Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1910-02-10
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C3k:HaY come to the office Of the Adj
vance. waited for Brand TO make the
opening remarks about the particular
object of his visit.
Brand was waiting for the judge to
do the same. 1t was the newspaper
man who spoke first, after the two
had seated themselves. He was anx-
ious TO get the matter over with as
quickly as possible, for he well knew
that in spite of all his precautions, af.
fairs in a newspaper office are so un-
certain that an interruption of an un-
expected nature might occur to ruin
the entire plan.
'Mr. Dupuy was here a short time
ago" he ventured.
Judge Bartelmy proceeded to ex-
plain the appearance Of the lawyer lob
byist in the affair. While it was plain
to Brand that the judge had sent Du-
puy as a go-between so that it would
be impossible TO connect Bartelmy
with the payment Of any money as
bride. the jurist did not propose to ac-
knowledge that such had been his laud-
able purpose. He gave an entirely diff
ferent reason.
Yes, know" he said HE found
me at the opera with my daughter.
hoped, Mr.. Brand. that by allowing me
to act through him you would spare
me this last humiliation
would it not be safer for you IL no
third party knew Of your transaction
with me-" suggested Brand.
The judge pitied the colossal igno-
rance Of this amateur In trickery. Did
not he know that in the superior
spheres Of crooked practices 1t became
necessary to employ third persons on
many occasions to put through mat
tiers Of this sort? And he was a news
paper man Of years Of experience too.
No, this peculiar young man would
never finish supplying the judge with
surprises; Of that Bartelmy was posi-
tive. Perhaps 1t might be In order to
observe at this point that, while Brand
of course could not know that these
thoughts were passing through his
visitors mind. he, at the same time
would have been ready to confess that
he was going to provide several more
surprises for the jurist. But there are
different varieties of surprises.
"Dupuy is in my confidence" the
Judge pronounced with an air Of final
ity.
He's not in mine" responded the
managing editor.
You're mistaken in him. | know
him intimately"
"0h. the pity of it." exclaimed Brand,
that you should be intimately ac-
quainted with such a man as Dupuyv'
Bartelmy could not restrain sarcas-
tic smile at the editors sheer at Dupuy.
"NIr. Brand he said quickly. your
moral reflections. at this .juncture i'm
part certain quaint humof to the sit.
uation.''
II am afraid; that is the trouble with
me. My humor is ne!irly always unin.
tentional" Brand sighed as though
sorry for himself i
The Judge began to show signs of
nervousness.
. well, shall we get on with it?" the ]
editor asked him. ''-
Eyes. must rejon my daughter
She's waiting for me at the opera. She
was very anxious that | should not
come here tonight. IT was curious
her persistency in the matter"
Brand drew his chair closer to the |
desk-closer to the telephone
"Let us get to business" he said.
The judge went on talking about his |
daughter.
''She displays an unusual. ] should /
say an extraordinary. curiosity as to /
my mission here" he said. My daugh- /
ter would have made great cross ex- |
amner If she had been a man.
Were wasting time. Judge" Now /
it was Brand who was becoming i'm
patient.
Am I to understand that the pay |
ment Of this sum Bartelmy began.
Brand raised his voice to q high |
pitch.
"Ten thousand dollars"' he said.
YES" agreed Bartelmy cautiously. |
"Am I to understand that it-ah-
wipes out Of your recollection not only
the incident of which you were speak
ing. but also as to- He paused.