Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-03-04

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 I did not believe him then;
there we're too many dark spots in my
memory of old lies premeditated and
destructive of my happiness; but
believed him later, and l 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-
liable must be accepted. l have said
my last word
But not heard NINE" 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
l have dedicated myself. You will
forgive me, judge. You see that Johns
last declaration of innocence goes fur
Their 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:
q fail to understand you, Mrs.
will call you Mrs. AveriIl. You speak
of a task. What task?"
THE only one have a heart for
the proving that Reuther is not the
child of a willful murderer; that an
other man did the deed for which he
suffered. I can do it. l feel confident
! that I can do it; and if you will not
/ help me"
Help you! After what have said
and reiterated that he is guilty, guilty,
guilty?"
Advancing upon her with each repe-
ton of the word, he lowered before
her, an imposing, almost formidable
/ figure. She faced again his anger,
which might we'll be righteous, and
with almost preternatural insight bold
1 ly declared:
You are too vehement to quite con-
vince me, Judge Ostrander. Acknowl-
/ edge it or not, there is more doubt
/ than certainty in your mind; a doubt
which ultimately will lead you to help
me- Then my way should broaden
way, at the end of which | see
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 collision be-
! tween your"
Her eyes looked clearly into his.
She felt that she had nothing to dis
guise or conceal.
81 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 l used all nv
persuasion to induce him to give me
this one opportunity of pleading my
cause with you. He was your devoted
servant, he showed it in his death, but
he never got over his affection for
Oliver. l 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 understandingIy
Whatever her station, past or present,
she was certainly no ordinary woman,
nor was her face without beauty, lit
as it was by passion and every ardor
of which a loving woman is capable
No man would be likely to resist it I'M
less his armOr were thrice forged
Would he himself be able TO? He be.
gan to experience a cold fear-a dread
which drew a black veil over the flu.
ture; blacker veil than that which
had hitherto rested upon it.
But his face showed nothing. He
/ proceeded, with a piercing intensity
not to be withstood:
When you entered my house this
morning did you come directly to my
room?"
! Yes. Bella told me just how to
reach it."
And when you saw me indisposed-
unable, in fact, to greet you-what did
you do them"
With the force and meaning of one
who takes an oath, she brought her
hand, palm downward on the table be-
fore her, as she steadily replied:
Il flew back into the room through
which I had come, undecided whether
to fly the house or wait for what might
happen to you. / did not dare to GO
till Bella came back. So l stayed
watching in a dark corner of that
same room. I never left it till the