Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-03-17
CHAPTER nj.

opening remarks about the paTt'cu'ur
object of his visit,
Brand was waiting for the judge to
DO the same. 1t was the newspaper
man who spoke first. inter the two
had seated themselves. He was anx-
ious to get the matter over with no
quickly as possible. for he we'll knew
that. In spite Of all his precautions. af-
fairs In Il newspaper Office are NO un-
certain that I'm interruption Of ali In-
expected nature might occur to ruin
the entire plan.
"Mr Dupuy was here a short time
ago he vcnturel.
Judge Bartelmy proceeded to cx-
plain the appearance OF the lawyer lob
byist Ia the affair. While II was plain
to Brand that the Judge had sent Du
puy rs Il gO-between so that 1t 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 land-
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 II no
third party knew of your transaction
with me-? suggested Brand.
The judge pitied the colossal igno-
rance OF this auIateur In trickery. Did
not he know that IN the superior
spheres of crooked practices II became
necessary to employ third persons on
many occasions to put through mat
ters OF this sort: And he was news
No. this peculiar young man would
never finish supplying the Judge with
surprises: OF that Bartelmy was posi-
tive. Perhaps it might he In order to
observe at this point that. while Rrnnd
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 severnl more
surprises for the jurist. But there are
different varieties Of surprises.
'Dupuy Is in my confidence the
fudge pronounced with an air Of FINAL
fly.
Hes not in mine" responded the
managing editor.
You're mistaken in him. know
him intimately"
"Oh. the pity Of It," exclaimed Brand.
"that you should be intimately ac-
quainted with such man as Dupuy"
Bartelmy could not restrain n sarcas-
tic smile Mt the editors sheer Mt Dupuy.
MIR. Brand" he said quickly. your
moral reflections at this juncture I'm
part a certain quaint hunor to the sit
uation."
II am afraid that is the trouble with
me. My humOr is nearly always unin.
territorial" Brand sighed ms though
sorry for himself
The Judge began to show signs Of
nervousness.
well, shall we get on with it," the
editor asked him.
Eyes. I must rejon my daughter.
She's waiting for me at the opera. She
was very anxious that I should not
come here tonight. 1t 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 snid.
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 dnugh-
ter would have made great cross ex-
amner If she had been man."
Were wasting time. Judge" Now
patient.
Am to understand that the pny.
lnent Of this sum Bartelmy began.
Brand raised his voice to n high
pitch.
'Ten thousand dollars" he said.
YES" agreed Bartelmy cautiously.
Am ! 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.
Brand helped the would be briber to
complete his sentence.
You mean your secret interview last
night with Dupuy and the attorney for
the lansing
The visitor raised his hand warming
~ at Brands loud tones. MS though to
counsel caution.
YES. yes"
Lansing Iron corporation?" contin-
ued Brand. bending close to the tele-
phone.
"Tes. VIII this sum. paid In hand.
ind,,Cp Won 10 forUnt-p n mt univ ho