The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1914-03-26
dissipate his life away by staying ny

dlssipate his life away by staying w
at night, that way
He promised to be here at ten-ff
teen,' she ventured.
Yes; that's what brought me over.
He asked me to tell you that he'd be
little late | guess he didn't sleep very
well. He says he had a lot Of horrible
| dreams. What sort of a talk did you
| have with him last night, anyhow"
Didn't he tell you?"
mo; he left the house soon after
you did. You must have said some
| thing that upset him. He acted dread
! fully worried"
Josie bent above her work She
could not tell even the judge of the
| intensity Of feeling which she had put
into that long conversation with Broad
way.
She had not slept SO very well her
! SELF She had wondered if he thought
her bold, officious, to have given him
advice so freely, to have told him what
! she had about what she believed to
| be his duty. She knew that, now and
then, she had been almost impaseioned
| in her plea for Jonesville and it's
people. She wondered If he thought
her silly, over-earnest. But she told
the judge none Of these things. They
were hidden in her heart. That heart
| had known lot Of turmoil since
| Broadway had come back.
Il simply told him the true state Of
| off lot 70 hi,1 hat hn
plant meant to 'the town." she said
and bent above her papers on the
desk.
What did he say?' asked the persis-
tent judge.
Much as she loved the judge, she
wished that he would go away and
question her no further. There was
little feeling in her heart that she must
| file that talk with Broadway among
the things which she held sacred. All
| women have a secret file of memories
of that sort She could not talk about
it.
"He said nothing very much"
Then a detail Of his talk which had
( intensely puzzled her came back to
her, and she decided to discuss it with
the Judge.
"He kept inquiring how much cash
we had" She smiled, not critically.
"He doesn't seem to be much Of
business man."
"He struck me that way, too,' the
judge said gravely. Did he say the
trust made him an offer?'
She sighed Eyes" All, if she had
failed to move him. He might al
| ready have accepted it, and then what
would be the fate of Jonesville! This
thought made her very nervous.
The judge nodded wisely. That's
what I thought"
She sighed again. There was long
silence, full of troubled thoughts.
Did he talk as if he intended to
SELF" the Judge asked finally.
She worked at her papers nervously
a moment before she framed the words
of her reply I'm afraid that's what
he's thinking Of, Judge" After ST.
lent moment she Strengthened out
more papers, and then looked up again
I'VE must do all we can to influence
him against 1t.
The judge nodded, then rose, and
after worried turn about the great
bare room, approached her and stood
facing her with eyes intently on her
face. "You have influence with him,
JOSIE
She could not meet his eyes, yet was
not certain why. She hoped that what
he said was true, yet scarcely dared to
think it. do you think so?" she asked
somewhat weakly.
The judge answered in a hearty
voice, full Of real confidence. Il know
it. You made a great impression on
him. He likes you, Josie"
This was entirely unexpected. 1t
confused her, even in the Office where