New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-09-30
AN AMBITIOUS WOMAN.
A NOVEL.
BY EDGAR FAwCErr.
1utkCy Of "a Gentleman Of LessNie "A HoPe'e"
Case" etc"
XXI-CoNTTNUED.

| advancing figure. Inc TWO iacen eaon "'"S'
| silence for lapse of time that both no douo'
| though longer than it really was. Each, IN her
| different way had an acute change to confront
Claire scarcely recognized her mother at first Mrs.
| Twninq ON her own side bad good reasons TO 20
nrepared for difference, and the superb house had
in a way told her, too what che might expect
But STILL for all that, this was Clairel ihis was
her Claire whom she had last seen not lar remove"
from Sums and gutters-who had gone forth from
the little Greenpoint home, not two years since W
follow her fathers charity buried corpse! Ana nero
she stood, clad in her white-and-purpe vestmen's'
shape of more lovely and hgh-bred elegance shan
any she had ever looked upon. The face was the
same-there could be no doubt of that. But every'
thing else-tne figure, the attire, the Jewels we
velvets the laces, the movement the posture. VIZ
mien twas all like some fabulous. incre6iblo
enchantment
Forewarned and forearmed as she bad bcen' Mr.
Twining stood wonder stricken ard confusco mo
soft strains of the music seemed to speak 10 hrr
instead of Clare's Own voice, aud with disda'n III
their melody. She no dIsdain on Claire's race
however as her eyes scanned it, Bat 1t was quito
in1exiblo though very pale.
Claire broke the silence-if that could De caiied
mere silence which was for both SO electric and
pregnant an interval.
You have come az strange time. And your noee
shows me that you chose it Durposeiy."
Mrs Twining gave a sombre laugh. What assoc
Citations the sound woke in its hearer!
81 was all ready for just this kind of welcome"
she said, knitting her brows. She began to STARE
about the room. "Its very fine. It's mighty splen-
did But wonder the walls of this house don't fall
and crush you, Claire Twining! 1 wonder amt
got the power, myself. to strike you dead with
look!p Her voice now became grOwi OF menace;
there was something very genuine in her wrath,
4 II hArc 10 hall IN
growth of hideous ingratitude. But didn't come
TO show YOU your own bainess." she went Oh. You
know all about that already. What I've come for
IS quite another kind of a thing-oh. yes, quite"
Here she laughed again, with her mouth curving
downward grimly at each corner.
What have you come fort" inquired Claire
$40 get ny rights! -thaPs what I've como for!
To let peope~ee who am. aud how you've cast mo
off-me your mother. declare don't believe there
ever was horrible case before. Perhaps some o.
the folks in yonder can tell if they ever knew
| one"
Claire kept silent for moment Her face was
white TO the lips, but there was no sign of nching
in It,
al did not cast You OIL" she said. al left you
because yen outraged and insulted the dead body
of my father / have never regretted the step
took nor do regret it now You say you've como
here to get your ri ghts What rightsf Shelter and
food You shall receive these If you want them.
| will ring aud give orders at once that you
shall be taken to comfortable room and be
treated with every care that it is in my
power to bestow. In spite of what said to you on
| the day when you shocked aud tortured me into
| saving it, | would still have sought you out and
rendered you my best aid If ! had known that you
were ILL., For see that you have been iil-your APP
| pearauce makes that very plain But bad no
knowledge of any such fact. You were stronger
than when we parted-stronaer. indeed, and better
| able to work This is all that am willing to say
at present. Ia an hour or two | wiii JOIN YOU aud
hear anything You may choos, 20 tel ,iI me- ,hr r
longed Mrs iggs quietly entered the room. Tho
! speaker saw ner and did not pause for an instant.
| but put forth her hand, which Mrs. Diggs TOOK,
while she steadily watched the large, gaun hollow
checked woman whom her friend addressed.
| If ANYTHING could have intensified the vast sense
of accumuated wrong in Mrs. winnings breast, it
was this placid appearance OF one VINO SO promptly
indicated that she stood toward Claire III support
III. So 81" yon'Ii make terms, will your" said the
| narent OF Care " You'll brOwbeat me me. your
inother-wltb your fine clothes and tine house and
please. Miss Heyi Oh. amt any saint-you
h by thus % in e as 20
pied and nearly dying. First 1t Was the typhoid
fever N then 1t was the pneumonia, q then 1t was
| fine jnhammatnry rheumatism. Aud where was yon,
ali thai ime Spending your thousands as fast as the
| Wall Street stock-9ambier youd married could
scrape 'em togo ther. WHO'S this friend that steps
| i'm and looks as ii she gong to protect youf
Heyf You're both afraid I'll GO IN among those grand
| folks you've got eating and drinking somewheres.
| and speak my mind. You'll send me up to comrt-
servants T1S G about me- will yoai And spose object
on pSng spose 60 straight IN to Where they ali
are and iust tell 'em tue square, PLAIN truthf Tue
seowl on her wasted face was very oiack' now now.
She had made several quick steps nearer 10 Claire
| and MIS-, Dlggs. Once or twice dunng this aerid
| TRADE she had wave, one hand IN front OF her ana
| made ITS finger and thumb give co ltempfuous
audible click. But her voice had not noticeably
lowered
Claire had been watching her With great keenness.
| she had been reading her mood. By the light OF the
pastthe retrospective light flung from weary years
lived out at this mothers side, did this daughter
| now swiftly see and rs swiftly understand.
"Clalre," said Mrs. Diggs. spurred by an impulse
of heroic interference less than an alarmed one,
LET s speak feT aqs Her ts Simple veto seemed
| TO cut the air of the room. She turned and met
4 Mrs Diggss gaze for moment. while dropping her
hand. Il thank you' Kate; out please leave
Then she faced her mothers irate glare. She was
sll decidedly pale, but IN her clear voice there was
very we'll she said, "suppose you do go in and
fluid my. friends. Suppose You do tell them every
lengo you to 60. / will even show you the way
"Claireln faltered Mrs. Digs below her breath.
Claire walked toward the curtained doorway and
slightly parted its draperies. She was looking at
her mother across one shoulder
will you comet" she asked am quito
The enraged look began to die from Mrs. Twin
ing's face. She receded little. " can go myself
| when ! choose she muttered. " l can find the
| way myself when Pm ready. amt ready YETI
| CLAIRE let the drapcries fall. She resumed her
| former position " you will never be ready" she
SAID, with O melancholy scorn, and you know 10 as
we'll as !. You thought TO come here and make me
crnee with terror before you. while you threatened
and stormed But you had no intention OF bringing
matters 10 any crisis You think mo very prosper
ous very powerul. and very rich. Yoa are secretly
glad that am. You would not on any account
harm as person of Importance but you wanted
to keep me, one. IN q state of rule. .
state II subsection. by that means
you could climb up TO piace soms-