Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1896-08-11
THE WELDON ESTATE.
By ALFRED 3. CALHOUN.
Copyright, 1876, by American Press Associa'
tion.l
CHAPTER VIII

CHAPTER VIII
"Do not try to change me. repeated
Louis Kyle
Ii was an appeal to his father rather
than an assertion Of his own inhexible
determination.
II cannot read your past, he went
on, "but see my own present, and /
must work for my own future. This /
will do with love for you, my mother
and Nora, but do not force me 10 DISC
hey by asking me to run counter to my
own sense Of duty"
HE has his uncle Frederick's spirit
and his uncle Frederick's ways OGod.
o God!" cried the agonized father, and
his fingers again interlocked and his
head fell forward on his breast.
An uncle Frederick" exclaimed
Louis. Il never heard you speak OF him
before"
He is dead" walled the distracted
father.
"Oh, Valentine! Tell him ALL Tell
him allw cried Mrs. Kyle, coming over
and kneeling beside her husband, with
her white hands pressed about his, 80
hard and brown. Ease your heart 10y
telling Louis all. A knowledge of the
one rash act of your life will not quench
his love.
"Oh. my father there can BE- no act
in the past that would change me- You
have been to me from my earliest mem
ory my ideal Of all that is brave, self
denying and noble. ask not 10 lift the
curtain OF your past. But hear me-be-
lieve me that | would die 10 save you
now; that l am ready to bear with you
all the troubles uf the past and 10 share
with you all the burden they have
brought. For many years | have noticed
that the shadow Of "A great aiiiiction
hung over your heart, and have ycnrn-
ed TO dispel it by the sunshine of my
own love- Blu. do not let Us yield 10
despair: there are four Of us left, " he
continued, drawing Nora to his side and
kissing her wet cheeks If need BE-,
will give up all else TO make you happy
but should scorn myself if | did not
follow the light that | have, and that
light leads me 10 act for your good as
well Us mine
Trust him. husband. Trust Louis"
pleaded Mrs Kyle.
Valentine Kyle heaved n sigh, and.
compressing his lips, raised his agonizcd
face 20 the ceiling. Could he open his
heart 20 his own son--to this only son,
for the other was worse than dead
and show him there the blood stains that
had remained fresh through all the
wears since that awful night:
The conflict between desire and
shame. duty and love, the confirmed
habit of secrecy and the fear Of letting
IN more light, aud Of knowing what his
son might think of him, was fearful
but brief.
Il will tell Louis all, all, he said.
strengthening up, with such an expires
sion on his face aS brave men wear when
the ship Is sinking beneath them.
shall Nora and withdraw asked
Mr.. Kyle, taking her daughters hand
and leading her toward the door.
"Ycs. wife, and tell her the whole
truth. The years have made our secret
too big and heavy for two 10 bear. We
thought tha, time would oblitcrate it,
but il has grown and grown and gliaw.
cd into my soul like rusting fetters on
the limbs uf prisoner.
Mrs. Kyle bowed and with Nora LETT
the room and quietly closed the door b.
hind her Whsn they were alone, Louis
said, Let us sit side by side, father,
and let me hold your hand rs when |
was a child.
NO, no, Louis, you cannot hold my
hand till you have heard my story, for
as speak you might fling it from you
with scorn, and that would kill me.
Il swear To You by that God whom
you taught me To worship that | could
not do such deed if / saw your arm
Redeemed by the blood Of the innocent
to the shoulder cried Louis with i'm
passioned intensity.
"Do You see this hand, my son!' Mr.
Kyle held his right arm up ana spreau
out the fingers.
~ do, father. "
"Does il differ from other hands?"
at is brave and gentle and strong.
Yes, yes, it differs from every hand in
the world. II is my fathers hand. "
1T is tho hand If a murderer, " said
the father sinking his voice and speak
ing SO rapidly that his nostrils dilaied
and his hungry eyes were eating into
his sons s startled face.
"Of n murderer" Louis trembled and
turned pale under the blow.
"Yes, Of murderer; Of fratricidal
murderer. / slew my brother Is years
agony brother Frederick, your uncle.