The Atlanta constitution., 1900-04-02

quired more strength of purpose than was
left at her command,
Sitting there by herAa i'm the room
where she had dreamed her foolish dream
about Fielding she told herself that il
she could no longer live in New York
neither could she live at the gulch. Life
would be intolcrabe at either place. She
and Mime. lie Due would have To make
some sort of home for themselves away
across the sea in madame's beloved
Picardy.
She was not actually unhappy. She felt
that at least al of those whom it con-
cerned knew the whole truth about her.
and such friendships as she might retain
would be all the more valuable because
of her own clear conscience.
Strange how much vitality had come in
to her life since that coming of the r'ield-
ings, Here she was quiverins and start
ing at every sound because Jimmie McNab
had gone out to Tcnbridge for the mail
Surely she would hear tonight from some
of them! Had she made il all perfectly
clear To Mrs Desbrow? Had she made too
many excuses for that for.orn girl stand
ing on the curbstone, distracted with fears
for her baby's life?
She had kept a copy Of her letter 10
Mrs. Dcsbrow and whenever these douots
assaiied her she read il over. She took
il from her pocket now, and bending low
over the dancing flames of the wood fire,
read IL once more.
Dear Mrs. Desbrow," she said Il can
imagine your surprise when you learn that
/ am .he mother Of Diana Towers. Years
ago. frightened by the brutality of her
drinking father. who had struck her, l
vowed 10 Dut her out of his reach. | dld
not know when | left home with her that
morning what | was going to DO with her.
When stopped to look at the gay throngs
about Madison square garden / had just
been turned away from the third asylum
| had sought for her She was not an or
phan. her parents We're not paupcrs-
there was no place for her burt the home
co where she would be AZ the mercy of a
drinking, brutali2cd father
IL stopped 90 look at you in your
carriage. as others had stopped. 1t was
not of your costly wraps nor your gilt
tcring diamonds ! was thinking. Your
face was gentle. good. reined-my htt!e
child would be safe with you.
II had nv senses only half about me,
when / crossed the street and approac he'd
YOU do rot th.nk | had any definite
plan Of action Il en-; was but a m:sera bic
frightened child myself. ono never knows
l suppose, what are the hidden springs OF
ones own actions.
baby .nto the basket before you. she
Thought Of it as a temporary refuge. she
meant to find out who you Were. if she
meant anything. and ask YOU to tell her
what she must do to protect her baby
against another blow!
Then that alarm of fire added to tho
uproar Your horses plunged; / saw a
policeman glance at me suspciOusly and
i fled-carrying with me no clew to your
name or residence.
THAT night my husband. James Wood
row. came to his death accidentally.
krew that suspicion would fall ON me.
could not prove that he did it. Sclf-pres-
crvafion is an imperative law of our ma
lures. ] had but one desire. to get out of
New York city as rapidly and secretly
as possible.
Fortune was kinder to me than she
generally is to the poor and friendless.
Going to the Grand Central depot with
the intention of buying a ticke: for the
nearest railway station to my old home
~ the CatSlill mountains. l fell in with
a family of travellers whose maid had
deserted them at the last moment. | Of
fercd to supply her place. and was accept
ed: when my employer asked me for
name | gave him one that | had seen in
a magazine story little while before
Harriet Monette. Wishing to approximate
the truth az nearly as | dared. L told
them that | was "a widow. NV youth and
childish appearance were responsible for
the prefix of their selection. When my
good friends. the Farindales. did not call