Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-04-29
CHAPTER xvlI-continued.

CHAPTER xVli-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, If 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 OIL suspected his
identity. Beyond a passing glance his
way, they betrayed neither curiosity
nor interest, being probably sufficient
ly occupied in accounting for their
W 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
dll6IiplS DIT COuNOi odllOh AOAASNf NASS
heard a slow and weighty step ap-
preaching down the hall, the suspense
was such that no one but MI. Black
noticed the quick whirl with which
Oliver turned himself about, no 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
ly with the appearance of Judge Us
trander on the threshold, a lou cry
swept through the 10 OF Don't!
don't!" 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
theT. don't!"
Then, each man knew why he had
been summoned there, and knowing
gazed earnestly at these W faces
Twelve years of u~nappeased longing
of smothered love, rising above doubts
persisting in spite of doubts, were ION
centrated into that one instant of mu
tual recognition. The eye of the ia
Their was upon that of the son and tina
of the son upon that of the father ant
for them, ct least in this first instan
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 int
the present, and the judge, motionin
to his son to rise, observed very dis
tinctly:
Don't is an ambiguous word, m
SON., and on your lips, at this Juncturt
may mislead those whom | have Gale
here to hear the truth from us and tn
truth only. You have heard what hal
pened here a few days ago. How
long-guarded, long-suppressed susp
cion-so guarded and so suppresse
that | had no intimation of its e,
istence even found vent at a momeI
of public indignation, and | heard yo1
YOU. Oliver Ostrander, accused to m
face Of having in some boyish fit
rage struck down the man for who's
death another has long since paid tt
penalty. This you have already bee
told"
yes" The word cut sharp
through the silence; but the fire vii
which the young man rose and face
them all showed him at his best. "B
surely, no person present believes
NJ - ao, who Bpnxrfo Won and Fl
principles in which have been raise
This fellow whom | beat as a boy h
waited long to start this damnable
port. Surely he will get no heari
from unprecedented and intellige
men,
THE police have listened to hi
Mr.. Andrews, who is one of the &c
tlemen present, has heard his ste
and you see that he stands here sile
my son. And that is not all. M
Scoville, who has loved you like
mother, longs to believe in your in
cence, and cannot"
A low cry from the hall.
1t died away unheeded.
And MT. Black, ner HUSBAND 3 co
sell" continued the father, in the fiji
low tones of one who for many IL
days and nights had schooled hims
for the duty for this hour, shares
feeling. He has tried not to-; but
does. They have found evidences!
know them; proofs which might
have amounted to much had it
been for the one m~ischievous I
which has undermined public CO
dence and given point to these attat
refer to the life we have led and
barriers we have ourselves raj
against our mutual intercourse. Til
have undone us. To the question, "
these barriers? | can find no ans
but the one which ends this strug
Succumbing myself, ask you to d.
also. Out Of the past comes a vote