Middletown transcript., 1915-05-15
CHAPTER xVII-contInued.

And so with each new arrival. He
neither turned nor moved at any ones
entrance, but left 1t to Mr.. Black to do
the honors and make the best of a sit
uatiOn, difficult, IL not inexplicable to
all of them. Nor could it be seen that
any Of these men-city officials, promi-
nent citizens and old friends, recog-
nized his figure or suspected his
identity. Beyond passing glance his
way, they betrayed neither curiosity
nor interest, being probably sufficient
ly occupied in accounting for their
own presence in the home of their
once revered and now greatly ma
ligned 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
lone noticed, say, until, Simultaneous
ily with the appearance of Judge Os-
Itrander on the threshold, loud cry
swept through the room of Don't!
Idon't!" and the man they had barely
noticed, flashed by them all, and fell
lat the judges feet with a smothered
repetition of his appeal: Don't, ia
lther. don't!"
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,
lpersisting in spite Of doubts, were con-
centrated into that one instant of mu-
tual recognition. The eye of the ia
ther 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
effaGed from their mutual conscious
ness
Then the tide of life flowed back into
the present, and the Judge. motloning
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 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 a
! 1ong-guarded, long-suppressed suspi-
oion-so guarded and so suppressed
J that l had no intimation of its ex-
istence even, found vent at a moment
of public indignation, and heard you.
I you, Oliver Ostrander, accused to my
face of having in some boyish fit of
, rage struck down the man for whose
death another has long since paid the
penalty. This you have already been
told"
YES" The word cut sharply
through the silence; but the fire with
which the young man rose and faced
them all showed him at his best. But
surely, no person present believes it..
( No one can who knows you and the
principles in which / have been raised.
This fellow whom beat as a boy has
waited long to start this damnable re-
port Surely he will get no hearing
from unprejudiced and intelligent
men"
The police have listened to him.
Mr.. Andrews, who is one Of the gen.
tlemen present, has heard his story
and you see that he stands here silent,
my son. And that Is not all Mrs.
Scoville, who has loved you like a
mother, longs to believe in your inno-
cence, and cannot"
A low cry from the hall.
1t died away unheeded.
"And Mr.. Black, her husbands coun-
sell" continued the father, in the firm,
low tones of one who for many long
days and nights had schOoled himself
for the duty for this hour, shares her
feeling. He has tried not to: but he
does. They have found evidences-you
know them; proofs which might not
have amounted to much had 1t not
been for the one mischievOus fact
which has undermined public conii-
dence and given point to these attacks.
refer to the life we have led and the
barriers we have ourselves raised
against our mutual intercourse. These
have undone us. To the question, Why
these barriers?' can find no answer
but the one which ends this struggle.
Succumbing myself, ask you to do so
also. Out of the past comes voice