The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1901-06-15
"Will you take tea with us at six. Tn
stead-in my own apartments? 4
think that better"
AT six then. like the ideal

In the privacy Of her own room MIRA
Brookin gave unrestrained expressions
70 a rage that was consuming her. No
one who knew the cool. suave, tacffui
woman of affairs would have recug-
nized her at that moment. She paced
the luxurious apartment with the fury
and abandon OF tigreSs entrapped.
her crushed parasoI and the emblemx
OF her mourning beneath her feet. Re-
sponsive TO her furious ringing. VIII
liam came running 90 the room az i'm
tervals Of five minutes 20 answer over
and over;
mo, ma'am, Mr.. Raymond amt como
in yet" and returned 20 tell below
stairs that "Mistis Is done gone plum
mad over some'p'ni" Raymond came
at last. AS he entered his motherr
room such q storm burst upon him an
he had not dreamed could emanate
from the heart of woman. She Ind
been Inundated, ontwitted aud BELT
tied by on adventures, she declared;
she had been threatened and would be
forced into compromise with a crea-
ture ofthe cutters, and IL they carried
Ohh C0ANAANAf " u0A n tli
Brodnar and the Jealous envious peo-
pie who had resented their entrance
into Richmond s,cictyi AZ the mo-
tnent she hates ta her sc she
blamed him ior his insane Disregard Of
her wishes; he had been marplot,
she declared. baking her efforts 20
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 despairiug
woman, "and oui OF my sight forever.
Go down TO her level-starve. and leave
your miserable offspring to wretched-
ness" She gave way al length under
the strain. and Raymond for the first
time in his life beheld his mother
abandon herself 10 tears. He stood
modify looking from the window un-
iii 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
dangerous light shone in her eyes.
"You spoke Of marriage" he said
do you think Louise will insist upon
that? Will she not be satisfied with the
child2"
"She will dictate the terms, not You
She is desperate enough for anything;
and | know what a desperate woman
will do TO save herself" Raymond
turned quickly and looked az his moth
er. She did not avoid his questioning
gaze. "She will denounce Us both 90
the government If you do not marry
her and give her back the child.
should II were in her place. And she
will make public announcement Of her
claim TO common law marriage with
you.
lie waited In silence a minute, az
though 10 we.rh her words
Whether or not Louise substan-
tiates her claim, proof Of your immoral
life would kill the will OF my husband,
for public policy would not compel
Frances 70 marry you 70 inherit her
property 1t will not compel a Young
girl to condone immoral conduct for
which Il would grant a married WON
an divorce"
Then we are runedl" said Ray
mond. 81 shall look out for myself.
Promise her anything tonight" The
selfshness OF the decision would have
been appalling 20 anyone but his
mother She looked al him o moment,
a sarcastic smile lowering about her
lips.
and | shall look ont for myself"
She began this self-prcservation in
stantly, and with falsehood SO in
genious that its use az that mcment
would alone have proven her ability as
a diplomat "But hard sit is upon me
great as is my disappointment, for
you the blow Is heavier, ] should NOT.
except under these circumstances, ten
you, as ] DO tell YOU now. that Frances
/ and | have reached an agreements
she has consented 90 carry out her
i fathers wishes: she stipulated only
! that you were not 10 be informed Of
this agreement until she chose to ten
you; She will not place herself IN z
position 10 be harassed or worried by
lover now; her whole thought is OF
! the wounded soldiers" She saw the
/ hulAtU rush OF IltHN Ah htl N|h r. law
and then the palor return. groar
/ burst from him, and he turned away;
and therein was apparent the vast diff
ference In the natures Of mother ant
son; helplessness, weakness and sur
render was possible with the man; but
with the woman, though storms Of al
versity might overwhelm her and
clouds darken her path. nothing coulo
long daunt her fierce, relentless sirit
For her there was no such thing a.
complete despair Her time had come
ia this battle which she was fighting
against odds; she approached her
despairing ally and laid her hand upor
| his shoulder
Raymond" she said what would
you sacrifice 70 clear the way for mar
riage with Franccs?'
He saw the calm. confident look N
her face, and a breath OF hope stirred
htv al N.T