The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-07-31

mother IS far more deeply concerned
than T. added the older man. "She
likes you. my boy. know that 10 be
true. but we must both abide by her
wishes. II she has not retired
Jane is with her. Mr.. Cable She
knows by this time"
She is coming" Mrs. Cables light
footsteps We're heard crossing the hall,
and an instant later Bansemer was
holding open the den door for her to en-
ter. He had feeting glimpse OF Jane
as that tall young woman turned down
the stairway
Frances Cables face was white and
drawn, and her eyes were wet. Her
husband started forward as she extend
ed her hand TO him. He clasped them
in his own and looked down into her
face with the deepest tenderness and
wistfulness in his own Her body
swayed suddenly, and his expression
changed to one Of surprise and alarm.
"Don't-don't mind. dear" he said
hoarsely. 1T had to come Sit down.
do. There. Good Lord, Frances. II
you cry now rll-I1l go all to smashF'
~~ S>'s w" Al oDk oPdy ou Tue Oh
the big leather chair into which she
had sunk Imply. Something seemed
TO choke him. and his fingers went
nerv ously to his collar. Before them
stood the straight. strong figure OF the
man who was to have Jane forever
Neither Of them-nor Jane-knew
what Frances Gable had suffered dur
ing the last hour. She accidentally had
heard the words which passed between
the lovers In the den downstairs. She
was prepared when Jane came to her
with the news later on, but that prep
aration had cost her more than any Of
them ever could know
Lying back in a chair after she had
almost crept to her room, she stared
white faced and frightened at the CELL
ing until it became peopled with her
wretched thoughts. All along she had
seen what was coming. The end was
inevitable. Love as IL grew for them
had known no regard for her misery.
She could not have prevented its
growth; she could not now Illustrate its
elimination. and yet as she sat there
and stared into the past and the future
she knew that 1t was left for her to
drink Of the cup which they were fill
ing-the cup of their Joy and of her
bitterness.
Fear OF exposure at the hand Of
Graydon 'Bansemer's father had kept
her purposely blind to the inevita BILE.
Her woman's intuition long since had
convinced her that Graydon was not
like his father. She knew him to be
honorable, noble, fair and worthy.
Long and often had she wondered Mt
James Bansemer's design In permitting
his son to go to the extreme point in
relation with Jane. As she sat there
and suffered 1t came to her that the
man perhaps had a purpose after all
an unfathomable, selfish design which
none could forestall. She knew him for
all that he was. In that knowledge she
felt slight, timid sense Of power. He
stood for honor SO far as his son was
concerned. In fair play she could ex-
pose him IL he sought to expose her.
But all conjectures, all fears, paled
into tnsignif1cance. with the one great
terror-what would James Bansemer
do in the end? What would he do at
the last minute to prevent the mar
rfage Of his son and this child Of I'M
known parentage? What was to be his
tribute to the final scene In the drama?
She knew that he was tightening his
obnoxious coils about her all the time
Even now she could feel his hand upon
her arm. could hear his sibilant whis-
per. Now she found herself face to
fQna With tho rtcto ~ oil
Her only hope lay in the thought that
neither could afford the scandal OF an
open declaration. Bansemer was mer-
CHESS, and he was no fool.
Knowing Graydon to be the son of a
she could under ordinary
have forbidden her
daughter to marry him. In this In
stance she could not say him nay. The
venom Of James Bansemer in that
event would have no measure of pity.
In her heart she prayed that death
might come to her aid In the destruc-
ton Of James Bansemer.
1t was not until she heard Graydon
coming up the stairs that the solution
flashed into her brain. II Jane became
the wife Of this cherished son James
power was goneI His lips
would be sealed forever. She laughed
aloud in the frenzy Of hope. She
laughed to think what fool she would
have been to forbid the marriage The
Her salvation, Jane found
her almost hysterical. trembling like
a leaf. She was obliged to confess
that she had heard part OF their CONVEX
satfon below in order TO account for
her manner When Jane confided to
her that she had promised to marry
Graydon in September-or Jnse-she
urged her to avoid long engagement
She could say no more than that
Now she sat limp before the two
men, wan smile straying from one
to the other, exhausted by her sup
pressed emotions. Suddenly. without a
word, she held out her hand to Gray
don In err deepest soul she loved
this manly, strong heartec young fell
low. She knew, after all, he was wor-
thy OF the best woman In the land
You known" cried Graydon, clasp
ing her hand, his eyes glistening. Jane
has told you? And you-you think me
worthy
Yes, Graydon-you are worthy"
She looked long into his eyes, search |
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