The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-03

: but everything is overwhelmingly
against him. | think you are the only
one in New York to express such
doubt"
Don't forget his wife," remarked
the Judge, dryiy.
No" she replied. Il really feel
sorry for the girl myself. Will you
give her some money if L"
The lawyer shook his head.
"She went take it. | tried it. She
wants m 10 defend her husbard-l
tried to bribe her to go to some other
lawyer, but it wouldn't work
We'll, something ought to be done
to stop her annoying u.s." exclaimed
Alicia. Indignantly Mr. 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 keelly 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 well as his
legal adviser
Judge Brewster bowed.
Your husband is very old friend,
Mrs. Jeffries l can't disregard his
wishes entirely"
There was a knock at the door OF
the private office.
Come in," called the Judge.
The door opened and the head
clerk entered, ushering ip 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, ,twho
greeted him with a cordial smile.
There was no response on the bank
ers face. Querulously he demanded:
Brewster, what's that woman doing
out there again? It's not the trst
time I've met her in this ONCE"
Alicia looked up eagerly. rs she
out there now?" she cried.
What right has she to come here?
What's her object?" went on the
banker irritatedly.
The lawyer shrugged his shoulders.
"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 here?' demanded the
banker, haughtily.
81 have" replied the Judge, calmly,
but she has overruled your ob1ec-
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.
w uAl uO yOu nCoh W
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.
mean persuasion, of course. Good
God, why can't people understand
these things as 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 az
ford to quarrel with one of his best
clients.
Alicia looked at her husband anx-
iously. Laying her hand on his arm,
she said soothir giy:
perhaps II | were to see her
Mr.. Jefries turned angrily.
How can you think of such
thing? l can't permit my wife to
come in contact with q 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 stifed
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 no right to sit in judg-
ment on her for that. If the girl
had been ambitious to marry above
her, in what way was she more guilty