The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-01-14
THE RECOVERY. A Story of Kentucky
 Copyright, 1908, by JOSEPH A. ALTSIIELER Entered at Stationers' Hall
 All rights reserved
All rights reserved

about lt-a weight seems to be lifted from her, she is placid, even happy she thinks that she will now bear all the blame. and that you will appear clean and whole before the world" l That cannot bel" I exclaimed. l No. not in the way she thinks. And 1 now Harry we must face the facts. II | is of them that I have come here to talk to you.''
 He suddenly dropped his light man ner and became grave and watchful. l knew that no expression of mine would escape his notice.
 Yes. the facts,'' I said. Nothing can wave them aside.''
 That is true. but we can consider | them. First Mrs. Grey. You are aware that her reputation will be blown upon-I must speak plainly-the evil-minded create evil where evil there is none. But. Harry. she is indifferent to it. she has an arnor of proof against it, and she loves you. What have you ever done that you should deserve the love of such a woman?'
 Nothing" I answered devoutly.
 i've asked you the question that Harrison asked less than an hour ago of me, but he made the addition that you were a man. He said that you acted like man to-day. and that he was not surprised. But we come now to yourself. What are you going to do?"
 Gall a session of the Legislature and offer my resignation"
 A faint smile that I did not under stand curved the corners of his lips. "Then you leave it to the Legislature to decide''
 "Yes,' I said.
 He suddenly laughed outright There speaks your fighting spirit, he exclaimed. "It is the spirit that brought you from a convict's cell to the Governors chair. and it is one Of on behalf of your friends when I came here. Harry. you must not yield, you must fight. It's fight! fight! fight! You were an innocent man when you went to the penitentiary to protect a wom- ans good name. Chivalry isn't dead yet above all iii this good old State of Kentucky Don't you see what a tre- mendous appeal such an act makes to the public? What you lose in one quarter you may win in another"
 And really have friends left among the people?"
 Friends! of course. thousands of them I can judge of the State by what is happening here in the city. and again we must face the facts. Already two hostile anl bitter camps are form ed, one for you and one against you. By God, if you are impeached. Harry. it will only be after a fight worth tell ing about years afterward!' He talked on. and I think his chief object now was to cheer me. But I wished to ask him one more question and after some hesitation I came to it. What of Grey?' I asked. He is here isn't he. what is he going to do?"
 His face darkened.
 "I am sorry you asked me that, Harry he replied. "but since you have asked me I'll answer you truthfuliy. Grey is wild with rage and is low enough to make charges against his wife and yOu-nO, no threats, Harry! You are not in a position to threaten Grey"
 It was true and I sank back with a groan. I was the last man who could protect Alicias good name, and it was a bitter fact.
 "But Mrs. Grey has friends who are wall of defense around her, said Jimmy, eyeing me graveiy.
 "I know it and I thank God for it, I said.
 He sat with me a long time and after a while Guthrie came in and joined us. Other friends followed in the course of the day, and I saw that I, too, would have a wall of defense around me, although I was fully aware that Warfield told the truth, when he said it would be 8 hard fight. A part
 
 me, but another part would laugh and sheer, ard the fact that I. had been in the penitentiary, whether innocent or not. must remain. Yet I would have changed nothing now for my own sake; it was only for Alicia that I could have wished the tale untold.
 The newspapers the next day con- tained varying comments, the opposi- tion making the most of the revela- tion, demanding my instant retirement from the Governors chair that I had disgraced, while the others seemed to be puzzled, willing to wait an oppor- tunity for the operation known as feel ing the public pulse. It is needless for me to say that they overflowed with descriptions of the scene at the hall. Alicia's name was handled gent ly, and the records of my trial and conviction were printed. I could see that the probabilities were on my side. It was we'll known that I was rich and had always been so, with no temp tation to burglary, but that very fact merely deepened the shadow on Alicia's name, and whatever I might do, I could not help it. Under the we'll glazed politeness of the public prints and of conventional life I knew that mighty whispering was going on, and that it formed a coil around Alicia and myself.
 On the second day I took an early morning train for Frankfort, leaving without warning, and thus escaping any attention whether hostile or other wise at the railroad station. I also had the advantage of arriving at the capital under the same circumstances. and 1 was at the Executive Mansion before the town knew of my coming.
 It was Seth, who opened the door for me. and it may seem a curious thing, but ] was nervous about the kind of greeting this simple lad would give ron I'm T |, i- good opinion than for that of many able men. But his face shone only with joyous welcome, and his eyes ex- pressed a new and warm feeling of comradeship.
 And to think that you were Charlie after all!'' he exclaimed. "I'd 8 never dreampt it! But Charlie was a good man, knowed all the time. an some times I've been right sick cause I be- lieved I'd never see him again an now | see him every day.'
 l shook Seth's hand until he Winced. Here indeed was faith, pure, simple and incorruptible, and it was like oil on a. burn. It never occurred to his mind that any disgrace attached to me because I had been in prison. To loyal Seth l was merely lost Charlie Johnson returned, and hence doubly a friend.
 1 ate early luncheon and then walk ed to the Capitol, Frankfort still un- aware of my return, and I still won dering how the little city that I loved would take me. The good opinion of it's ten thousand peOD1e was very dear