Williams news., 1915-05-13

NINA KATHARINE GREEN
d, Mead G Company

 to appeal to you, let that of 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"
 It was shortly said, but burden seemed to fall from her shoulders at it's utterance. Her whole graceful form relaxed swiftly into it's natural curves, and an atmosphere of charm from this moment enveloped her, which justified the description of Mrs. Yardley, even without sight of the features she still kept hidden.
 T am widow, sir.' Thus she be- gan with studied simplicity. With my one child I 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 bef1ts his percentage and his varied talents, met my daugh- ter and fell seriously in love with her, no one, so far as I know, criticized his taste or found fault with his choice. I 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 very dutiful son"
 "Madam!"-The hoarseness of his tone possibly increased it's peremptory character-'T really must ask you to lay aside your veil.''
 It was rebuke and she felt it to be so; but though she blushed from behind her veil. she did not remove it.
 Pardon me-" she begged, and very humbly, but I cannot yet. Let me reveal my secret first. Judge Ostran- der the name under which I had lived in Detroit was not my real one. I 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, I have reason now to believe-had de- tected my identity under the altered circumstances of my new life, and surprised him with the news at that late hour. We are-Judge Ostrander, you know who we are. This is not the first time you and have seen each other face to face" And, lifting up hand. trembling with emotion, she put aside her veil.
 You recognize me?"
 "Too we'll" The tone was deep with | meaning, but there was no accusation i fn it; nor was there any note of relief. It 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 it's folds: Disgrace to an Ostrander! I know | that I was mad to risk it for a mo- ment Forgive me for the attempt, and listen to my errand Oliver was | willing to marry my child, even after he knew the shame it would entail ! But Reuther would not accept the sacrifice. Judge Ostrander, 1 am not worthy of such a child, but such she is. If John"
 We will not speak his name," broke in Judge Ostrander, assuming a per emptory bearing quite unlike, his for mer one of dignified reserve. "I should like to hear, instead, your explanation of how my son became inveigled into an engagement of which you, if no one else, knew the preposterous na- ture."
 Judge Ostrander, you do right to blame me. I should never have given my consent, never. But I thought our past so completely hidden-our iden- tity so entirely lost under the accepted name of Averill."
 You thought" He lowered over her in his anger. He looked and acted as in the old days, when witnesses covered under his eye and voice. Say that you knew, madam; that you planned this unholy trap for my son.
 Judge Ostrander, did not plan their meeting, nor did l at first en- courage his addresses. Not till l saw l Ill6 6AIGul Ol tuSll muIudi dlIdChmChI did yield to the event and accept the consequences. But 1 was wrong, wholly wrong to allow him to visit her a second time; but now that the mischief is done"
 Judge Ostrander was not listening.
 q have a question to put you," said he, when he realized that she had ceased speaking. Oliver was never a fool When he was told who your daughter was what did he say of the coincidence which made him the lover of the woman against whose father his 1 father had uttered sentence of death :? Didn't he marvel and call it extraordi- nary-the work of the devil?'
 Possibly; but if he did it was not in any conversation he had with me-"
 And VOLT daughter? Was he as