The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-12
(Continued.A

wrote me % stand firm, that haQ done no wrong, that the attack would pass and I would stand forth more completely the favorite of the State than ever before. My secret would be preserved, it must be, but if by any
 chance 1t should become known she would tell the truth to everybody, how she, not I, was to blame. I read the letter with mingled emo
 tions. Alicia did not yet know the world as I believed myself to know 1t, and I felt that she could do nothing, even
 had I been cowardly and selfish enough
 to let her make the trial. My mind went back from Alicia g
 letter to the message of Elias. It's
 words were few and simple, but I could
 not get rid of them, they were con-
 tinually before me and their import
 was heavy. The rapt mountaineer was
 yet seer and prophet to me, and all
 the attacks upon me did not have as
 much weight as his simple words. It was the effect of my position to make me seek solitude. wished to be alone, the faces of people annoyed me, and although l stroVe to overcome this
 desire I could not always do so. I do
 not think that the recluse is a happy
 man. nor that it is desirable on any account to be secluded, but the wish to
 shun observation was, at times, ex- ceedtngly strong and I fear that, by 1t, I incurred deserved wrath more than once. On self-examination I at 1 tributed this feeling in myself to cow ardice, l hesfteted to face critical or censorious looks, and the inference was not pleasing to my pride, The conclu- sion was confirmed by talk that I had with Judge Wharton, whom I met as I strolled in a colitary path by the side Of the river.
 1 I had not been to his house in some time, and I had taken care to avoid him as walked about the city. But on the river path we came suddenly l face to face. and there was no chance to evade him. He stopped at. once and held out his hand.
 l I've not seen you in such a. while, MT. Clarke" he said in a hurt tone. that had began to fear had given you offense, though unwilling on my part.''
 eff there were any offense," I said. ''it is I who would give it to you. though it would be unwilling on my part too. There is no man whose friendship I value more highly" Come let's walk on together" he said and he changed his course to mine Having met hirn I was glad now that he had chosen to go with me. Despite my avoidance of him I had missed his mental strength and the help of his for some .time By the side of us. all most at our feet. flowed a deep river, l it's surface flashing now in blue and green, then in gold and silver in the 1 intense sunlight.
 Over us toward the cliffs. the rocks often hidden by the trees and bushes that clung to the steep face.
 MT. Clarke" said the Judge at last, i "you are troubled by these attacks. it is natural that you should be. Speak ing as an old politician, they seem to l me to have a concerted origin. You I t,yo I | ly. You have made enemies and they 1 are working against you.''
 l T think you are right in all that you say,"I replied. "and I will admit to 1 you that these attacks have hurt me i very deeply.''
 "Then why not reply to them,' he said earnestly. "'Let me repeat the suggestion that I made to you some | time ago. Don't be offended. Pm an old man. and Pm good friend of | yours.''
 I was far from being offended. and I knew moreover that the advice he gave me was good-I only wished that l he knew I could not take it. and I wished somehow that he knew. too, why I could not take 1t.
 Tt seemed to me- I replied, 3that said enough in the campaign, when I l told them what I had been.'' T know, I know; it was only gen. eral charge they made then, but now they are explicit. and they specify a certain period. I'd answer them at once and shut their mouths forever.'' I did not reply just then, but I re-. peated over and over to myself the phrase "shut their mouths forever" How I would like to "shut their mouths forever. but. look and think as I would, could see or think of only one way and that was out of the ques- tion. Yes, out of the question: I could not tell the world the truth; it would ruin me, it might drag Alicia down purpose of nobody. The one way was quiXotic. foolish to the last degree. and shut my teeth down upon each other with hard resolve. The good Judge saw my face and he misread it. T don't wonder that you're angry at thena,'' he said with sympathy. Its a misfortune of our politics that too many of us descend to low and vulgar attacks. We are too ready to believe evil about public men, but sometimes these things must be met"
 His tone was quietly paternal and I said nothing to correct him in his error, while he seemed. to feel that he had given sufficient hint, and turned the conversation. We walked on to- gether for two or three miles and then turned, coming back at the same slow gait toward the town. As we reached the first fringe of houses he said:
 You'll dine with us this evening, won't you Governor? Come, we've missed you, and Mrs. Wharton is ask ing continually why you are ignoring uS"
 I could not decline such an invita- tion from people whom I liked so much, and at the appointed time I went to his house. Only we three were present, the Judge. Mrs. Wharton and myself, and to outsider it would have seemed a family group. Here, at least, was no one to question me, or to suspect me, or to intimate in any man. ner that I was not what I should be. I breathed an air of friendship, con- fidence and faith, and it was mex presSibly grateful to me. I could not destroy such trust as this and make myself an outcast from such people as these. I had for the time 8 wonderful. lightness of spirit, a revulsion from my former depression, and it lasted until I came away. The judge followed me to his gate, and urged me to come again and often.
 You are a bachelor" he said smil- ing, land you need company, Mrs. Wharton and I are old and we need the young. so you see each can help the other.'
 "I thank you and I shall do so,'' replied, although not knowing whether I meant it.
 But when I was back at the Execu-