Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-10-29

ancing accounts with Jemcrson Duv7s.
FriendsSof Raymond Holbin, for he
still had a few, with the aid of his
mother, secured him a bomb-proof po-
sition with a rank of captain; and
there he stuck, with AL the time for
plotting that might be demanded.
What seemed to Holbin an oppor-
tunity for sweeping revenge came
very unexpectedly. Up to then he had
been but an i.s&sSzns@s q On eHHEo
of his mother sS$ &C. 49,
Of invisibies known to him who
sapped the strength of the confeder-
scy. Their many interests preceded
his. The opportunity came through
Louise BE did not dare to disregard
her card and responded instantly to
her implied command, armed with
his old secret and virtuous indig-
nation. He had almost forgotten her.
A year before, when she had suffi-
GENTLY recovered from her illness to
permit it, he had sent her north, de-
ceived by sacred" pledges, to a new
hiding place. The immediate opening
OF hostilities had seemed to fix the
separation. 1t had never occurred to
him that she would make an effort
| to cross the lines.
The new meeting between Louise and
Holbin was marked by a great display
OF passion on his part; she was calm
and collected, a suggestion of reckless
ness, however, in her eyes and every
movement; her face relentless and
white with despair of an abandoned
life. For the first time Holbin failed
to move her to anger or to tears.
Il came" said she, when his rage had
! spent itself and in answer to his de-
spairing offer of money if she would
depart, mot because i need your as
sistance-that is, your money, for do
not; am now well supplied" She
could not have touched him in a more
delicate spot A swift jealousy, a curl
Gus indignation, filed him.
Whose money!" he asked, breath
lessly.
| He is very rich, and gives with lib
eral hand when the woman Is smart,
Is able, is fearless, and willing to risk
her life at his bidding" 1t was not the
speech, but the cautious glance which
lnvoluntarily she gave to her surround
ings that awoke a suspicion in his
breast.
| Louise, you are a"
! "Hushi / am a mother robbed Of
her child; that is explanation enough;
for such a woman is capable of any,
thing, even murder, as you know. Ray
mond, where is my daughter2" He
looked at her uneasily, and the white
heather appeared in spite of his efforts
to conceal il.
She is well, and we'll cared for
L asked you where, and you have not
answered mel"
! There is much TO be agreed upon be-
tween us before / tell YOU that" he
sald, after a pause, during which he
narrowly watched her. He took a
seat close beside her and continued
In his old confidential, half-appealinr
/ way: Louise, I am ruined, a dis
| graceo man, and ripe for anything
that will take me out of this city."
lie paused, but she did not answer or
seem to hear him, and he added:
My downfall began when was nm
true to myself-to you. have never
had a moments good luck since:
everything has gone wrong with me. {"
Still she did not answer him, but her
n
strange look came into the white face
she turned towards him. az have now
no chance on earth except chance
to play for even and quit the country.
Louise, If / succeed will you go back
/ with me into the old sweet life? I
/ VIII be true to you; I will right all
/ OF your wrongS-and will be a fa-
/ Their indeed to your child. Let us 90.
/ Louise, out of this wild, heartless
! country back across the ocean to the
/ little English home, back to our flow
ers, back to the old life" He took
her hand, and this time she did not
, withdraw it.
My child" she said, almost in
audibly, her face lowered and her
bosom rising and falling rapidly.
That Will be all rght-all right.
L swear to you she is we'll and has
not forgotten you. She never fails
to ask for you, and at night to saw
her little prayer" cry burst from
the wretched woman.
my babyl My baby!" She sank
her face in her hands, then sprane
to her feet. you deceived me-" she
said, frantically, beginning to walk
the floor, II cannot cannot believe
you"
81 have no cause to deceive YOU.
Louise-none." He spoke very ten
derby; land l would not if 1 could
now. This uniform, these shoulder
straps, mean nothing in my case but
disgrace. ! am stay-at-home. The
billiards of my class at West Point
are brigadier generals in the field:
am uniformed clerk"
"The woman-T Louise could not
conclude her question.
"She will not assent" he said, saw
agely; and then quickly, lest a nat
ural inference should array her
against him again, ~ have purposely
made myself so obnoxious to her that
she would rather be pauper than
share a fortune with me. She has
yet time to decide, for she is not
21; but I know her decision in ad-
vance,"
eApI