The Irish standard., 1901-10-19
''; 4 ~.
fEMsy IINt9
I'M HARRY nnNE[ [!E;,f,eDs
Copyright. ESQ by J. B. Lippfncott Cen.
pany. AL rights reserved

CHAPTER XII.-CoNTMuRDL
"What is it we can do for this woman
who has been so badly treated2 She
has no cause to doubt me. Tell me
how may serve her" Her voice was
calm and insinuatingly concilistory.
"She demands . public marriage,
madam. Until this year she has be-
lieved herself less than the legal wife
of Raymond Holbin, though God knows
she never intended to be less than that.
She was his wife abroad, openly az
knowiedged as such, and now she has
proof of that fact-absolute, undoubt-
ed proof Of the highest character
afhdayits Of acquaintance, registers,
letters addressed to her in his own
handwriting and Photographic All
this mass Of evidence il properly GER
titled to in duplicate, and she has one
copy Of each in the hands Of her law
yers in Washington and one copy here.
Madam, your son has lived with this
woman as his acknowledged wife, and
am assured that under Virginis law
she is his wife and would inherit his
estate"
"Ah! She wishes money!
mo. She wishes to have her child
restored"
"Her child? Raymond's chiId?"
"Alas, madam, one word answers
you-yes!"
HE has not told me this" said the
mother. 'It is all that he had left to
tell; his life has been a great, a pain
full disappointment to me-"
ut is likely that he has not told you
other things. He is preparing for
transmission information which he
thinks is good for 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 4t BY Louise,
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 thsn1
Who would believe hers self-con-
fessed spy?'
THAT thought has already impressed
me deeply. 1 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,
unless see you both earlier, I shall
address an anonymous communica-
ton"
"Will you take tea with us at six, in
stead-in my own apartments2
think that better"
Sat six then. l like the ideal"
In the privacy of her own room Mrs.
Brookin gave unrestrained expression
to rage that was consuming her. No
one who knew the cool, suave, tactful
woman of affairs would have recog-
nized her at that moment. Sha paced
the luxurious apartment with the fury
and abandon of a tigress entrapped,
her crushed parasol and the emblems
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 "Nistis 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 a.
he had not dreamed could emanate
from the heart Of woman. She had
been Inundated, outwtted and belit-
tied by an adventures, she declared:
ho Ia 4 H., l..
forced into a compromise with crea-
ture oAthe 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 . marplot,
che 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
xtriven.
Take her" cried the dsspatring
woman. "and out of my sight forever.
Go down to her level-starvs, 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
shandon herself to- tears. Hs stood
moodily looking from the window un-
til she grew quieter. When he turned
she was carefully righting the room.
her face was pale, but her old express.
sion of resolve had returned, and q
dangerous light shone in her eyes.
"You spoke of marriage" he said.
~Do you think Louise will insist upon
that? WILL she not he "a tisned with the
child?"
"She will dictate tia terms, NOT you
She is desperate enough for aaythinr,
and know what . desperst& woman
win do to save herself Raymond
turned quickly ana looked st his moth.
%: She did not svoid his questioning
gaze. "she With Asneunes ~ both T.
the governmsnt u you DO not marry
har aud give hsr hack tie shtaA. ]
ahould If were In her place. And sAs
will make public annnunesms1t Of hel
claim to COMMON Jaw marriage with
you"
He waited In silence . ntauts, ..
though to wsfgA her words.
"WhstAer o.. not LsulsA sasstan.
taases har elaaA. prssa et yo~r imRoral
III -