Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-04-08
CHAPTER II.

N" the girl, anu above MS OWL
misery rose his sympathy and
e2a thought for her whom he
longed to comfort. for the girl of his
choice. whom duty said he must cause
to suffer. He yearned to take her" in
his arms and wipe away the tears, but
he knew that she would repulse him
He throbbed with the desire to prove
to her his love by assuring her that
the attack on her father was ended
but his duty whispered, mo"
And to himself he repeated the mo. y
For he must go on. and she must en-
dure, and the judge must pay the price.
The voice of an outraged people had
spoken through the pen Of Wheeler
Brand. and he was one of those men
strong enough to refuse to take the
price of silence.
He led the girl he loved to chair,
even as she sobbed and whispered,
"Wheeler. Wheeler. Wheeler" endear-
ingly from her hearts depths. Brand
looked down on her with world of
sadness in his eyes. He well knew.
and the world would soon know, that
those who sit in the high places must
pay the penalty for sin. even as the
lowliest among us who more blindly
goes astray
Judith Bartelmy had been long
enough in society to learn the art Of
the control and the concealment of
emotions under many trying circum-
stances. Probably in any other situa-
ton than in one where her father
and the man she loved were so deeply
concerned. as in the present. she
would have been able to retain larger
degree Of self composure. Several
minutes passed before she was able
to speak in evenly balanced tones.
wheeler" she finally said, IF any
one had told me that you would or
could 90 what yoi have done against
my father, against my family"-her
voice began To break again against
NE. ! would not have believed it. And
sou have not told me that you will
cease your attack"
Brand Thought to pallinte her He
seated himself Oh corner of the man.
aging editors desk and bent toward
her as she sat IN "a chair near him.
Now. Judith. let me try to explain
he said eutreatingly. Il think l can
make you understand. You see, the
Lansing Iron company owned a lot OF
valuable properties--ore ranges. ma
chinery. rai!rond trackage. etc. II it
had been managed halfway 1t would
now be a wealth producing business,
but some of our spectators down
town were trying to get hold OF 1t to
gamble with. They wanted to milk
1t. as the saying is. by watering It.
They did have a stock market battle
or two. which protited nobody but the
lawyers Oh both sides. But they final
~ got 1t by Juggling 1t into receiv-
ership. which they never could have
done II u United States judge had not
been willing to exceed his functions.
That judge, was your father.
'.Since the works shut down." he
went on strongly. 1.-The men are out OF
employment, and the gamblers have
got rich because the company's gone
broke. That's just what happened.
and that's all l said"
"Rut it wasn't your facts. l tell YOU
1t was your insinuation that was
false"
mot on-interpretation."
"B,lt it wasn't true-it wasn't true"
"Oh, yes. 1t was true. and more"
Judith verged Oh the hysterical
again.
IF you loved me as you pretend to-.
no matter II you thought it true or not.
you could not have written that artf-
cle."
Cant you see that | wasn't writing
about your father. but about United
States Judge who
She moved farther away from him.
That's splitting hairs. Wheeler"
He walked to her side.
judith. please please don't let's
quarrel about this"
The girl turned to him impulsively.
"Oh. Wheeler. we were on the
verge of it. weren't WEI" He cast
his arms around her. You're sorry.
aren't you:" She looked fondly into
his face. "And you will take back
that article. won't you?"
"You mustn't ask me to do that;
can't" looking ut her earnestly.
You can't?'
NO"
Judith drew away from him step
or two. She surveyed him cOldly.
"Wheeler. l came here thinking only
of my father. but l suddenly find my
self facing much more serious Iues-
tion-not what kind of man he is.
but what kind of man are you"
Brand was deeply cut by her manner
and her intOnation.
judith. II you only knew the truth.
all Of it, things cant tell you. you'd
be with me heart and soul In what I'm
trying to do"
He caught her in his arms again.
whatever I've done or whatever
! may do l love you" he insisted pas
sionately.
Judith showed equal fervor as she
said:
And you're more to the than my
father, but for my sake you mustn't
work against him. How could we
ever be happy together If you did?
You'll do this for me. Wheeler. just
this? l want you to carry out your
ideals and live up to your high pur-
poses in every other way. but you
must not attack him. Promise me
that you'll never do it again. Won't
you. promise me that2 And you'll re-