The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1901-04-26

woman OF aftalrS 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 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 "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 as
he had not dreamed could emanate
from the heart of a woman. She had
been Inundated. outwitted and BELT
tied by an adventures, she declared;
she had been threatened and would be
forced into compromise with a 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 a low woman,
and the loss of all for which she had
striven.
Take her" cried the despairing
woman, "and 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
moodily looking from the window I'M
til she grew quieter. When he turned
she was carefully righting the room,
her face was pale, but her old express
sion of resolve bad 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
child?"
"She will dictate the terms. not YOU.
She is desperate enough for anything;
and | know what desperate woman
will do to save herself" Raymond
turned quickly and looked at his moth
er. She did not avoid his questioning
gaze. ''She will denounce us both to
the government if you do not marry
her and give her back the child. /
should if l were in her place. And she
will make public announcement of her
claim to common law marriage with
you"
He waited in silence minute, as
though to weigh 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 to marry you to inherit her
property. 1t will not compel young
girl to condone immoral conduct for
which it would grant married wom-
an divorce"
''Then we are ruined!" said Ray
mond. 81 shall look out for myself
Promise her anything tonight" The
teIishness of the decision would have
been appalling to anyone but his
mother. She locked at him a moment,
sarcastic smile lowering about her
lips.
"And | shall look out for myself"
She began this selt-preservation in
stantly, and with falsehood so in
genious that its use at that moment
would alone have proven her ability as
diplomat. But hard as it is upon me
great as is my disappointment, for
you the blow is heavier; | should not
except under these circumstances, tell
you, as do tell YOU now, that Frances
and | have reached an agreement
she has consented to carry out heI
fathers wishes; she stipulated only
that you were not to be informed Of
this agreement until she chose to tel
you; she will not place herself in &
position to be harassed or worried by
lover now; her whole thought is OF
the wounded soldiers" She saw tn,
sudden rush of blood to her SON face
and then the pallor return. A groal
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; bu
with the woman, though storms of ad
versity might overwhelm her an,
clouds darken her path. nothing coult
long daunt her fierce, relentless sirit
For her there wa no such thing a
complete despair. Her time had com
in this battle which she was fightin
against odds: she approached he
despeiring ally and laid her hand upo
his shoulder.
Raymond" she said. what woul
you sacrifice TO clear the way for maj
Eiage with Frances?'
He saw the calm. confident look /
her face. and a breath of hope stirre
his fainting manhood.
"Anything-everything!" he said, q
length.
IF YOU will yield implicit obedienc
TO me-if you will be guided sha
clear the way for you. win you?"
"Yes."
Human life or lives must not b