the table, "would he abandon hi
 wife and mysteriously depart as he has no' n done, leaving no hint behind him either of hi ': motive or his whereabouts. Oh, Mir. Strane t field, that speaks for itself. That is yer :, persuading argument against your daughter D sir"
 l. "It is that which has brought me here E; cried Strangfeld in voice of thunder. "Hs @ he gon- You answer yes. If he loved he
 well enough to marry her he would not leav }; her. If he had betrayed her, then have yo e his reason for fying!'
 ), Dr. Shaw turned to pace the room Ligi e was beginning to dawn on him. 1t was diff e cult for him to bring his mind to believe ths |: Cuthbert was guilty of @ mortal sin; v F. here was the father of tho girl violent i
 heavy charges, so that the existence of tf V victim at least was an established fact le surest proof
 is "As the husband of your daughter he woul d not have left her" he said, speaking in tor s of pain and shame, and with something lil
 horror in the expression of his eyes. "Ma ?, God forgive him if he has brought disgra, Tt upon the innocenti But, Mir. Strangfel
 have not you approached your conclusic
 with extreme hurry? On the statement
 your daughter, unsupported by any evidenc
 you convict her and my son. She affirm
 herself married; and if this be so, it is mo
 easy of proof. But though the maria:
 cannot be proved, what impeachment shou
 there be in the silence of evidence, unle
 you have testimony to satisfy you of the
 guilta"
 Mir. Srangfeld picked up his hat a,
 turned it about vacantly in his hands.
 q came here," he said, in low voice, " find out if your son hath truly left you,
 reported. If he be my daughters husban
 it shall be proved soon. Sir, I thank you f
 receiving me civilly, and bearing with m , For forty years have dwelt in Greystor ] and for all that time no man hath ev pointed his finger at me for any act
 wrong. That my girl hath owned to a seer
 marriage is bitter disgrace upon me, wi
 have ever tried to teach her the hatefulne
 of deceit, as the pathway of one that forge | the Lord. If you have news of your so
 sir, you will please to acquaint me with
 that may sift this business to the bottom
 And turning abruptly he left the rool
 and in moment the doctor heard the h.
 door closed.
 ,y. CHAPTER XIII DTS THE DRAGONS CHARITY. tu "Mr. Strangfeld went straight to his hou on and stood a moment under the shelter of t cn leaves to wipe his forehead before enterir