Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-02-25

10 appeal 10 you, let that Of young
and innocent girl, lovely as few are
lovely. either in body or mind"
Yourself, MADAME"
No, my daughter! Oliver Ostrander
has done US that honor, sir. He had
every wish and had made every prepa
ration to marry my child, when
Shall go on?"
you may"
It was shortly said, but a burden
seemed to fall from her shoulders at
its utterance. Her whole graceful
form relaxed swiftly into its natural
curves, and an atmosphere Of charm
from this moment enveloped her
which justified the description Of Mrs
Yardley, even without a sight of the
features she still kept hidden.
81 am widow, sir" Thus she be.
gan with studied simplicity. with
my one child have been living in De.
trott these many years-ever since my
husbands death, in fact We are not
unliked there, nor have we lacked re
spect. When some six months age
your son, who stands high in every
ones regard, as BELTS his parentage
ana his varied talents, met my daugh
ter and fell seriously in love with her
nc one, so far as I know, criticized
his taste or found fault with his choice
1 thought my child safe. And she
was safe. to all appearance, up to the
very morning Of her marriage-the
marriage Of which you say you had
received no intimation though Oliver
seems very dutiful son."
adami"-The hoarseness of his
tone possibly increased its peremptory
| character-'T really must ask you tc
lay aside your veil"
It was rebuke and she felt it tc
be so; but though she bIushed from
| behind her veil, she did not remove it
Pardon me-" she begged, and very
| humbly, "but I cannot yet Let me
| reveal my secret first. Judge Ostran
der, the name under which l had lived
| in Detroit was not my real one.
| had let him court and all but marry
my daughter, without warning him In
any way of what this deception on my
| part covered. But others-one other
1 have reason now to believe-had de
| tected my identity under the altered
| circumstances of my new life, and
surprised him with the news at that
| late hour. We are-Judge Ostrander
you know who we are. This Is not
the first time you and I have seer
each other face to face" And, lifting
up a hand, trembling With emotion
she put aside her veil.
You recognize me2''
''Too we'll" The tone was deep with
meaning, but there was no accusation
| in it; nor vas there any note of relief
| It was more as If some hope deeply
and perhaps unconsciously cherished
| had suffered a sudden and complete
extinction. Put back your veil"
Trembling, she complied, murmur
ing as she fumbled with its folds:
Disgrace. to an Ostranderi l know
| that I was mad to risk it for a mo
ment Forgive me for the attempt
and listen to my errand. Oliver was
willing to marry my child, even after
he knew the shame it would entail
1 But Reuther would not accept the
sacrifice Judge Ostrander, I am no
worthy of such a child, but such she
is. If John"
1--WE will not speak his NAME" broke
in Judge Ostrander, assuming a per
emptory bearing quite unlike his for
mer one of dignified reserve. 81 should
like to hear, instead, your explanation
Of how my son became inveigled int
! an engagement of which you, if NJ
one else, knew the preposterous ma
ture."
Judge Ostrander, you do right t.
| blame me- l should never have giver
my consent, never. But 1 thought oul
past so completely hidden-our iden
tity so entirely lost under the accepted
name of Ayerill."
"You thought" He lowered over
her in his anger. He looked and acted
as in the old days, when witnesse:
covered under his eye and voice. "Sa!
that you knew, madam; that you
planned this unholy trap for my SON.
Judge Ostrander, l did not pla1
their meeting, nor did at first en-
courage his addresses. Not till l saw
the extent of their mutual attachmen
did yield to the event and accept thu
| consequences. But l was wrong
wholly wrong to allow him to visi
her a second time; but now that the
mischief is done"
Judge Ostrander was not listening
81 have a question to put you," sait
he, when he realized that she hal
ceased speaking. "Oliver was neye
fool. When he was told who you
daughter was what did he say OF thu
coincidence which made him the love
Of the woman against whose father hi;
father had uttered sentence of death
Didn't he marvel and call it extraordi
nary-the work of the devil?"
Possibly; but if he did it was no
in any conversation he had with me-
And your daughter? Was he a
close-mouthed in speaking of me t.
her as he was to your"
81 have no doubt Of it. Reuther be
trays no knowledge of you or of you
habits, and has never expressed Blu
one curiosity in your regard. As yoI
can imagine what that is, I will no
mention it"
You are at liberty to. l have list