Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1906-03-13
CHAPTER XNVIYI

on the ground, but being prevented
 rom that he called on Rob for fra-
 quent personal reports, which the sen
 TOT partner was very glad to make
 At last the day came when Ann de-
 clded to leave Louis in lis care and
 return to her mother. desperately de
 tefmihed to test her new found happi.
 ness and her love. though she did not
 put it thus.
 Raymond received the announcement of her plan With outward composure.
 though he said sadly: Now that
 khoW mere about your life in the east.
 am not so sure l can make you hap pE even With q million. Eve lost my
 ambition to he rich, for what c00ld I
 give y04. who have had everything:
 am going to ice 13 Hll mountain
 | can't bear jo see yau take the tratn al4d will H9t say gJo3lzN. will Wuit as patieAtlA-aS l au#tii1 you send for
 he. aH3 t &aa feel tL3t Eau=fEat 1 am Bot fitted to make yoa happy will lot# #eolapIaiH.9 AlIl thoy parted with anI5 a tis@o 1i tn-ds.
 On the journey e3s5Wasl 3na had | great= deaI ei fiIHr b think. amt tAe farther she eiesceale3 HP0a the plain the mo9e certain 1t seemed that she W1s leaving it JH behind Raymond. t5e 2eol Hafnettz and al-and sad. neS> which l9y hayo4i te5rs seized tjp- on her. She felt, taa that Louis WIS growing out of her fife He would soQn he I n9n in the world of men.
 However sle approached New York on glorious morning in May and the North river was q slittcring spread Of leap!hg Wavelets tossed into the sun light by q brisk Southwesterly wind, and her spirits rose With a 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 filed with q 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 glnt 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 undimnished 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 known maternal care. From the time she could speak paid servants and teachers guided her ill feminine ways. The cold and smileless woman who gave her birth was being of another world. No caresSeS were ever invited by the mother, and none was ever of fered by the child. Even the compan 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 worlds and these admonitiOns, gently spoken. With a sad sweetness of tone, like the dying hum of bell, she had never forgot ten. She had been 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- ton she had made to forget their diff ferences and to contide her perpleX1- ties died away.
 Mrs. Allarl received her in bed read ing-she was forever reading useless booSs-and impassively said, What an hour to arrive!'
 Ann took her lax hand and bent and kissed her chill lips. How are you feeling, mother:" she asked tenderly.
 "Miserable. and Mir. Allard is away, as usual" she replied, with a bitter frown. Your letters were very few very unsatisfactory. Why did you not return sooner?'
 Instantly Anns old feeling of sullen anger and resentment resurged like a ] tide and threatened to bury all her good resolutions, but she struggled with and rose above her resentment and said gently: "I didn't intend to neglect my duty. I wrote as often"-
 Her mother interrupted her as she entered upon a more extended conf fence. GO to your room and bathe md get your breakfast. We will talk ,yer Louis extraordinary plans after ward"
 The interview with her mother was 1uite as painful as Ann had feared She began by demanding to know why louis was not with her, and when Ann bluntly that he would ho' .ome Mrs. .Allard looked at her dau2h
 ~1lo,oo for f1lll minute