Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-06-16
CHAPTER xvII-contInued.

the honors and make the best of a sit
uatlon, 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-
tn1zed MS figure or suspected his
identity. Beyond 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 reyered and now greatly ma
hgned compeer. Judge Ostrander, at
lacked through his son, was about to
say or do something which each and
every one Of them secretly thought
mad better be left unsaid or undone.
Yet none showed any disposition to
leave the place; and when, after a
snort, 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
MS fathers entrance among them. No
one noticed, say, until, Simultaneous
ly with the appearance of Judge Os-
trander on the threshold, a loud cry
swept through the room 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
sther, 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,
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
or the son upon that of the father and
Tor them, ct least in this first instant
of reunion. the years were forgotten
and sin, sorrow and on-coming doom
enaced 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
ttnctly:
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
long-guarded, long-suppressed suspi-
cion-so guarded and so suppressed
that l had no intimation of its ex-
istence even, found vent at a moment
Of public indignation, and heard you.
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.
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.
SCOvlle, who has loved you like a
mother longs to believe in your inno-
eence, and cannot"
A low cry from the hall.
1t died away unheeded.
And Mr.. Black, her husbands coun-
eel" 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
Goes They have found evidences-you
Know them; proofs which might not
have amounted to much had it not
been for the one mischievous fact
which has undermined public conf
Oenee and given point to these attacks.
refer to the life we have led and the
OsiFiers We have ourselves raised
sgalnst our mutual intercourse. These
nave undone US. To the question, Why
SueSe 0arriers?' l can find no answer
eu' me one which ends this struggle.
Nuocombing myself, ask you. to do so
- SO Out Of the past comes voice
Nc voice of Algernon Etheridge, de-
@uuing vengeance for his untimely
,. Ia 1t will not be gainsaid. Not sat
9, lieu With the toll we have both paid
~eSe years of suffering and repres-
bo unmindful of the hermit's life
me-. ea and of the heart disappnint
,,Sa you have borne, its cry for pun
hn Vl. remains insistent Gentlemen
nos-s Oliver, it is for me to cry