Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-04-01
CHAPTER XIV,
The Telenram.

Inc etS9TaH
This was the document and these
the words which Deborah, widow of
the man thus doubly denounced, had
been given to read by the father of
the writer, in the darkened room which
had been and still was to her, al abode
of brooding thought and unfathomable
mystery.
No wonder that during its reading
more than one exclamation of terror
and dismay escaped her. There were
so many reasons for believing this
record to be an absolute relation OF
the truth.
1ncoherent phrases which had fallen
from those ~long-closed lips took on
new meaning with this unwilling of
an unknown past. Repugnances for
which she could not account in those
old days, she now saw explained, He
would never, even in passing, give a
look at the ruin on the bluff, so attrac-
tive to every eye but his own, AS for
entering its gates-she had new
dared so much as to ask him to do so,
Then the watch! Deborah knew well
that watch. She had often asked him
by what stroke of luck he had got so
fine a timepiece. God! was her mind
| veering back to her old idea as to his
responsibility for the crime com
| mitted in Dark Hollow? Yes; she could
not help it, Denial from a monster
like this-a man who with such memo
ries and such spoil, could return home
to wife and child, with some gay and
confused story of a great stroke in
in the price of the tavern it had long
been his ambition to own-what was
denial from such lips worth? The
Judge was right. Oliver-whose in
genuous story had restored his image
to her mind, with some of its old
graces-had been the victim of circum-
stances and not John Scoville.
Her thoughts had reached this stage
and her hand, in obedience to the new
mood, was lightly ruffling up the pages
before her, when she felt a light touch
on her shoulder and turned with a
start.
The judge was at her back. How
long he had stood there she did not
know, nor did he say, but when upor
feeling his hand upon her shoulder she
turned, he was there; and while his
lips failed to speak, his eyes were elo
quent and their question single and i'm
perative.
What do you think Of him now?'
they seemed to ask, and rising to he
feet, she met him with a smile, ghastl,
perhaps with the lividness of tn,
shadows through which she had beef
cropping, but encouraging withal an,
soothing beyond measure to his anS
ious and harassed soul.
OLIVER is innocent" she declared
turning once more to lay her han
upon the sheets containing his naiv
! confession. THE bastard who coul
shoot his host for plumber is capable g
a second crime holding out a simila
inducement. Nothing now will eve
make me connect Oliver with tn
t crime at the bridge. AS you said, h
t was simply near enough the hollow t
t toss into it the stick he had bee
whiting. am his advocate from thi
a minute"
Her eyes were still resting mechal
9 ically upon that last page lying sprea
t out before her. and she did not o.
s serve in its full glory the first gleai
r of triumphant joy which, in all pro
ability, Judge ostrander's countenanC
t had shown in years. Nor did he Sc
t in the glad confusion of the momen
n the quick shudder with which she lii
ed her trembling hand away fro
those papers and looked up, square
at last, into his TRANSPORTED visage.
Mrs. Scovi;le, / love my boy l.
what's that?"
The front doorbell was ringing.