Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-10-08

| io", "ounoinB
| him In the hea, II glanced into
the pbasterinEt md tn. man
was carried away Bro inar, who
is now treating hin ,rooms. Id..
msho the name OF man and your
reasons for admit, no into thi.
| house."
"Mr. Holbin!"
Frances, althoug syarned. wa.
but a girl. and cor keep the tell
tale blood from hel
do not attempt celve me. Give
mo the name and reasons"
| BY what riestt gu demand this,
sir?" Her voice ste ed as she looked
him fearlessly in tie yes.
by the right ? hich your fathers
will confers. For, sou take one cours.
under that with is property is his
widows. my mot.-s RS; and if you take
the other"
In the meantime" she said, coldly,
Il have several years in which to de-
eide, and during those years neither
you nor your msther can drive me
from this house"
| Drive you, Francesi"
| "Miss Brookinl"
Come, this is fonyi lam. whether
willing or unwilling, the present head
OF this family, or at least this house
hold. All Ricnmend VIII he1s rae re-
sponsibSe for every aing that happens
here contrary to pl opriety, and must
insist that you explain this most re-
narkable occurr ace. Do not force
me to ask assists ace of the police, and
thus make the matter public" The
| girl did not f1inch.
| II am not afraid that you will do
that, Mr.. Holbin; you have too much at
stake DR.. Brodnar, besides, has told
you that he was in this room, and
Richmond will " ant to know why, il
there is anythin wrong afoot, you do
not hold him res oonsible. No one ha,
been in this roo r-until now-except
by my consent, and if any crime has
been committed, the criminals are
probably better known 10 you than
anyone else. 1 am totally in the dark;
have no idea why anyone, especially
a woman, should attempt to shoot a
friend of mine here"
"A womanI Who told you a woman
did it?"
my own eyes. I saw her tracks; and
now, sir, who told you? Was it the
woman?"
Holbin laughed silently.
You play that as though It were
trump" he said. perhaps 10 woman's
tracks have ever been there but yours.
1t is your garden
only, l saw them before made any
tracks there" she said, quietly.
81 don't question your honesty, Miss
Brookin, but others might; and if peo-
pie were disposed to judge you kindly
they would simply suggest that you
had a powerful motive F" To this she
disdained a reply. She had picked up
Brodnar's letter from the table and
sistently: You will please answer my
question. i dislilT realty to annov
ycss. but nv S's' AIexes.;,zs. s,,,u
| secret will with me; and I
, must protec me of nv future
, wife-that v, IL admit"
! Your wife2 1ave you supposed for
moment, si=, that shall ever become
your wife?" Frances came back and
stood before him. "Why, Mr.. Holbin,
there is not wealth enough in Virginia
to bring about thatl"
! miss Brookin"-and Holbin sank
his voice to the most courteous of
tones, and met her chances without en-
barrassment-"why is it that you dis
like me?"
II have not given the matter a
! thought, sir. / simply accept the fact"
He was silent moment, his eyes cast
down.
"You hate my mother" he said, sad
/ ly and bitterly, land l am included; I
understand that But admitting that
you have cause to hate her-and do
not-you have none to hate me. Con-
slider the injustice. Let me say now
did not expect ever TO say il, but a
man is no man who will not defend
himself-let me say now that, so far
from having cause to hate me, if pro-
found respect, if sympathy for your
loneliness, if genuine affection and the
tenderest love count for anything with
a woman, yeu have more than sufficient
, cause to think we'll of me-" Frances
looked upon him with amazement,
, touched in spite of her resolution. He
was not slow to perceive this. MY
mother" he continued, sis not from tho
worlds standpoint lovable woman,
but she is-my mother; and / am her
SON. She is self-willed; but she is just.
, Shall / admit it to you? She has made
! my life unhappy; she has been the
cause of my living abroad"
who was Louise, then? And why
should the mention of her name-have
killed my father?" She covered her
, face with her hands, and gave way
gently to her tears. He waited few
moments until she regained her COM
posture.
There are turned down pages in
the lives of all men, Miss Brookin-
and in the lives of some women. An
other time 7 shall tell you the his
tory of Louise, and let you Judge me
If you will. But I swear to you now
as though l stood in the presence of
God, that I did not lead her off by
means of mock 'marriage-I did noti
You may not understand it, but there
are times when the man is not alone
to blame in these matters He is in
Volved through his chivalry; and in