Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-03-10

your mind. Grace?
The Woman: Promise,
The Girl: l promise. Naughs)
that If poverty should ever come to
you, you will come to me.
The Girl (puzzled): do not under
stand you at ALL
The Woman: Promise,
The Girl: ] promise; but
The Woman: Thank you, Betty.
The Girl growing serious): What
Is all this about Grace? You look so
earnest
The Woman: Some day you will
understand. VIII you answer me one
question as a daughter would answer
her mother?
The Girl (gravely): Yes.
The Woman: Would you marry a
title for the titles sake?
The Girl Indignantly: I?
The Woman: Yes: would you?
The Girl: shall marry the man
love, and IL not him, nobody. l mean.
of course. when love.
The Woman: Blushing again? My
dear. is KaTloff anything to you?
The Girl: Karloff? Mercy. no. He
Is handsome and fascinating and rich
but could not love him. 1t would be
easier to love-to love my groom out
side.
(They both smile)
The Woman Cgrave once more:
That is all I wished TO know dear
KarlofI is not worthy of you.
The Girl tsitting very erect: I do
not understand. Is he not honorable?
The Woman (hesitatingly): I have
known him for seven years; have
always found him honorable.
The Girl: Why, then, should he not
be worthy of me?
The Woman Qightly): Is any man?
The Girl: You are parrying my
question. n am to be your daughter.
there must be no fencing.
The Woman( rising and going over
to the portrait AGAIN.: There are some
things that mother may not tell
4 even TO her daughter.
The Girl (determinedly); Grace.
I you have said too much or too little.
do not love Karlof / never could
love him: but like him. and liking
him. feel called upon TO defend him.
The Woman (surprised into showing
her dismay); You defend him? You'll
The Girl: And why not? That is
what wish to know: why not?
The Woman: My dear. you do not
love him. That is all ! wished to
know. Karloff is brilliant. handsome
man. gentleman; his sense of honor.
such as IL is. would do credit TO many
another man: but behind all this
there is power which makes him
helpless. makes him puppet, and
robs him Of certain worthy impulses.
I have read somewhere that corpora
tions have no souls; neither have gov
ernments. Ask me nothing more.
Betty, for / shall answer no more
questions.
The Girl: don't think you are
treating me fairly.
The Woman: At this moment !
would willingly share with you half
OF all possess In the world
The Girl: But all this mystsryI
The Woman: AS have said. some
day you will understand. Treat Kar-
lon as you have always treated him,
politely and pleasantly. And / beg OF
you never 10 repeat our conversation
The Girl (to whom illumination sud
. denly comes: rises quickly and goes
over TO the woman takes her by the
shoulders. and the two stare into each
others eyes. the one searchingly, the
other fearfully): Grace
The Woman: / am a poor. foolish
woman, Betty, for all my worldliness
and wisdom; but | love you (softly)
and that is why / appear weak before
you. The blind envy those who see
the deaf those who hear; what one
does not want another can not have
Karlor loves you. but you do not
love him
(The girl kisses the woman gravely
on the cheek. and without a word
makes her departure)
The Woman (as she hears the car
riage roll away; Poor girli Poor
happy. unconscious. motherless child
II only / had the power 10 stay the
blow. Who can it be, then
that she loves?
The Girl Tin her carriage): Pool
thing! She adores Karloff. and never
| suspected il, l shall begin to hate
him
How well women read each otheri
James had never parted with his
rose and his handkerchief They were
always with him, no matter what Iiv.
cry he wore. After luncheon, VIII.
liam said that Miss Annesley desired
to see him in the study So Jane:
spruced mp and duly presented himself
at the study door.
you sent for me. Miss?"- his ha'
in his hand. his attitude deferentia
and attentive.
She was engaged upon some fancy
work, the name OF which no mar
knows. and If he were told, could moi
possibly remember for longer than ter