Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-06-13

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@ employ secrecy. He told ne that
his family were IN Europe and that he.
wanted TO surprise them By givinG
them . daughter who was actually N
lated 70 an English nobleman. The
family had been urging him to marry
. stupid but rich New York girl and
he oh. we'll he uttered . great deal
Of nonsense about my beauty. my
charm, and all that sort Of thing"
She paused for . moment. No one
spoke. Her audience Of Judges, with
the exception OF the elder Mrs. Wran.
dali. watched her as IL fascinated.
Their faces were almost expression.
loss. With . perceptible effort, she
resumed her story, .narrating events
that carried It up to the hour when
she walked into the little upstairs
room ct Burton's inn with the man
who was to be her husband.
II did not see the register at the
inn. did not know till Afterwards
that we were not booked. Once up
stairs, ! refused to remove my hat or
my veil or my coat until he brought
his friend to me. He pretended to be
very angry over his friends failure
to be there beforehand, - he had
promised. He ordered supper
served In the room. did not eat any.
thing. Somehow l was beginning to
understand. vaguely Of course. but
surely-Gnd bitterly, Mr.. Wrandall.
Suddenly he threw OF the mask.
HE coolly Informed me that he
knew the kind Of . girl was. I had
been on the stage. He said it was no
use trying to work the marriage game
on him. He was too old bird and
too wise to fall for that. Those were
his words. l was Mortified. stunned.
When l began to cry out in my fury,
he laughed at me but swoSe he would
marry me even at that II it were not
for the fact that he was already mar
ried. ! tried to leave the room.
He held me. He kissed me hundred
times before could break away. +
tried to scream. A little
later on. when was absolutely des-
perate. IL snatched up the knife.
There was nothing else left for me
to do. I struck at him. He fell back
on the bed. stole out of the
house-oh, hours and hours afterward
1t seemed to me. cannot tell you
how long I stood there watching him.
49,. 1 was crazed by fear. II"
Redmond Wrandall held up his
hand.
I'VE will spare you the rest. Miss
Castleton," he said. his voice hoarse
and unnatural. There 10 no need to
say more"
"You-you understand! You do be.
lieve met" she cried.
He looked down ct his wife's bowed
head. and received no sign from her;
then at the white, drawn faces OF his
children. They met his gaze and he
read something in their eyes.
I'll think your story 10 10 convinc-
Ing that we've could not endure the
shame Of having 1t repeated to the
world
I'll cannot ask you to forgive me.
sir. only ask you to believe me"
she murmured brokenly. IL am
sorry it had to be. God is my witness
that there was no other way"
Mr.. Carroll came to his feet. There
were tears In his eyes.
II think, Mr.. Wrandall, you will now
appreciate my motives In"
Pardon me. MI. Carroll. II sug-
gest that Miss Castleton does not re-
quire any defense at present" said
Mr.. Wrandall stifny. "Your motives
were doubtless good. Will you be 80
good a. to conduct US to room where
We may-may be alone for short
while!'
There was something tragic In tho
mans face. His son and daughter
arose % II moved by an instructive
realization Of duty. and perhaps for
the flrst time in their lives were sub
missive to an influence they had never
quite recognized before fathers
unalterable right to command. For
once In their lives they were meek
in his presence. They stepped to his
side and stood waiting. and neither
Of them spoke.
Mr.. Wrandall laid his hand heavily
on his wife's shoulder. She started.
looked up rather vacantly. and then
arose without assistance. He did not
make the mistake Of Offering to assist
her. He knew too we'll that to ques-
ton her strength now would be but to
invite weakness. She was strong. He
knew her we'll.
She stood straight and firm for .
few seconds, transfixing Hetty with a
look that seemed to bore into the very
soul Of her, and then spoke.
"You ask Us to be your judges"
II ask you to Judge not me alone
but-your son as WELL" said Hetty.
meeting her look steadily. you can
not pronounce me innocent without
pronouncing him guilty. It will be
hard"
Sara raised her head from her arms.
You know tho way into my sitting
room, Leslie" she said. with singular
directness. Then she arose and drew
her figure to it, full height. please
remember that Il 10 who am to be
judged. Judge me as l have Judged
you. am not asking for mercy"
Hetty impulsively threw her arms
about the rigid figure. and swept a
pleading look from one to the other
OF the four stony-faced Wrandalls.