Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-03-28

you-yes!
He has not told me this" said the
mother. at is all that ne had left to
tell; his life has been a great, pain
full disappointment to me-
at is likely that he has not told you
other things. He is preparing for
transmission information which he
thinks is good for a vast sum of money;
and there is the trouble, for / believe,
as you sit before me. madam. that,
having given me his sacred promise.
his sworn promise to send il by Louise. I
join her later and right all her wrongs, +
he is really planning to desert her
again. And in that event, madam, he /
would leave desperate woman be-
hind
What could such woman do then?
Who would believe her-a self-con- |
fessed spy?"
''That thought has already impressed
me deeply. | am satisfied now that |
the woman's safest plan is to see that
he doesn't leave until he has met her
demands. And madam, you have the
power to control him. At six o'clock,
L
address an anonymous commsnica-
ton"
"Will you take tea with us at six, in
stead-in my own apartments? L
think that better
''At six then. l like the ideal"
In the privacy of her own room Mrs.
Proolip oova I'M 70 roipaI aynraSc;np
to a rage that was consuming her. No
one who knew the cool, suave. tactful
woman of affairs would have recog-
nized her at that moment. She paced
the luxurious apartment with the fury
and abandon of tigress entrapped,
her crushed parasol and the emelems
of her mourning beneath her feet. Re-
sponsive to her furious ringing, Will
liam came running to the room at in
tervals of five minutes to answer over
and over:
mo, ma am, Mr.. Raymond amt come
in yet" and returned to tell below
stairs that "Mistis is done gone plum
mad over some'p'n!" Raymond came
! at last. AS he entered his mothers
| room such a storm burst upon him IS
he had not dreamed could emanate
from The heart of a woman. She had
been Inundated. outwitted and belit-
| tied by an adventures, she declared;
| she had been tire tened and would be
forced into a compromise with crea-
ture ofthe cutters, and if they carried
| out their contract, what triumph for
Brodnar and the jealous. envious peo-
| pie who had resented their entrance
into Richmond society! At the mo-
ment she hated even her son; she
blamed him for his insane disregard of
her wishes; he had been a marplot,
she declared. baking her efforts to
advance his fortunes, winning disgrace
where she had opened the path to
honor; and now nothing was left for
him but marriage with low woman,
and the loss of all for which she had
striven.
take her." cried the despairing
woman, land out Of my sight forever
Go down to her level-starve, and leave
your miserable offspring to wretched.
ness" She gave way at length under
the strain, and Raymond for the first
time in his life beheld his mother
abandon herself to tears. He stood
modify looking from the window I'M
til she grew quieter. When he turned
she was carefully Fighting the room
her face was pale, but her old expires
sion of resolve had returned, and {
dangerous light shone in her eyes.
"You spoke of marriage" he said
do you think Louise will insist upo1
that? Will she not be satisfied with thu
child?"
"She will dictate the terms, not you
She is desperate enough for anything
and I know what a desperate woman
will do to save herself" Raymon
turned quickly and looked at his moth
er. She did not avoid his questionin!
gaze. "She will denounce us both t.
the government if you do not MARI.
her and give her back the child.
should if I were in her place. And sh
will make public announcement of he
claim to a common law marriage wit
you"
He waited in silence a minute, a
? though to weigh her words.
whether or not Louise substar
tiates her claim, proof of your immora
life would kill the will of my husband
for. public policy would not comp'
Frances to marry you to inherit he
1 property. 1t will not compel youn
girl to condone immoral conduct fo
q which it would grant married won
$ an divorce"
"Then we are ruined!" said Ra,
I mond. 81 shall look out for mysel
Promise her anything tonight" Tt
n selfishness of the decision would hay
Q been appalling to anyone but h
e mother She looked at him momen
8 sarcastic smile lowering about he
lips.
e, "And I shall look out for myself
= She began this self-preservation il
e stantly and with falsehood so il
IS genious that its use at that momer
t. would alone have proven her ability {
e diplomat. "But hard asitis upon m
IS great as is my disappointment, fc
t. you the blow is heavier; | should no