Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1914-11-06
How long have you know,

ten IL. TOW iOu6 nave you huOWi
'this?"
Il have known it." answered Os
wald quietly, lust as long rs yoa
have"
Then I'm right" cried Singleton
Il knew Merry was lying when he
stood there on the stage giving us
that bluff about Wentworth carrying
the secret for him. Merry wrote it all
right. might have guessed it long
ago. l say, do you know there's a
devil of a big story back Of all that?
Oswald's face grew stern.
You see | know both of the men
so WELL" went on Singleton eagerly
why, they were a regular David and
Jonathan pair ever since | met them
first. Enoch was forever setting Merry
on his pins. The actor would go off,
Heaven knows where, throw over a
part, and drop off the edge of the
world. I don't believe he dissipated
exactly; he simply tossed his money
away and went downhill. Wentworth
would hunt him up and drag him back
where he belonged. He Strengthened
up suddenly when he began 20 play
John J E~sterbrook.'' You can't even
pull him into a poker game now. /
guess | tOoK the winnings at the last
game he stood in for. That night i
had a great mind to hand the money
back to him. We said Good-by' about
daylight. He looked pessimistic and
glum. No, he wasn't glum either;
Merry never gets glum. He had a
down-and-out. don't-giye-a-damn ex.
preston that morning. a see him
yet. Suddenly he disappeared. again.
When he came back Wentworth and
he cut each other dead. That Paget
woman affair began, then Wentworth
saved Merry's life. Why, it's a ire
mendous story"
Oswald turned abruptly. Something
III his quiet gaze made Singleton shift
his eyes with a start of guilt. Il raj
to say a word to you," the English
mans voice was stern, land / want
you to repeat what l say to every man
in u fraternity. There may be a
big story somewhere behind this-I
| cannot tell. If there is, if an enmity
or a misunderstanding did exist, if
there Vas a wrong done. or if anything
lies behind these two men which we
do not comprehend, leave it to them.
They have buried it. Don't turn
ghoul" he pleaded, "and dig it up.
simply to make a curious, heartless
world buy your paper for a day or
two. / am told there is a bond be-
tween newspaper men, like a warm
hearted brotherhood. Wentworth be-
longed to that brotherhood; he does
yet-remember that"
Singleton stretched out his hand
with al impulsive gesture. Thank
you, Mr.. Oswald. You're a good deal
of a man. | lever knew you before.
We all need a jog on the elbow once
in a while. A newspaper man grows
a buzzard when a story is in the air
He forgets how the other fellow feels
I'll pass the word around. l can prom
Use you that not a nan among us will
do anything but take Merry's word for
it. His confession is a big story in
itself"
Thank you" said Oswald with a
cordially which few men had seer
in the dignifed Englishman.
He stood talking with a group who
gathered about him at the close of
the play, eager as Singleton had been
to discuss Merry's dramatic confes-
sion. when an usher interrupted them,
Mr.. Oswald, you're wanted back OF
the scenes" said the BOY.
Under the white glare of electricity
a little group stood on the half-dis.
mantled stage. The people in the cast
were there-property men, the cal
boy. electricians, ushers. and the
humblest employee of the house. The
actors still wore their stage garb and
makeup. Dorcas' hand was linked in
her brothers arm. For a moment Os
wald stood watching her. Her face
was flushed, her eyes shone. she
seemed t~ransfigured by happiness.
Merry stretched out q welcoming
hand to Oswald. We've been waiting