Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-06-01

C0gnlZant OF an entirely unsupported az
fair-first, coolly mastered; second,
passed under microscopic investiga-
ton; third, submitted to competent and
authoritative experience and, finally,
presented for his own digestion with
precision which was above praise.
The judge had always felt an i'm
mense respect for Stornmouth, first,
because he was a successful man, man
who had overcome obstacles brilliantly
and would overcome more obstacles
more brilliantly, and, second, because
he had rarely met with so honorable and
upright "a specimen of the not always
impeccable genus known as homo. His
own act of saving the Stornmouth es-
tates from almost total humiliation had
been governed more by his characteristic
| bulldog tenacity and desire to get even
with an unworthy adversary than by
| any more high minded sentiment.
When the fee attendant upon his VIC
tory had been sent in, he had even been
amusedly aware that he was sorry it
signifed that the fight was over AL
though he retired with flying colors
from the fray he had honestly regretted
tll'lu HIS IiN IIbl SCtllt'l, uS
he had, the promise of richer develop
ment for the opponent than that OPP
ponent had suspected. Ultimately he
had wondered if he ever would find
contemporary who would see, AS he did,
two sides of case with the same lack
of prejudice and choose the side which
promised the least, just for the sake Of
| experiencing the keen sense of exhilara-
ton attendant upon abstracting good
| development from bad ground plan.
When Stornmouth had thanked him,
therefore, he had been happy to per-
ceive that the fellow was worth the
cause He had followed him up some
what to see what he would do with the
unexpected wealth thrust upon him.
Stornmouth, to his surprise, had met
his individual bulldog tenacity with
tenacity which matched it. He had
evinced a reserve which ultimately was
discovered to contain evidence of I'M
common force, He proved that he pref
ty generally preceded Ono matter how
masterfuD an adversary's opportunity
by outwitting that adversary before the
latter had Weakened to even an inkling
of his power.
This to Dclno was revelation.
What to him had been conscientious
study appeared to come TO Stornmouth
as naturally as the flush to a maiden's
check. What to Delno was an acquisi-
ton was to Stornmouth an intuition
He read men like a fash, docketed them
off in the piGeonholes of his memory
and brought them out when he needed
them with untlagging accuracy to dis
pose of them with remarkable perspi-
cacity.
But when Stornmouth confessed him
s"lf in love with Priscilla Judge Delno
manlille, strove to forget personal afiec-
ton and take what he considered an
unbiased view of the situation To an
onlooker this might not have been con-
sidered fully as kind as it was Just to
Stornmnuth. 1t at least was fair and
square as regarded Priscilla. storm
mouth is too masterful, thought Judge
Delno He can bully me into saving
him his thousands but if he thinks he
is going to bully me into marrying to
him my own daughter he is mistaken
He is Il fine fellow, a superlatively fine
fellow, but, by love, girl Is heart
must be considered in these matters "
He made the latter statement aloud.
Il am precisely of the same opinion,
Sir, y returned Stornmouth tersely.
He had returned from Europe the day
before, and had run in on his old friend,
as he expressed it, ''to place the entire
lamentable occurrence before him in a
nutshell. p"
"Who asked for your opinion:" de-
manded the judge testify. He had been
| confined to the house for a week with
influenza and was unusually irritable in
consequence. Besides, any father expert
ences a sense of revolt when hitherto
unconsidered parsonage, no matter how
desirable, presents himself as a possible
member of his family.
The case in point is us follows, an
nounced StOrnmOuth, going straight to
the aforesaid point with his customary
ability-an ability which Judge Delno
heretofore had never hesitated to laud
openly, but which today limited at pos
slbillties in son-in-law which perhaps
might be considered more forcible than
agreeable. Stornmouth was pacing the
room restlessly. His hands were plung-
ed deep into his trousers pockets His
fine head was thrown forward eagerly,
like thoroughbred seeming the hint of
clover patch. His keen eyes mastered
| everything-the room, the occupant
the warning blizzard outside, the case
in point, and his adversary's irritation,
which he was observing with that same
humorous twinkle i'll his soul which SO
often bubbled up and showed itself so
pleasantly III his eyes
Given" he continued with empha-
sis, "a French adventurer with title,
and an American girl possessed of de-
Sire lamentable or otherwise, to be-
! come duchess or countess, it is obvi-
| Gus that ten chances to one the bargain
is contaminated to the entire felicity of
all parties concerned. He bit his lip
vigorously. His eyes, severely contemp-
tuous, met those Of Judge Delno with
an unflinching resolve in their depths.
The chief justice was seated in
leather covered armchair, before blaz-
ing fire Perhaps that was the cause of
the flush which overspread his counte-
nance at Stornmouth's uttcrance
"What do you mean to insinuate?"
he stormed
81 am not 'insinuating, '" replied
Stornmouth. Il am stating facts. |
| have good reason tO sunposn that Won