The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-10-17

'-OT course, it's impossible" said
Gloria, 'but it's true. too"
Royce set out to pick up what trace
there might be of him. Gloria tagged
along. Royce asked every servant he
met where he had been. Several of |
them had been on the lawn serving tea. |
Judge Freeman had sent others on vari-
Gus errands. The cook and her crew |
had been busy providing for Aunt Hor-
tensias mob. Royce called for his |
own chauffeur. He had been in the |
kitchen, he confessed, as a guest at a
tea party below stairs.
Judge Freeman was not to be found
AS d matter of fact he was the prin-
cipal offender. After he left Gloria
he had wandered about in a deep and
gloomy meditation. He was convinced
that Gloria, with her impulsive and
unmanageable temper, was set upon
unraveling every knot in the tangle.
He was sure that her inexperience
with the world would keep her from
foreseeing the consequences and that
she would compel a complete revela-
ton. This would end only in public
scandal, an enormous and irretrievable
disaster.
David would be put on trial for his
life and Trask would turn states evil
dence against him to save his own
life. David would perhaps be SEN
fenced to death, or, if he escaped that,
he would escape it in some pretense
of insanity, with all the aftermath
Of endless serial scandals. In any
case, Lois would be disgraced before
the world, and if David's wealth could
bride an acquittal, it would purchase
a divorce.
Another consequence would be that
the judge himself would be impeached
or forced to a resignation under fire,
with his ermine dishOnored. 1t is only
fair to say that the judges fears for
his own suffering had less weight with
him than his fears for the wreck of
his daughters life and of David's. He
loved David as if he were his own
son. He had deep affection for
Pierpont, and he cherished a great
fondness for Gloria. He respected
even the motives that were so perilous
to herself as well as all the others.
He wandered disconsolately about
the lonelier portions of the Stafford
demesne and found himself at the
outer gate. There he Glanced to see
the bargeman, Jed, come up the road.
Jed asked if he knew where the Stat
ford place was. Judge Freeman told
him that it was before him. Jed asked
if a badly hurt man had been taken in
there with his daughter. The Judge
nodded and asked what he knew of
the pair.
Jed said he didn't know much ex-
cept that the old mans daughter was
his girl and going to marry him some
day and he was afraid she was in
, trouble. SO he had left the barge to
, hurry back and see if he could be OF
some use.
The Judge questioned him cautiously
and finally proposed that the best thing
, to do would be to get the old man out
of the hands Of the Staffords, who
, meant hin nc good. Jed seized on the
suggestion hungrily and the judge of.
fered his cooperation. He led Jed by
a little frequented path to the rear OF
the house and babe him wait. he
, went in and sent Nell out to speak to
. Jed and make sure that she wanted to
escape with him. Nell assured him
!. that she did. The beauty of the home
oppressed her.
While Nell was talking with Jed
q Judge Freeman was ordering his OWL
\ chauffeur to bring the car up to a cor
! ner of the driveway shielded from the
a house by a clump of ancient rhododo'
o dendrons as large as trees. Then the
o Judge, surprised at his own craft
ness and bringing into play all the
q lore he had acquired from hearing
thieves confessions, set about the bur
n glarious art of clearing the house
p Most of the servants had been i'm
, pressed into the serving Of wholesale
tea at Aunt Hortensia's convention
The rest Judge Freeman sent on vari
l. Gus errands with messages to distant
T laborers on the grounds.
When the coast, or at least the stair
!. way, was clear, he called in his chauf
ceur and Jed. They hurried IN 4