Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-03-23
statement such clear defniteness that

ther being dead, cannot be
81 know it means the end of my ca
reer," said Meade, forcing himself to
speak. "My fathers reputation is
dearer to me than anything on earth"
'Even than II" whispered the
woman.
"0h, my God!' burst out the man,
and then he checked himself and con-
tinued with the same monotonous de-
liberation as before, and with even
more emphasis, 81 can allow no other
interest in life, however great, to pre-
vent me from doing my full duty to my
father"
He had been fully resolved to pro
tect his old fathers fame had the IA
ther survived the shock. The appeal
of the dead man was even more power
full than if he had lived. Meade could
not glance down at that crushed,
broken, impotent figure and fail to re-
spond. 1t was not so much love-never
had he loved Helen IllingwOrth so
much as then-Zas it was honor. The
obligation must be met though his
heart broke like his fathers; even if it
killed him, too.
And the womanl How if it killed
her2 He could not think of that. He
could think of nothing but of that in
ert body and it's demand.
''Have you no witnesses, no evidence
to substantiate your extraordinary
statement?" asked Rodney.
81 can substantiate it" said Shurt-
lift, coming into the room, having fin
ished his telephoning. "The doctor ana
the police will be here Immediately,
but before they come" and he drew
himself up and faced the reporters
boldly. Gentlemen, l can testify that
everything that Mr.. Bertram Meade
has said is true. happened to be here
when my dead friend and employer got
the telegram announcing the failure of
the bridge and, although he knew it
was his sons fault, he bravely offered
to assume the responsibility and he
told me to go to the newspapers and
tell them that it was his fault and that
his son had protested in vain against
his design"
"Why didn't you do it?" asked one
of the reporters.
II couldn't, sir" faltered the old
man. 'It wasn't true. The son there
was to blame"
He sank down in his seat and cOv-
cred his face with his hands and broke
into dry, horrible sobs. 1t was not easy
for him either, this shifting of RESPONSE
bilfty.
"You see," said young Meade, 81
guess that settles the matter. Now you
have nothing more to do here"
Nothing" said Rodney at last, mot
in this office at least. We must wait
for the doctor, but we can do that out
side."
One by one the men fled out, Ieav-
ing the dead engineer with his son, the
secretary, and the woman in the room.
"Bert," said the woman, laying her
hand on his shoulder, "whyi or how 1
feel it 1 cannot tell, but know in my
heart that you are doing this for your
fathers sake, that what you said was
not true. Things you have said to
me"
did 1 ever say anything to you"
began Meade in fierce alarm, while
Shurtliff started to speak but checked
himself, ''to lead you to think that
suspected any weakness in the bridge?"
The woman was watching him keen
ly and listening to him with every
sense on the alert. Nothing was es-
| Gaping her and she detected in his
voice a note of sharp alarm and anx-
iety as if he might have said some
thing which could be used to discredit
his assertion now.
| perhaps not in words but in little
things, suggestions" she answered
quietly. 81 can't put my hand on any
of them, can hardly recall anything,
but the impression Is there"
Meade smiled miserably at her and
again her searching eyes detected re-
lief in his.
'It is your affection that makes you
say that" he said, "and as you admit
there is really nothing. What 1 said
just now is true"
1t was much harder to speak the
lie to this clear-eyed woman, who loved
him, than to the reporters. He could
scarcely complete his sentence and in
the end sought to look away.
"Bertram Meade" said the woman,
putting both her hands upon his shouI-
der, '1ook me in the face and tell me
that you have spoken the truth and
that the blame is yours"
Meade tried his best to return her
| rrIo I,11f
through him like steel blades. He did
not dream in their softness could be
developed such fire. He was speech.
less. After a moment he looked away
He shut his lips firmly. He could moi
sustain her glance, but nothing could
make him retract or unsay his words.
81 have said it," he managed to gel
out hOarsely.
) 'Its brave of you. It's splendid OF
} you," she said. Il won't betray you.
don't have to-"
"What do you meanf" asked thu
man.
, But the woman had now turned t.
Shurtliff. In his turn she also seizeC
! him in her emotion and she shook hin
, almost eagerly.
you, you know that it is not true
7 Speak,"
3 But she had not the power over tn
older man that she had over the young
er. The secretary forced himself to lool
l.. at her. He cared nothing for Miss Il
t lingworth, but he had passion TO
:. the older Meade that matched hers fo
: the younger.
"He has told the truth" he cried al
r most like baited animal. mo one
d going to ruin the reputation of tn
d man have served and to whom 1 hav
y given my life without protest from mi
/ It's his fault, his, his, hisv' he crieC
s his voice rising with every repetitlo