Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-29
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Copyright, 1899. by J. B. Lippincott Com. pany All -.-hte reserved.

J. D.
 pany. All -'-hts reserved.
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 In the privacy of her own room Mrs. Brookin gave unrestrained expression 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 emblems of her mourning beneath her feet. Re- sponsive to her furious ringing, Wis liam came running to the room at in- tervals of five minutes to answer over and over:
 ''No, ma am, MT. Raymond ain't 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 he had not dreamed could emanate from the heart of a woman. She had been humiliated. outwitted and belit- tied by an adventures, she declared; she had been threatened and would be forced into a compromise with a crea- ture ctthe gutters, 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; sho blamed him for his insane disregard of her wishes; he Aad been 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 moodily looking from the window un- til she grew quieter. When he turned she was carefully fighting the room, her face was pale, but her old express sion of resolve had returned. and 8 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 l know what a desperate woman will do to save herself" Raymond turned quickly and looked at his mot h. CT. 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. I 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 imm oral life would kill the will of my husband, for public policy would not compel Frances to marry you to inherit her property. Ii will not compel young girl to condcne immoral conduct for which it would grant married wom- an divorce"
 Then we are ruined!" said Ray mond. II shall look out for myself. Promise her anything tonight" The 1 selfishness of the decision would have been appalling to anyone but his | notEer. She looked at him nom ent, a sarcastic smile lowering about her i lips.
 And I shall look out for myself" !" | She began this self-preservation in- stantly, and with a falsehood so in- genious that it's use at that moment 1 Would alone have proven her ability as c diplomat. "But hard as it is upon me, great as is my disappointment, for 1ou the blow is heavier; l should not, except under these circumstances, tell you, as do tell you now, that Frances l and l have reached an agreement; she has consented to carry out her fathers wishes; she stipulated only | that you were not to be informed of this agreement until she chose to tell you; she will not place herself in a position to be harassed or worried by l a lover now; her whole thought IS on the wounded soldiers" She saw the sudden rush of blood to her sons face and then the pallor return. A groar burst from him, and he turned away; and therein was apparent the vast dlt | ference in the natures of mother apc son; helplessness, weakness and sur | render was possible with the man; but with the woman, though storms of ad Sersity might overwhelm her ant clouds darken her path, nothing coult | qong daunt her fierce, relentless sirit | For her there was no such thing a: complete despair. Her time had come in this battle which she was fighting
 against odds; she approached he1 despairing ally and laid her hand upo1 his shoulder.
 Raymond" she said, "what would ! you sacrifice to clear the way for mar riage with Frances?"
 He saw the calm. confident look il her face. and breath of hope stirred his fainting manhood.
 Anything-everything he said, a length.
 If you will yield implicit obedienc' ito me-if you, will be guided-I shal clear the way for you. Will you?" | s.Yes'