The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1915-02-19
MIA GREEN


to appeal to you. let that of a young
and innocent girl, lovely as few are
lovely. either in body or mind"
Yourself, madam"
No. my daughter! Oliver Ostrander
has done us that honor, sir. He had
every wish and had made every prepa-
ration to marry my child. when
Shall ! go on?"
You may"
1t vas shortly said, but a burden
seemed to fall from her shoulders at
its utterance. Her whole graceful
form relaxed swiftly into its natural
curves, and IN atmosphere Of charm
from this moment enveloped her,
which justified the description of Mrs.
fardley, even without a sight Of the
features she still kept hidden.
Il am a widow, SIR" Thus she be-
gan with studied simplicity. with
my one child | have been living In De-
troit these many ~years-ever since my
husbands death. in fact. We are not
unliked there, nor have We lacked re-
spect. When some six months ago
your son, who stands high In every
ones regard, as BELTS his parentage
and his varied talents. met my daugh.
ter and fell seriously in love with her.
no one. SO far as l know. criticized
his taste or found fault with his choice.
| thought my child safe. And she
was safe. to all appearance, up to the
very morning Of her marriage-the
marriage Of which you say you had
received no intimation though Oliver
seems a very dutiful son."
"Madam!"-The hoarseness OF his
| tom possibly increased its peremptory
character-'I really must ask you to
lay aside your veil"
1t was a rebuke and she felt 1t tc
be so; but though she blushed from
behind her veil. she did not remove it
Pardon me- she begged, and very
humbly, but l cannot yet. Let me
reveal my secret first. Judge Ostran
der, the name under which l had lived
in Detroit was not my real one.
had let him court and all but marry
my daughter, without warning him In
any way of what this deception on my
part covered. But others-one other
| have reason now to believe-had de
tected my identity under the altered
circumstances of my new life, ant
surprised him with the news at thai
late hour. We a~re-Judge Ostrander
you know who we are. This is MOI
the first time you and l have seer
each other face to face" And, lifting
up a hand, trembling with emotion
she put aside her veil.
You recognize me-"
TOO WELL" The tone was deep will
meaning, but there wac no accusation
In it; nor was there any note Of relief
1t was more as If some hope deeply
and perhaps unconsciously cherished
had suffered a sudden and complete
extinction. Put back your veil"
Trembling. she complied, murmur
ing as she fumbled with its folds:
Disgrace to an Ostrander! know
that | was mad to- risk 1t for a me
ment. Forgive me for the attempt
and listen to my errand. Oliver wa
willing to marry my child, ven afte
he knew the shame 1t would entail
! But Reuther would not accept tn,
sacrifice. Judge Ostrander, ! am no
worthy OF such a child, but such sh'
Is. II John"
We will not speak his name" brok
in Judge Ostrander, assuming a pei
emptory bearing quite unlike his fol
mer one of digniied reserve. Il shout
like TO hear. instead. your explanation
an engagement Of which you, II n
one else, knew the preposterous ne
ture."
Judge Ostrander, you do right [
blame me. | should never have give,
my consent, never. But | thought GU
past SO completely hidden-our ider
tity so entirely lost under the accepte
name of Averlll."
You thought" He lowered owe
her in his anger. He looked and acte
db III lht ~ bdyo "hth NithSooN
covered under his eye and voice. "Sa
that you knew, madam; that 20
planned this unholy trap for my son.
Judge Ostrander, | did not pla
their meeting, o did | at first el
courage his addresses. Not till I ga
the extent of their mutual attachmeI
, did | yield to the event and accept tn
> consequences. But | was wronI
wholly wrong to allow him to Wis
: her a second time; but now that tn
D mischief Is done"
Judge Ostrander was not ~listeninI
Il have a question to put YOU" sal
= he, when he realized that she ha
ceased speaking. OLIVER was new
Z a fool. When he was told who 70,
= daughter was what did he say OF IL
coincidence which made him the Low,
of the woman against whose father h
e father had uttered sentence of death
n Didn't he marvel and call 1t e~xtraort