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

But she would not be denied. She
thrust it upon him and once his eyes
had fallen up it, they chung there,
though evidently against his will. All,
she knew that ReutheTs exquisite
cOuntenance would plead for itself!
God seldom grants to such beauty so
lovely a spirit. If the features them
selves failed to appeal, certainly he
must feel the charm of an expression
which had already netted so many
hearts. BreathlessIy she watched him,
and, as she watched, she noted the
heavy lines carved in his face by
thought and possibly by sorrow,
slowly relax and his eyes fill with a
Wistful tenderness.
Parents must learn to endure bit
Eerness. l have not been exempt my
self from such. Your child will not
die. You have years of mutual com
panionshlp before you, while I have
nothing. And now let US end this in
terview, so painful to US both. You
have said"
NO" she broke in with sudden
vehemenCe, all the more startling from
the restraint in which she had held
herself up to this moment, 81 have
not said have not begun to say
what seethes like a consuming fire in
my breast. l spoke of a miraCle-will
you not listen, Judge? / am not wild !;
am not unconscious of presumption.
I am only in earnest, in deadly ear
nest. A miracle is possible. The gulf
between these two may yet be
spanned. I see a way"
What change was this to which she
had suddenly become witness? The
face which had not lost all its underly-
ing benignancy even when it looked
its coolest, had now become settled
and hard His manner was absolutely
repellent as he broke in with the quick
disclaimer:
But there is no way What mir
acle could ever make your daughter
lovely as she undoubtedly is. fitting
match for my son! None, madam, alb
solutely none. Such an alliance would
be mOnstrous; unnatural"
"Why?" The word came out boldly.
Because her father died the death
OF a criminal?"
The answer was equally blunt.
Yes; a criminal over whose trial
his father presided as judge"
Quick as flash, however, came the
retort
"A judge, however, who showed him
told at the time and I have been as
sured by many since that you were
more than just to him in your rulings
Judge Ostrander''-he had taken a
step toward the hall door; but he
paused at this utterance of his name
answer me this one question. Why
did you do this? You must have hated
him deeply-your feeling for Mr.. Eth
eridge was we'll known. Then why
such magnanimity toward the mar
who stood on trial for killing him."
Unaccustomed to be questioned
though living in an atmosphere of con
tinual yes and no, he stared at the
yelled features of one who so dared, as
II he found it hard to excuse such pre-
sumption But he answered her nev
ertheless. and with decided emphasis
Possibly because his victim wa.
my friend and lifelong companion. 4
judge fears his own prejudices"
Possibly but you had another rea
son, Judge: a reason which justified
you in your own eyes at the time anC
which justifies you in mine now anC
always. Am I not right? This is NJ
courtroom; the case is one of the past
1t can never be reopened; the pris
oner is dead. Answer me. then, as on,
Borrowing mortal replies to another
hadn't you another reason?"
The judge, panoplied though he wa.
or thought he was, against all conceiv
able attack, WINGED at this repetition
of a question he had hoped to ignore
and in his anxiety to hide this involun
tary betrayal Of weakness allowed hi
anger to have full vent. as he cried on
in no measured terms:
What is the meaning of all this
What are you after? Why are you
raking up these bygones. which onl!
make the present condition of affairs
darker and more hopeless? Olive
Ostrander. under no circumstance
and by means of no sophistries, cal
ever marry the daughter of John Sec
Vile / should think you would Sc,
that for yourself"
But if John should be proved Il
have suffered wrongfully? If he shoult
be shown to have been innocent?"
His rebuke was quick, instant. Wit
a force and earnestness which recallet
the courtroom ne replied: