Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-08-15
CHAPTER XVIII.

YN few days Louis was able to be
removed to the valley. but his re
coyery was slow, and DR.. Braide
Il strongly advised against his return
to the east As proprietor in the mine,
Louis was now doubly anxious to be
on the ground, but being prevented
from that he called on Rob for fire.
quent personal reports, which the SEN
ior partner was very glad to make.
At last the day came when Ann de-
cided to leave Louis in his care and
return to her mother, desperately de-
termined TO test her new found happ-
ness and her love, though she did not
put it thus.
Raymond received the announcement
Of her plan with outward composufe,
though he said sadly: "Now that |
know more about your life in the east,
| am not so sure | can make you hap
py, even with million. Eve lbst my
ambition to be rich, for what could |
give YOU who have had everything
| am going to flee to my mountain.
| can't bear to see YOU take the train
and | will not say goodby. | will wait
as patiently as | can till you send for
me, and if you feel that you-that
am not fitted to make you happy |
will not complain" And they parted
with only clasp of hands.
ON the tourney eastward Ann had
great deal Of time to think and the
farther she descended upon the plain
the more certain it seemed that she
III ID
the good Barnetts and all-and sad
ness which lay beyond tears seized up
on her She felt, too, that Louis was
growing out of her life. He would
soon be man in the world of men,
However, she approached New York
! on II glorious morning in May, and the
North river was glitterng spread of
leaping wavelets tossed into the sun
/ light by brisk southwesterly wind,
and her spirits rose with bound
The morning was deliciously cool and
very brilliant with sunlight, and as she
rolled through Madison square and en-
tered upon the lower avenue the girls
throat filled with sob of joy. The
generous, good mountains had not
merely lured her to themselves, teach
ing her to love them, they had restored
her sanity and the power to enjoy the
CLINT of sunbeams anywhere in the
world. She was elate, throbbing with
recovered love of life, with the regain
ed JOY of being young. and, best of all,
she found herself looking back each
moment with undiminished affection
to the high peaks Into this moment of
elation the thought of her mother in
truded with chilling effect.
The complete lack of sympathy be
tween mother and daughter dated from
the day of her birth for she had never
known maternal care From the time
She could speak paid servants and
/ teachers guided her in feminine ways.
The cold and smileless woman who
gave her birth was being of another
world. No caresses We're ever invited
by the mother. and none was ever of
i fered by the child. Even the eompan-
ionship of the gentle. impulsive father
was cut short or interdicted altogether
during melancholy periods by his wife's
eXacting demands.
When Louis came the father revolt
ed, refusing to be forever at the whim
Of his wife. He gave up attendance
upon her and devoted himself to the
children. This. Ann afterward recall
ed. was the beginning of her mothers
morbid seclusion. Then came board
ing school, from which she was called
to receive her fathers last words, and
these admonitions, gently spoken, with
Il sad sweetness of tone, like the dying
hum of Il bell, she had never forgot
ten She had been n mother to Louis,
and she was coming back now with
the consciousness of a duty well per-
formed, but as she approached the
towering wall of the great apartment
hotel in which her mother made her
home she lost courage and the resolu-
tion she had made to forget their diff
ferences and to contide her perpleXi-
ties died away.
Mrs. Allard received her In bed read
ing-she was forever reading useless
books-and impassiyely said, What an
unearthly hour to arriye!'
Ann took her lax hand and bent and
kissed her chill lips. How are you
feeling, mother?" she asked tenderly
Miserable, and Mr.. Allard is away,
as usual she replied, with bitter
frown. your letters We're very few
very unsatisfactory. Why did you not
return soonerY
Instantly AIMS old feeling of sullen
anger and resentment resurged like
tide and threatened to bury all her