, 1910-07-21

nave you toiu neT tnat L OBJECT 10
her coming here?" demanded the
banker, haughtily.
II have" replied the Judge, calmly,
but she has overruled your objec-
ton" With a covert smile he add
ed. You know We can use force"
Mr.. Jeffries shrugged his shoulders
impatiently.
You can certainly use moral force"
he said.
What do you mean by moral
force?" demanded the lawyer.
Mr.. Jeffries threw up his hands as
If utterly ~disgusted with the whole
business. Almost angrily he an
swered:
Moral force Is moral force. l
mean persuasion. of course. Good
God, why can't people understand
these things as i do?"
The Judge said nothing, but turned
to examine some papers on his desk.
He hardly liked the inference that he
could not see things as plainly as
other people, but what was the use
of getting irritated? He couldn't af-
ford to quarrel with one of his best
clients.
Alicia looked at her husband anx-
iously. Laying her hand on his arm,
she said soothingly:
Perhaps If ! were to see her"
Mr.. Jeffries turned angrily.
How car you think of such a
thing? l can't permit my wife t o
come in contact with a woman of
that character"
Judge Brewster, who was listening
in spite of the fact that he was seem
ingly engrossed in his papers. pursed
his lips.
"Oh, come" he said with a forced
laugh, shes not as bad as all that"
I'm sure she isn't" said Alicia, en-
phatically. She must be amenable
to reason"
The bankers wife was not a%ltogeth-
er bad. Excessive vanity and ambi-
ton had steeled her heart and stified
impulses that were naturally good,
but otherwise she was not wholly de-
void of feeling. She was really sorry
for this poor little woman who was
fighting so bravely to save her hus-
band. No doubt she had inveigled
Howard into marrying her, but she
Alicia-had nj right to sit in judg-
ment on her for that. II the girl
a been ambitious to marry above
her, in what way was she more guilty
than she herself had been in marry
ing a man she did not love, simply for
his wealth and social position? Be-
sides, Alicia was herself sorely
troubled. Her conscience told her
that a word from her might set the
.,l~I~ Ill --I-IA -
able to prove that Underwood COM
mitted suicide. She knew she was
a coward and worse than a coward
because she dare not speak that
word. The more she saw her hus.
bands anger the less courage she
a to do 1t. In I'M case, she argued
to herself. Howard had confessed. II
he shot Underwood there was no sui
eide, SO why SHOULD she incriminate
herself needlessly? But there was no
reason why she should not show some
sympathy for the poor girl who, after
all, was only doing what any good
wife should do. Aloud she repeated:
I'll see the girl and talk to her.
She must listen to reason"
"Reasoni" exploded the banker,
angrily. How can you expect reason
from a woman who hounds us. dogs
our footsteps, tries to compel us to
take her up?"
Judge Brewster. who had apparent
ly paid no attention to the bankers
remarks, now turned around. Hesi
tatingly he said:
Il think you do her an injustice.
Jeffries. She comes every day in the
hope that your feelings toward your
son have changed. She wishes to
give color to the belief that his IA
Tiers lawyers are championing his
cause. She was honest enough to tell
me SO. You know her movements are
closely watched by the newspapers
INT she takes good care to let the
reporters think that she ONE here
to discuss with me the details Of her
husbands defense"
The banker shifted impatiently on
his chair. Contemporary he said:
THE newspapers which l read don't
give her the slightest attention. II
they did I should refuse to read
them" With growing irritation he
went n
It's no use talking about her any
more. What are we going to do
about this latest scandal? This wom-
an is going on he stage to be e1-
hibited all over the country and she
proposes to use the family name"
There is nothing to prevent her."
said the lawyer, dryly.
The banker jumped to his feet and
exclaimed angrily:
There must be! Good God. Brew
ster. surely you can obtain an ~injunc-
ton restraining her from using the
family name! You must do some
thing. What do you adviser"
Il advise patience" replied tho
Judge, calmly.