The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1911-05-25
bird, and that she attended a meet

q bird, and that she attended q meet.
ing of witches at Salem village. She
was not insane, but the horror OF
the accusation brought against her
had been too much for a weak mind.
Towards confession may possibly be
due to some such influence"
Il hope for his poor fathers sake,
said Alicia, that you may be right
and that he may be proved innocent,
but everything is overwhelmingly
against him. l think you are the only
one in New York to express such a
doubt"
Don't forget his wife," remarked
the Judge, dryly.
NO. she replied. 81 really feel
sorry for the girl myself. Will you
give her some money If T."
The lawyer shook his head.
"She won't take it. / tried it. She
wants me to defend her husband
tried to bride her to go to some other
lawyer, but it wouldn't work
"Well, something ought to be done
to stop her annoying us!" exclaimed
Alicia, Indignantly. MIR. Jeffries suf-
fers terribly. can hear him pacing
up and down the library till three or
four in the morning. Poor man, he
suffers SO keenly and he won't let any
one sympathize with him. He won't
let me mention his sons name. | feel
we ought to do something. Try and
persuade him to let me see this girl
and-you are his friend as we'll as his
legal adviser"
Judge Brewster bowed
"Your husband is very old friend
Mrs. Jeffries. l can't disregard his
wishes entirely"
There was knock ut the door OF
the private office.
"Come in" called the Judge.
The door opened and the head
clerk entered, ushering in Howard
Jeffries, Sr. The banker, still aristo
cratic and dignified, but looking tired
and careworn, advanced into the room
and shook hands with the Judge, who
greeted him with cordial smile
There was no response on the bank
er's face. Querulously he demanded:
Brewster, what's that woman doing
out there again? It's not the first
time I've met her in this office"
Alicia looked UP eagerly. rs she
out there now?" she cried.
What right has she to come here1
What's her object?" went on the
banker irritatedly.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders
1.-THE same old thing" he replied
"She wants me to take her case"
The banker frowned.
Didn't you tell her 1t was impos
sible?"
THAT makes no difference
laughed the judge "She comes just
the same I've sent her away dozen
times. What am ] to do If she in.
sists on coming? We can't have her
arrested. She doesn't break the furni-
ture or beat the Office boy. She sim
ply sits and waits"
Have you told her that l object to
her coming heref" demanded the
banker, haughtily.
81 have" replied the Judge, calmly,
but she has overruled your objec-
ton" With a covert smile he add.
ed, "You know we can't 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 Disguised with the whole
business. Almost angrily he an
swered:
Moral force is moral force. !
mean persuasion, of course. Good
God, why can't people understand
these things as l 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,
ste said soothingly:
Perhaps IL were to see her"
Mr.. Jeffries turned angrily.
How can you think of such q
thing? l can't permit my wife to
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 forced
laugh, she's 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 altogeth.
er bad. Excessive vanity and ambi.
ton had steeled her heart and stifled
impulses that were naturally good
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