Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-04-30

I
fact that his secret was his no longer.
But that's my own fault-not hers l
have been a fool, but | see my danger
nov, and, thank heaven, it is not too
late"
Has it come to thatf" said his moth
er, sadly. "0h, my boy, my boy, to think
that you must suffer why did | ever
have her here"
fate?" said Ivor, YEARLY. Heaven
knows | never wanted to-loye her, but
l simply couldn't help myself. Yet she
is so good and brave and true that don't
| think man could be the worse for low
ing her. ! can't pity myself, but l shall
never forget her. There, don't let US talk
about it. for both our sakes."
"She-she surely does not suspect?'
| said Mrs. Grant. anxiously.
A hot flush erept up to ITor's brow
Put into words his weakness looked cul-
pa5le and unmanly. What weakness does
| not when framed into speech and placed
| before our eyes as accusation instead of
excuse?
Don't ask me any more" he said,
! huskiy; you have your secret, let me
! have mine. The time has gone by, moth
/ err, when / could sit at your feet and tell
| you all that was in my heart. Something
] has put me away from you and alienated
| your sympathy. 1t seems only one of the
| ironies of Fate that your-friend-shou
| also threaten to become Beryl Marsden's
bitterest enemy, does it not?"
! What do you mean" gasped Mrs
/ Grant, growing deadly white.
Il mean that coward and spy. Savona
has discovered my folly and threatened
to trade on it-that is all" said Ivor,
bitterly. LAS far as l am concerned,
! he might do his worst, but for her sake
have had to buy his silence. You can
hardly wonder, though, that | forbid his
presence here. l am master now, and he
shall know it. l have never asked the
| particulars Of your mysterious intimacy
| with this man, mother. but / cannot suf-
| fer him any longer"
'Ivor." she cried, trembling visibly, do
you know how dangerous he is-what you
| provokeY
! II neither know nor care" he answer
ed with cold contempt. He can levy
blackmail on me as he pleases. but he
shall not step under my roof again, or in
suit me with his presence-that | swear"
| sudden terror.
Don't say, that" she cried; you don't
! know what you are bringing on your own
head or how dangerous he is.
NO, | don't" said Ivor, with sup
pressed passion, NOR do l know the Sc
eret of his power over you or the mys-
terry that has alienated your love and
! sympathy from me since that Inflated
hour when it brought this man under our
roof"
"Oh. hush. hush"' she cried, wildly.
and covered her face with trembling
hands as she shrank back from that
| stern, accusing face. Don't say that.
| Ivor, for you wrong me. If l have erred
it has been only for you-only for you.
! Who else on all the earth have | to love
and care for?'
For mer' he echoed, and gazed at her
| in wonder II can't understand you,
mother. There is no deeper humiliation
you could offer than to show me that
! fault or folly of mine had placed you in
| this mans power But ! know that is
not possible. / have no guilty secret on
which he ,ould trade, and all my errors
| have been such as l should not shrink
! from confessing to you, were it needful.
4 If he is troubling you, threatening you,
! give me the power to rid you of his ty-
ranny; even TO shield the woman | love.
l woulu not have my mother at the mer-
cy Of such a villain.
"Oh, hush, hushu she cried between
wild sobs that rent his heart you don't
I know what you say. you don't know what
you say"
Il think I do, and what mean also, =
| he answered, with grave tenderness.
Come, mother. you have had the con
I fession of ny weakness tonight, return
confidence for confidence. Surely you
can trust zoe, and surely yvr
it is more lifting | should igh, van
ties for you, than leave you to this scnl-.
/ drels mercy"
But the terrible sobs were his only an
Swer. He could not still them, and he
could not win from ner even the very
faintest hint of that IA. stery sapping her
life. her happiness, her future.
She grew calm az last, and even began
to speak of his proposed journey, and
make suggestions aud arrangements for
it; but the usual perfect accord between
mother and son was broken-something
lurked in their hearts of which they could
not speak-and when they parted for the
night 1t was with the grave regret of mis-
apprehension. and the FIRST chill touch Of
distrust.
Mrs Grant, wearied and spent as she
was sat up till long after midnight. writ
ing sheet after sheet. Her hands shook
as she gathered them up and placed them
in an envelope and sealed IT. Then she
took the candle and crossed the long
dusky room with feeble steps. Pausina
before a rosewood cscritoire, she proceed
I'd to open one of its many drawers, and
took from thence a pap, covered Will
figures. viii IA she studied ntently.
The sum II soon be made up now.
she said in suppressed whisper. which
had in it more of fear than OF relief. "A
year-but one year more-and then free
dom"
As the last word left her lips. sudder
dizziness aud dimness seemed to numl
both brain aud sight. With one supreme
effort at self-command she tried to thrus
the paper back into its drawer, bu
strength failed her. for her outstretchet
hand sank nerveless to her side, and owe
the white face there came q change fear
ful and horrible 10 see.
cry that was only a gasp, stifcd ans
suppressed by the failure OF life and EN-
ergy, struggled TO her lins. and then
strangled in its birth. died out On TIL
empty air that refused 10 echo its feeble
entreatS And with that last effort %
the mind that had - long ruled the body
she fell like log across the oaken foor
and all the shadows OF the dying hrei.gn