Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-05-13

ed her trembling hard away from
those papers and looked up. squareIy
at last, into hts TRANSPORTED vfsage.
Mrs. Scovi1e. love my boy. T.
what's that?7
The front doorbeII was ringing
In fash Deborah was out of the
room.
When the Judge at last came forth.
it was at Reuther's bidding a gentle
man wished TO see him in the parIor
With dark glance. not directed
against her, however, the judge babe
her run away 70 the kitchen and as far
from all these troubles as she could.
then, locking his door behind him. as
he always did. he stride towards the
front
He found Deborah standing guard
over an Unconditional fellow, whose
slouching figure slouched still more
under his eye, but gave no other &C
knowledgment of his presence. Pass
ing him without a second look, Judge
Ostrander found Mr.. Black awaiting
him.
There was no bad blood between
these two, whatever their past rela-
tons or present suspicious, and they
were soon shaking hands with every
appearance of mutual cordially.
The judge was especially courteous.
I am glad" said he, "of any oeca-
sion which brings you again under my
Tnnf thou oh FROM "a a. of
your companion l judge the present
one TO be of no very agreeable charac-
ter"
Judge, I'm your FRIEND" thus Mr..
Black began. Thinking you must wish
to know who started the riotous pro-
cedure which disgraced our town to-
day, I have brought the ringleader
here to answer for himself-that is. If
you wish to question him"
Judge Ostrander wheeled about,
gave the man a searching look, and
failing to recognize him as any one
he had ever seen before. beckoned him
in.
Il suppose" said he, when the loung-
ing and insolent figure was fairly be-
fore their eyes, that this is not the
first time you have been asked to ex-
plain your enmity to my long-absent
son."
NAV; I've had my talk wherever
and whenever / took the notion. Oliver
Ostrander hit me once. | was jest a
little chap then and meanin' no harm
to any one. I kept a-pesterin' of i'm
and he hit me. He'd a better have hit
teller who hadn't my memory. I've
never forgiven that hit, and I never
will. That's why I'm hittin' him now.
It's just my turn; that's all"
Your turn! Your turn! And what
do you think has given you an oppor-
tunity to turn on him?"
I'm not IN the talkin' mood just
now," the fellow drawled, frankly inso-
lent, not only in his tone but in his
bearing to all present. Nor can you
make it worth my while, gents. I'll
not take money. I'm an honest, hard
workin' man who can earn his own
Twin, and you can't pay me to keep
still, or to go away from Shelby day
sooner than I want to. l was goin'
away, but I gave it up when they told
me that things were bcginnin' to look
black against Oh Ostrander-that a
woman had come into town who was
a-stirrin' up things generally about
that old murder for which a Teller had
already been 'lectrocuted, and KNOWN
somethin' myself about that murder
and OIL Ostrander, well I stayed"
The quiet threat, the suggested pos
sibility, the attack which wraps itself
in vague uncertainty, are ever the
most effective. AS his raucous voice,
dry with sinister purpose which no
man could shake, died out in an often.
sive drawl, Mr.. Black edged a step
nearer the judge, before he sprang and
caught the .oung fellow by the coat,
collar and gave him a very vigorous
shake.
See here!" he threatened. BE
have yourself and treat the judge like
a gentleman or"
But the judge was not ready for
this. The judge had gained a new
lease of life in the last half-hour and
he felt no fear of this sullen bill-poster
for all his sly innuendoes. He. there
fore, hindered the lawyer from his
purpose, by quick gesture of so much
dignity and resolve that even the lout
himself was impressed and dropped
some of his sullen bravado
81 have something to say to this fell
low" he announced. Perhaps he
does not know his folly. Perhaps he
thinks because I was thrown aback
today by those public charges against
my son and a string of insults for
which no father could be prepared,
that l am seriously disturbed over the
position into which such unthinking
men as himself have pushed Mr., Oil
yer Ostrander. l might be if there
were truth in these charges or any Sc
rious reason for connecting my up
right and honorable son with the low
crime of highwayman. But there is
net. I aver it and so will this lady
here whom you have doubtless recog-
nized for the one who has stirred this
matter up. You can bring no evidence
to show guilt on my sons part"-these
words he directed straight at the dis
comf1ted poster of bills because
there is no evidence to bring"
Mr.. Blacks eyes sparkled with admi-
ration. He could not have used this
method with the lad, but he recognized
the insight OF the man who could.
Brides were sign of weakness. so
were force and counter-attack; but
scorn-a calm ignoring of the power
Of any one to seriously shake Oliver
Ostrander's established position-that
might rouse wrath and bring avowal;
certainly it had shaken the man; he
L. -