The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1915-01-29

| What are you after? Why are you
raking up these bygones, which only
| make the present condition of affairs
darker and more hopeless? Oliver
Ostrander, under NO circumstances
and by means Of no sophistries, can
ever marry the daughter of John SEQ.
vile. should think you would see
that for yourself"
"But If John should be proved to
have suffered wrongfully? If he should
be shown to have been innocent?"
His rebuke was quick, instant. With
a force and earnestness which recalled
the courtroom he replied:
Madam, your hopes and wishes
have misled you. Your husband was
| a guilty man; as guilty a man as any
Judge ever passed sentence upon"
But he swore the day I last Wis.,
tied him in the prison, with his arms
pressed tight about me and his eye
looking straight into mine as you are
looking now, that he never struck that
blow. 1 did not believe him then;
there were too many dark spots in my
memory of old lies premeditated and
destructive of my happiness; but
believed him later, and believe him
now"
Madam, this is quite improbable.
A jury of his peers condemned him as
guilty and the law compelled me to
pass sentence upon him. The inev-
table must be accepted. 1 have said
my last word
But not heard mine," she painted.
For me to acknowledge the inevitable
where my daughters life and happi-
ness are concerned would make me
seem a coward in my own eyes. Helped
or unhelped, with the sympathy or
without the sympathy of one who l
hoped would show himself my friend,
shall proceed with the task to which
have dedicated myself. You will
forgive me, judge. You see that Johns
last declaration of innocence goes fur
,ther with me than your belief, backed
as it is by the full weight of the law"
Gazing at her as at one gone sud-
denly demented. he said:
Il fail to understand you. Mrs.
will call you Mrs. Averill. You speak
of a task. What task?"
"The only one have a heart for
the proving that Reuther Is not the
child of willful murderer; that an
other man did the deed for which he
suffered. can do it. feel confident
hot 10 nd
help me-"
Help you! After what l have said
and reiterated that he is guilty, guilty,
guilty?"
Advancing upon her with each repe.
tion Of the word, he lowered before
her, an imposing, almost formidable
figure. She faced again his anger.
which might well be righteous, and
with almost preternatural insight bold
ly declared:
You are too vehement to quite con.
vince me, Judge Ostrander. Acknowl.
edge it or not, there is more doubt.I
than certainty in your mind; doubt
which ultimately will lead you to help
me. Then my way should broaden
way, at the end of which see a
united couple-my daughter and your
son. oh, she is worthy of him." the
woman broke forth, as he made an.
other repellent and imperative ges.
ture, TASK anyone in the town where
we have lived"
Abruptly and without apology for
his rudeness, Judge Ostrander turned
his back. then with quick whirl about |
which brought him face to face with |
her once more, he impetuously asked:
Madam, you were in my house this |
morning. You came in through the
gate which Bella had left unlocked. |
Will you explain how you came to do |
this? Did you know that he was going
down street, leaving the way open be-
hind him? Was there collusion be.
tween you?"
Her eyes looked clearly into his. |
She felt that she had nothing to dis |
guise or conceal
Il had urged him to do this, Judge |
Ostrander. l had met him more than |
once in the street when he went out !
to do your errands, and / used all nv |
persuasion to induce him to give me |
this one opportunity of pleading nv
cause with you. He was your devoted !
servant, he showed it in his death. but |
he never got over his affection for |
Oliver. had listened to what folks |
said. had heard that you would receive |
nobody; talk to nobody. Bella was my |
only resource
He was scrutinizing her keenly. and
for the first time understandingly. |
Whatever her station, past or present.
she was certainly no ordinary woman |