Middletown transcript., 1915-01-30

as he met ner eyes through this dis
guising gauze.
This is very good of you, Judge
Ostrander" she remarked, in a voice
both cultured and pleasant. Il could
hardly have hoped for this honor Such
consideration shown to a stranger ar
gues spirit of unusual kindliness
Or perhaps l am mistaken in my sup
position. Perhaps am no stranger to
you? Perhaps you know my name?"
"Averill? No."
She paused, showing her disappoint-
ment quite openly. Then drawing up
chair she leaned heavily on its back,
saying in low, monotonous tones from
which the former eager thrill had de-
parted:
Il see that the intended marriage of
your son has made very little impress
sion upon you"
Aghast for the moment, this was
such a different topic from the one
he expected the judge regarded her in
silence before remarking:
Il have known nothing OF 1t. My
| sons concerns are no longer mine. If
you have broken into my course of
life for no other purpose than to dis
cuss the affairs of Oliver Ostrander,
l must beg of you to excuse me. l
have nothing to say in his connection
to you or to anyone"
"Is the breach between you SO deep
as that? entreat-but no, you are
Just man; will rely upon your sense
of right. If your sons happiness fails
to appeal to you, let that of young
and innocent girl, lovely as few are
lovely, either in body or mind"
Yourself, madam"
No, my daughter! oliver Ostrander
every wish and had made every prepa-
ration to marry my child, when
Shall go on?"
You may"
1t was shortly said, but 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 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-
troit 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 ago
your son, who stands high in every
ones regard, as BELTS his parentage
and his varied talents, met my daugh-
ter and fell seriously in love with her,
no one, so far as l know, criticized
his taste or found fault with his choice.
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."
Madam THE hoarseness of his
tone possibly increased Its peremptory
character-'I really must ask you to
lay aside your veil"
1t was a rebuke and she felt it to
be so; but though she blushed from
behind her veil, she did not remove it.
Pardon me-" she begged, and very
humbly, but l 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
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 l have seen
each other face to face" And, lifting
up a hand, trembling with emotion
she put aside her veil.
You recognize me?"
"Too we'll" The tone was deep with
meaning, but there was no accusation
in it; nor was there any note of relief
1t 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 Ostrander! l know
that l was mad to risk 1t for a mo
ment Forgive me for the attempt
and listen to my errand. Oliver was
| willing to marry my child, even aftel
he knew the shame 1t would entail
i But Reuther would not accept the
sacrifice. Judge Ostrander, am moi
! worthy of such child, but such she
/ is. If John"
I'VE will not speak his name" broke
, in Judge Ostrander, assuming a per
i emptory bearing quite unlike his for
mer one of dignified reserve. Il shoult
} like to hear, instead, your explanation
Of how my son became inveigled intC
an engagement of which you, If nC
one else, knew the preposterous ma
ture."
Judge Ostrander, you do right Il
, blamR me- l should never have giver
} my consent, never. But thought oul
] past SO completely hidden-our iden
, tity so entirely lost under the accepted
r name Of Averill."
: "You thought" He lowered owe
/ her in his anger. He looked and acteC
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