Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-04-29

are QlSperSlng now, and you VIII soon
be quite restored and ready to smile
with US at an attack so groundless it
is little short Of absurd"
Astonished at such tranquility where
she had expected anguish if not stark
unreason, doubling her eyes, her ears
for this was no longer her deli
cate, suffering Reuther to be shielded
from all unhappy knowledge, but a
woman as strong if not as wise to the
situation G. herself-she scrutinized
the child closely, then turned her gaze
slowly about the room, and started in
painful surprise, as she perceived
standing in the space behind her the
tall figure Of Judge Ostrander.
Pardon" she entreated, forgetting
Reuther's presence in her conscious
ness of the misery she had brought
upon her benefactor. q never meant
i never dreamed"
"Oh, no apologies!" Was this the
Judge speaking? The tone was an ad-
monitory, not a suffering one. It was
not even that Of man Inundated or
distressed. you have had a unfor-
tunate experience, but that is over
now and so must your distress be"
Then, as in her establishment she
dropped her hands and looked up, he
added very quietly, Your daughter
has been much disturbed about you,
but not at all about Oliver or his good
name. She knows my son too well,
and so do you and I, to be long af-
fected by the virulent outcries of a
mob seeking for an object upon which
to expend their spleen"
Deborah was glad to sit silent IN
der this open rebuke and listen to
Reuther's ingenious declarations,
though she knew that they brought no
conviction and distilled no real COM
fort either to his mind or hers.
yes, mother, darling" the young
girl was saying. These people have
not seen Oliver in years, but we have,
and nothing they can say, nothing that
| any one can say but himself, could
ever shake my belief in him as a man
incapable of a really wicked act. He
might be capable of striking a sudden
blow-most men are under great
proyocation-but to conceal such a
fact-to live for years enjoying the
respect OF all Who knew him, with the
| knowledge fostering in his heart of an
| other having suffered for his crime
that, that would be impossible to Oil
| yer Ostrander."
! Some words ring in the heart long
after their echo has left the ear. I'M
possible! Deborah stole a look at the
| judge. But he was gazing at Reuther,
where he well might gaze, If his sink
| ing heart craVed support or his
abashed mind sought to lose itself in
| the enthusiasm of this pure soul, with
/! it's loving. uncalculating instincts.
Tell the judge who is as confident
of Oliver as l am myself that you are
confident, too. That you could no
more believe him capable of this abom-
Unable act than you could believe it
of my father"
: = will-tell-the judge" stammered
the unhappy mother. Judge" she
briefly declared, as she rose with the
help of her daughters arm, my mind
agrees with yours in this matter. What
you think, think" And that was all
she could say.
AS she fell again into her sea-, the
| judge turned to Reuther:
Leave your mother for a little
| while" he urged, with that rare gentle
ness he always showed her Let her
rest here a few minutes longer. alone
with me-"
Yes, Reuther," murmured Deborah.
| seeing no way of avoiding this inevi-
| table interview. 81 am feeling bet
ter every minute. I will come soon. :"
The young girls eye faltered from
one to the other, then settled. with a
strange and imploring look upon her
mother. Had her clear Intelligence
pierced at last to the core of that
mothers misery? Had She seen what
Deborah would have spared her at the
/ cost of her own life? 1t would seem
4 so, for when the mother. with great
! effort, began some conciliatory speech,
/ the young girl smiled with a certain
/ sad patience, and, turning toward
! Judge Ostrander. said as she softly
| withdrew:
You have been very kind to allow
me to mention name and discuss a
| subject you have expressly forbidden.
want to show my gratitude, Judge
| Ostrander, by never referring to it
again without your permission. That
| you know my mind"-here her head
rose with sort of lofty pride which
| lent a dazzling quality to her usually
/ quiet beauty-''and that know yours,
is quite enough for me-"
"A noble girl! a mate for the best!'
| fell from the judges lips after a 81
lence disturbed only by the faint, far
off murmur of a slowly dispensing
| throng.
Deborah made no answer. She
could not yet trust her courage or
her voice.
The judge, who was standing near,
concentrated his look upon her fea-
lures. "Madam!"-he was searching
her eyes, searching her very soul, as
men seldom search the mind of an
other. You believe in the truth of
these calumnies that have Just been
| shouted in our ears. You believe
what they say of Oliver. You. with
| every prejudice in his favor; with ev-
~~~~~-~-~~-~~~J~~~~~1o