The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1915-03-05
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But Miss Weeks rather welcomed
than resented this curiosity. Indeed.
she was never tired of enlarging upon
the Ostranders.
Il have never thought so. The Judge
would not quarrel with Oliver on so
small point as that. My idea is.
though / never talk of it much, that
they had great quarrel over Mr..
Etherfdge. Oliver never liked the old
student; I've watched them and I've
seen. He hated his coming to the
house so much; he hated the way his
father singled him out and deferred
to him and made him the confident OF
all his troubles. When they went on
their walks, Oliver always hung back,
and more than once ] have seen him
make a grimace Of distaste when his
father urged him forward. He was
only boy, know, but his dislikes
meant something, and if it ever hap
pened that he spoke out his whole
mind. you may be sure that some very
bitter words passed"
Was this meant as an innuendo?
Impossible to tell. Such nervous,
fussy little bodies often possess minds
of unexpected subtlety. Deborah gave
up all hope of understanding her, and,
accepting her statements at their face
value, effusively remarked:
You must have a very superior
mind to draw such conclusions from
the little you have seen. / have heard
many explanations given for the
breach you name, but never any SO
reasonable"
A flash from the spinster's wary eye,
then a burst of courage and the quick
retort:
And what explanation does Oliver
himself give? You ought to know.
Mrs. Scoville."
The attack was as sudden as it was
unexpected Deborah flushed and
trimmed her sails for this new tack,
and insinuating gently. Then you
enment these words we're likely to
evoke.
1t came quickly enough.
THAT he expected to marry your
daughter? Oh, yes, Mrs. Scoville; it's
common talk here now. l hope you
don't mind my mentioning it.
Deborah's head went up. She faced
the other fairly, with the look born of
mother passion, and mother passion
only.
"Reuther is blameless in this mat
ter" she protested. "She was brought
up in ignorance of what I felt sure
would prove handicap and misery to
her. She loves Oliver as she will never
love any other man, but when she was
told her real name and understood
fully what that name carries with it,
she declined to saddle him with her
shame. That's her story, Miss Weeks;
one that hardly fits her appearance,
which is very delicate. And, let me
add, having once accepted her fathers
name, she refuses to be known by any
other. / have brought her to Shelby
where to our own surprise and Reu-
theirs great happiness, we have been
taken in by Judge Ostrander, an act of
kidness for which we are very CRATE
full"
Miss Weeks got up, took down one
Of her rarest treasures from an old
etagere standing in one corner and
laid it in Mrs. Scoville's hand.
For your daughter" she declared.
Noble girl! hope she will be happy"
The mother was touched, but not
quite satisfied yet of the givers real
feelings towards Oliver. and, after
thanking her warmly, remarked:
There is but one thing that will
ever make Reuther happy. and that
she cannot have unless a miracle oc-
ours. Oh, do not wonder you smile.
This is not the day of miracles. But
if my belief in my husband could be
shared; if should be enabled to clear
his name, might not love and loyalty
be left to do the rest? Wouldn't the
judges objections, in that case, be re-
moved? What do you think, Miss
Weeks?"
There! we will say no more about
it." The little woman's attitude and
voice were almost prayerful. 'You
have judgment enough for two. Be
sides. the miracle has not happened"
she interjected. with a smile which
seemed to say it never would
Deborah sighed. Whether or not
it was quite an honest expression of
her feeling we will not inquire. She
was there for definite purpose and
her way to it was, as yet, far from
plain. The negative with which she
followed up this sigh was one of sor-
rowful acceptance. She made haste,
however, to qualify it.
But have not given up all hope. l
know as we'll as any one how impos-
sible the task must prove, unless can