Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-06-10
CHAPTER XVIl-Continued.

@tAFhF III y ~SaiNiaAA~~'
And so with each new arrival He
neither turned nor moved at any ones
entrance, but left it to Mr.. Black to do
the honors and make the best Of a sit
uation, difficult, if not inexplicable to
all Of them. Nor could 1t be seen that
any Of these men-city officials, promi-
nent citizens and old friends, recog-
nized his figure or Inspected his
identity. Beyond a passing glance his
way, they betrayed neither curiosity
nor interest, being probably sufficient
~ occupied in accounting for their
own presence IN the home Of their
once revered and now greatly ma
Iigned compeer. Judge Ostrander, at
tackled through his son, was about to
say or do something which each and
every one of them secretly thought
had better be left unsaid or undOne.
Yet none showed any disposition to
leave the place; and when. after a
short, uneasy pause during which all
attempts at conversation failed, they
heard a slow and weighty step ap-
preaching down the hall, the suspense
was such that no one but Mr.. Black
noticed the quick whirl with which
Oliver turned himself about, nor the
look Of mortal anguish with which he
awaited the opening of the door and
his fathers entrance among them. No
one noticed, say, until. simultaneous
iy with the appearance of Judge Os-
trander on the threshold, loud cry
swept through the room of Don't!
dont!" and the man they had barely
noticed, flashed by them all, and fell
at the judges feet with a smothered
repetition of his appeal: Don't, ia.
Their, don'tl"
Then, each man knew why he had
been summoned there, and knowing
gazed earnestly at these two faces
Twelve years of unappeased longing
of smOthered love, rising above doubts
persisting in spite of doubts, were con.
Centrated into that one instant of mu'
tual recognition. The eye of the IA
Their was upon that of the son and that
of the son upon that of the father and
for them, ct least in this first instant
of reunion, the years were forgotten
and sin, sorrow and on-coming doom
effaced from their mutual conscious
ness.
Then the tide of life flowed back into
the present, and the Judge, motioning
to his son to rise, observed very dis
tinctly:
Don't is an ambiguous word, my
son, and on your lips, at this juncture
may mislead those whom I have called
here to hear the truth from US and the
truth only. You have heard what hap
pened here a few days ago. How 6
Iong-guarded, long-suppressed suspi
Cion-so guarded and so suppressed
that I had no intimatlon of its ex
dstence even, found vent at a moment
of public indignation, and I heard you
you, Oliver Ostrander, accused to my
face of having in some boyish fit O
rage struck down the man for whose
death another has long since paid The
penalty. This you have already beer
told"
Yes" The word cut sharply
:
through the silence; but the fire will
which the young man rose and faced
them all showed him at his best. Blu
surely, no person present believes ii
No one can who knows you and the
principles in which 1 have been raised
This fellow whom I beat as a boy ha,
waited long to start this damnable re
port Surely he will get no hearint
from unprejudiced and intelligen
men"
THE police have listened to him
Mr.. Andrews, who Is one of the gen
tIemen present, has heard his stor!
and you see that he stands here silent
my son. And that is not all Mrs
Scoville, who has loved you like
mother, longs to believe IN your limo
cence. and cannot"
A low cry from the hall.
1t died away unheeded.
And Mr. Black, her husbands coun
sell" continued the father, n the firm
low tones of one who for many lon
days and nights had schooled himsel
for the duty for this hour, shares he
feeling. He has tried not to; but b
does. They have found evidences-yor
know them; proofs which might no
have amounted to much had it no
been for the one mischievous fac
which has undermined public conf
dence and given point to these attacks
refer TO the life we have led and tn
barriers we have ourselves raise
against our mutual intercourse. Thes
have undone US. To the question, VIII
these barriers?' I can find no answe
but the one which ends this struggle
Surrounding myself, ask you to do S
also. Out of the past comes a voice
the voice of Algernon Etheridge, de
handing vengeance for his untimel
end. 1t viii not be gainsaid. Not sat
isted with the toll we have both PAL
in these years of suffering and repres
sion-unmindful of the hermtt's life
have led and of the heart disapp0int
ments you have borne, its cry for pur
ishment remains insistent- Gentleme
hush! Oliver. it is for me to CT
Don't now-John Scoville was
guilty mana murderer and q thief
but he did not WELD the stick whic
killed Alger1on Etheridge. Anotle
hand raised that. No, do not look q
the boy. He is innocent! Look here
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ACCOUNTING E0R Mn MhInt