The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-02-26
CHAPTER lv-Continued.

VT
-
But she would not be denied. She
thrust 1t upon him and once his eyes
had fallen up 1t, they chung there.
though evidently against his will. All,
she knew that Reuther's exquisite
countenance would plead for itself!
God seldom grants to such beauty so
lovely a spirit. II the features them
selves failed to appeal, certainly he
must feel the charm Of an expression
which had already netted so many
hearts. Breathlessly she watched him.
and, as she watched, she noted the
heavy lines carved In his face by
thought and possibly by sorrow.
slowly relax and his eyes fill with a
'wistful tenderness.
Parents must learn to endure bit
terness. | have not been exempt my
self from such. Your child will not
die. You have years of mutual COM
%panionship before you, while l have
nothing. And now let us end this in
teryiew, so painful to us both. You
have said"
NO" she broke in with sudden
vehemence, all the more startling from
the restraint in which she had held
herself up to this moment. Il have
not said have not begun to say
what seethes like a consuming fire in
my breast. l spoke OF a miracle-will
you not listen, Judge? am not wild;
I am not unconscious Of presumption.
i am only in earnest, In deadly ear
nest. A miracle is possible. The gulf
between these two may yet be
~spanned. l see a way"
What change was this to which she
had suddenly become witness? The
face which had not lost all Its undc-.y-
ing benignancy ever when 1t looked
its coolest, had now become settled
and hard. His name was absolutely
repellent as he broke in with the quick
disclaimer:
But there is no way. What mir.
acle could ever make your daughter,
lovely as she undoubtedly is, a fitting
match for my sonl None. madam, alb
solutely none Such an alliance would
be monstrous; unnatural"
"Why?" The word came out boldly,
because her father died the death
of a criminal?"
The answer vas equally blunt.
Yes; a criminal over whose trial
his father presided as judge"
Quick as a flash. however, came the
retort.
"A judge, however, who showed him
every consideration possible. I was
told at the time and I have been as
sured by many since that you were
more than just to him In your rulings
Judge Ostrander"-he had taken 6
step toward the hall door; but he
paused at this utterance of his name
answer me this n question. Why
did you do this? You must have hated
him d~eeply-your feeling for Mr.. Eth
eridge was we'll known. Then VIII!
such magnanimity toward the maj
who stood on trial for killing him?"
Unaccustomed to be questioned
though living in an atmosphere Of con
tinual yes and no, he stared at tn,
yelled features Of one who so dared. o.
II he found 1t hard to excuse such pre-
sumption. But he answered her new
ertheless, and with decided emphasis
Possibly because his victim wa
my friend and lifelong companion. 4
Judge fears his own %prejudices."
Possibly; but you had another rea
son. Judge; q q which %justife,
you in your own eyes ut the time an,
which justifies you In mine now an,
always. Am l not right? This is n,
courtroom; the o Is n Of the past
1t can eve be reopened; the pris
oner is dead. Answer me. then. as on
Borrowing mortal replies to another
hadn't you another r~eason!"
The judge. panoplied though he wa
or thought he was. against all concei,
able attack. WINGED at this repetitiol
Of a question he had hoped to ignore
and in his anxiety to hide this involur
tary betrayal Of weakness allowed hi
anger to have full vent. as he cried GU
In no measured terms:
What is the meaning of all this
What are you after? Why are 20
raking up these bygones, which onl
make the present condition Of affair
darker and more hopeless? Olive
Ostrander, under no circumstance
and by near of no sophistries, ca
ever marry the daughter Of John SCI
vile. / should think you would Sc
that for yourself"
But II John should be proved I
have suffered wrongfullyf II he shout
be shown to have been ~innocent?"
His rebuke was quick, instant. Wit
p force and ~earnestness which recalle
the courtroom he replied: