Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1904-05-06
hands. "My presence here must suggest


hands. my presence here must suggest
the Importance of my mission-the mis-
sion that have set myself to fulfill"
she added after a pause.
Sylphide pointed to chair and seated
herself in her own fauteuil.
Il am prepared to listen, madam" she
said.
Mrs. Courtlandt drew forward the
chair into the center of the room and
seated herself, at the same time arrang-
ing her costly draperies.
''The evil that have foreseen would
inevitably arise from your connection
with my son." she began coolly, II wish
at least to attempt to repair. For the
past two weeks have sheltered the poor
child to whom you have given life, but
nothing more. l come to you to-day to
demand what you propose to do for your
son, who is my sons son as wellT'
do for him" exclaimed Sylphide abb
ruptly; then suddenly checking herself,
she added, 81 beg your pardon, madam,
for my astonishment at your question.
When you separated me from my child
1t required all the force and courage I
was mistress of to bring my mind to it.
The only consolation had was in tho
thought that was immolating myself
for the future welfare Of my son. If I
have been deceived, if you regret having
taken him to yourself, give him back to
me, madam? ask no greater boon of
heaven than to live for him, with himw
Mrs. Courtlandt smiled frigidly 40 she
replied:
"Now that you have stated what you
would do for the boy, were he with you,
permit me to explain what propose to
do for SO much Of our blood as flows in
his veins. If you are truly good moth
er, l have no reason to doubt your re-
| sponse. Would you be satisfied could
YOU know that your son could bear the
name and social rank of his fatherT
"Of courseW
"Then all depends on YOU"
Upon me? Pray, what sacrifice do
you expect of me?"
But one thing-the liberty of my
sonw
"Never! What possible interest can
you have in our separation? How can it
serve your plans?"
II wish my son to be able to recognize
his child ;sand as his marriage with you is
illegal, l propose to give him the hand
of woman who will accept his child in
exchange for our name and fortune,
which has been reinstated of late"
With broad Defiance Sylphide demand
ed:
"Where will you find woman who
will consentT'
THAT shall be my care"
Drawing herself up to her full height,
Sylphide rejoined:
Madam, know not whether 1t be a
test that you wish to submit me to, or
whether you have coldly resolved upon
the ruin Of the only love that is left me
in this world, but I can only tell you
with the calm of a fixed resolution that
what you demand is out of the question. |.
You cannot understand, madam, the ex-
tent of the outrage you propose"
II understand that 1t is of your son
that I speak," was the imperturbable re-
sponse, while you speak only of your
self. Pardon me, permit me to finish.
| [ came here to confer with a mother
concerning the well-being of her child,
and l find that L am bandying words
with Nevertheless, l wish you to
understand that my resolution is un-
shaken. l have merely indicated your
duty, and shall be happy to grant you
time for reflection"
| 81 refuse.'
Every well. l have merely to. inform
you that my will is law. You evidently
do not appreciate the annoyance it has
caused me to come here. My son, who
has just returned from Louisiana, will
understand it, hope, better than you
do. 1t will be by no means difficult for
me to convince him now, that the woman
who is not true mother can never be
a good wife, even granting that she be
not slave! Good morningv'
| Dazed, bewildered, riveted to the spot
upon which she stood, Sylphide watched
her tormentor slowly glide from her
presence. 1t was only when the door
had closed her hated form from view
that she suddenly recovered her senses
| Her first impulse was to dart after the
woman and demand an explanation I'd
her blighting words, fasten her nails,sfu
her flesh until she gave It; indeed she did
clear the intervening space between thd
chair by which she had stood and the
door at a single bound; but suddenly,
even with her hand upon the knob, She
recovered her better senses; she saw the
folly of any violent scene, felt in time
the humiliation that scandal in house
| not her own must entail. She paused
and turned, and as she turned, she no
| ticed that the door leading out upon the
landing Of the private staircase was
open, while upon the threshold stood her
husband. Her first thought was:
"He has heard ALL"
Go bs continued.)