The Iola register., 1901-06-07

presence of mind.
"What is it we can do for this woman
who has been SO badly treated? She
has no cause to doubt me. Tell me
how / may serve her" Her voice was
calm and insinuatingly conciliatory.
"She demands a 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 ac-
knowledged as such, and now she has
proof of that fact-absolute, undoubt-
ed proof of the highest character
affidavits of acquaintances, registers,
letters addressed to her in his own
handwriting and photographs. All
this mass OF evidence is 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 Virginia law
she is his wife and would inherit his
estate"
"Ahl She wishes money!
"No. She wishes to have her child
restored"
"Her child? Raymond's child?"
"Alas, madam, one word answers
you-yesl"
"He has not told me this" said the
mother. at is all that he 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 Avast 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 it 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 n woman do then 2
Who would believe ker--A sslt-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, 1 shall
address an Anonymous sommunios-
ton"
'Will you take tea with MS at six, in
stead-in my ewn apartments7
think that better"
"At six then. like the ideal"
In the privacy Of her own room Mrs
Brookin gave unrestraiRed expression
to q rage that was consuming her. No
one who knew the cool, suAve, tactful
woman of affairs would have reeoE-
nized her at that moment. She paced
the luxurious apartment with the fury
and abandon OF a tigress entrapped
her crushed parasol and the emblsml
of her mourning beneath her feet. Re-
sponsive to her furious ringing, VII
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 somop'nr' Raymond came
at last. AS he entered his mothers
room such a storm burst upon him al
he had not dreamed could emanatc
from the heart of woman. She had
been humiliated, outwitted and belit
tied by an adventuress, she declared
she had been threatened and would be
forced into a compromise with crea-
ture ofthe cutters, and il they carried
out their contract, what a triumph foI
Brodnar and the Jealous. envious peo
pie who had resented their entrance
into Richmond societyl Az ths 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 tc
advance his fortunes, winning disgrace
where she had opened the path tc
honor; and now nothing was left foI
him but marriage with low woman
and the loss of all for which she had
striyeR. ....
"Take her" cried the despairin q
woman, land ont Of my sight forever
Go down to her level--starYe, and leave
your miserable offspring to wretched
ness" She gave way at length under
the strain, and Raymond for the Arst
time In his life beheld his mother
abandon herself to tears Ee stood
moodily locking from the window IN
til she grew quleter. When he tuTnet
she was carefully righting the room
her face was pale, but her cid expires
sion of resolve had returned, and q
dangerous light shone in her eyes.
"You spoke Of marriage" no said
"Do you think Louise will insist upon
that2 Will she not be satisfied with tn,
child2'
"She will dictate tho tePms, not yen
She h desperate enough for anything
and / know whst desperate worsAr
will do TO save herself" haymOsS
turned quiolsly and looked at his EAotA
er. She did nS$ avoid his queSSieAiA IN 1
gaze. "6he win donONRee us both X
the govsYpmSnt " you do NOT nDsPvJ
her and give her back mo slFild.
should n were In her place. And N
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