The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-11-11


 of the heavy mental and physical Iassi. tude that oppressed him. Once he tried to recall the horror he had seen. but his inert mind baked
 With sluggish curiosity he watched the figure of a woman walking down the street. Not until she turned in at the gate did he recognize her. There was no glad start. On the contrary, a mueeered, querulous protest escaped him. He did not wish to see her just then.
 Reluctantly he rose and went down to the library. She was standing at a southern window through which the sun poured golden flood. She heard him enter and turned. He halted just within the door For moment, silent, they looked at each other across the sunlit room.
 It was she who, with the brave di- rectness that had always been hers, first broke the silence.
 sT have heard what-what happened last night. And I have come to ask you to do nothing that will harm my father.".
 Unconsciously his face darkened. It was not because of her request, but because Of the picture she recalled.
 O have''- He would have said, ssno need to ask.'' But she misunderstood and Interrupted quickly.
 sT have no right to ask this-or any thing of Ssu? I know that, more clearly than you can tell me. I put you in the way of unhappiness and then chose against you, for things--for things Of no value. It may give you some satisfaction to know that they are gone-though you can hardly be- Iieve that the taste for them went first.
 'sImy father and Senator Murchell the men who will profit by your silence, deserve nothing at your hands, at anybody's. I can't pretend that they would show mercy to you: But my father, at least. is a broken man. Last night took away his courage. He believes that he is responsible for War ren Blake's''-
 "No:" She saw him shudder and draw back. .sNo. I. with my rash l ness. am to blame for that. "Ah! you mustn't say that" She took a step forward, eager in his de- fense. s1 know what you've been through and how it must have given you the horrors. But you mustn't say that. Nobody could think it. You only did your duty. But Pm afraid for him. He is half crazed from fear and shock, think--I couldn't endure many more nights like last night Pm afraid, if 1t all comes out. he'll take Warren Biake's way out "Don'tr' he cried roughly. as if in l pain. 'I've gone over it aIl.'' "T'm not trying to frighten you. And didn't want toto come to you" The steadinees was leaving her. She 1 thought she saw in his lack of re sponse hostile determination. T l have no right to ask man-sueh as you are-to sacrifice himself, his con i science for such man. I can offer l r1e-no adequate return But he is my l father and it is not--it can not be So 1 very wrong to err on the side of 1 mercy. And once you said-you 1 cared''
 l 'sIt was true. It has always been true. 1 What I will do will not be because 1 you ask it, but because it is for you. l And not for asprice. And-you haven't 1 thought it out very clearly, have you what you mean is impossible in any case. If I~went on with the investiga- I ton you couldn't love the man who 1 was prosecuting your father. And, just because you understand what is right in the case and are what you are. you couldn't respect and so couldn't love the man who weakly did what was wrong for him-even for you And just now-you are very anxious to save your father.''
 The flood Of crimson ebbed. She looked at him strangely Do you be HevR-thRt?'
 '.I know it. But you needn't bt afraid any longer. Your father is safe so far as am concerned. That was settled before you came" She turned from him in an immeas urabie relief to look out of the window The voice of the congregation rose again in the closing hymn, Onward Christian Soldiers
 The hymn ended. She raised hel head and faced him. unshed tears fl 1 her eyes
 'John Dunfaeade,'' she cried, 6 don't know yet how much of what yo, have said is true. And don't know whether you have been weak or strong But there are finer things than th, strength of heartIess justice. One O l them is--naust be--to be mercifui, t, l want to show mercy where you ow, none. where you believe you can gail nothing, as you have done. I can't shan't try to thank you. But I shal always be praying for you all the goot things you have earned as you go- and you will go-onward.''
 He merely repeated an old saying s1 haven't thought as far ahead as to
 morrow. And now you'd better go be i fore church let's out. If people say you here it might set them thinking.' 1 Warren BIake7s body was buried an, his tragedy with it. The luck had hel, to the fast. No suspicion of lurkinl
 mystery had been breathed. And Wil
 liam Murchell returned from the fu l neral to birth.
 His enemies have called him inhuman 1 lacking in moral sensibility. Ther
 are episodes in his career which sup