The Washington herald., 1909-04-18

near and looked upon the face or his son.
II was lighted by candles, which burned
yellow In the glare OF daylight from
above. and crucifix lay In the cold hand.
Asa Cutler had never before seen candles
and crucihx with the dead. and II took a
moment of wonder TO make him under
stand that this was the form OF a cere-
monial which he held In execration. He
had not Outgrown the bigotry Of his an
cestors. 10 whom papistry and witchcraft
We're equal abominations; 20 his puritan
ical mind these signs OF q foreign faith
were further evidence OF poor Ralphs
ruin.
On the white face the fickering shadows
could not hide the marks Of dissipation.
nor the ravages OF disease. Asa Cutler
marked them all. He had not known OF
the disease. but there was no mistaking
it's nature; the temples were sunken, the
face pitifully thin: but the sight OF II
touched no chord Of pity in the old mans
heart instead. he inwardiy moralized
upon the end 70 which vice was sure 10
come. and was shaken with the old ire
that a son Of his. a child Of God-fearing
parents. should have wilfully come TO
this.
The furnishings Of the room. also.
shocked his instincts. The place was
large. going quite across the front of the
old-fashioned house. and Il had been
deeked out IN an attempt al the artistic
disorder OF a studio: as Il was. the cheap
hangings OF himsy cotton the few much
used chairs, the easel on which were
thrown a woman's coat and the outer
garments OF a child the dingy casts Of a
torso and of the Louvre Venus. all con-
tributed 10 the general untidiness OF the
place: nowhere could the majesty OF
death have seemed more out OF place
Asa Cutters innate sense Of order re-
volted; he looked upon the cheap casts as
upon the candles and crucihx-they were
alike symbols OF heresy. implements OF
the devil
But his mind did not long dwell upon
them; ne had come for the child He
waited in the studio perhaps five minutes.
and then crossed the room and knocked
upon a door which he thought might lead
into bedroom He had 10 repeat bis
knock more than once. however. before
any one replied; then the door opened.
and closed quickly behind a woman. Asa
Cutler realized at once that she was his
sons wife; her eTes wore the hard dry
ness Of bitter grief. and her face looked |
tired and wan, as if from long watching
and care.
Closing the door behind her, she stood
for moment with her hand stnl on it's
knob. looking intently into the mans
face. Asa Cutler returned her gaze with
one no less searching and as her eyes
did not falter before his frOwn. his law
tightened OminOusly. The woman seemed |
20 decide from her scrutiny that II was
useless TO waste time over preliminaries:
she need make no show Of courtesy to
Asa Cutler, and no form Of Introduction
was necessary between them: she had
the advantage OF knowing something Of
the old mans character. while he knew !
nothing whatever OF herself. beyond the /
fact that she wan the widow Of his son |
and the mother of his grandson. Her |
instinct told her what he had come for |
She spoke unfaiteringly; her voice was |
well mOdulated. and Asa Cutler was i'm /
mediately aware OF q refinement IN her !
which he had not expected-a refinement. |
indeed. which he himself did not possess /
II was one more reason for his dislike: he I
felt that she would use II as 4 weapon /
against his own crudeness Of the country |
bred
You have come too late, Mr.. Cutler" /
the woman said. There Is nothing for |
you to do here"
The old man was keen enough to mark /
the sarcasm beneath her quiet words and 4
he felt that all his suspicious against her
were confirmed. I am not too late for /
what 7 come TO do." he said. Where is |
the child?"
The woman looked at him FOR a mo- /
ment, then walked toward the place /
where her dead husband lay. and stood
beside him. There is your child" she
said, pointing downward.
Asa Cutler did rot move from his place.
He had no subtlety with which 10 meet /
hers Where's the boy, his boy?" he
demanded.
The woman lifted her white face and /
breathed deeply. You have nothing to
do with his boy. thank Cod" she said. I
very quietly. Here is your boy"
The old mans anger flashed out. and he |
stood before her threateningly. He was
no son Of mine. ] disowned him. II can't
ever De said that any son Of mine went 10
the devil Ike he did. That's why want
the boy I'm going TO save him from
going Ike his father"
All said the woman, .'he was no son
of yours? Then what claim have you to
a son of his?"
He's my grandson" Asa Cutler said.
He had been accustomed for lifetime
TO overcome his opponents by sheer force
OF will; only, his son Ralph had evaded /
it, and no one. until he encountered this
woman had met il with fearlessness- His
liOn-like front seemed to make no impress
sion on her, and her voice was not even
raised in an attempt 10 appear more
brave than she was. Asa Cutler knew
humanity in a shrewd way. and ne re-
allied that he was face 70 face with a
new force: but he meant TO meet and
overcome II.
You say you disowned your son." she
said quietly. Then you have no grand
son; this mans child is my child, and
now he belongs 20 me. TO me alone, and 4
to no one else in the world"
It was evident that Asa Cutler must
the first relationship If he
would claim the second. Well say he
was my son." he said harshly, in a louder
tone. He was my son. he was my son.
Now he's dead, amt he? Then I'm the
natural guardeen OF his child. I didn't
come here TO talk he added brutalIy. /
i come here TO get that boy. and / want /
you TO produce him. I'm going TO take
him home with me, and you may as well
give him up without any fuss"
The woman was still looking at him un-
falteringly- You are going 10 take him
home with you2" she asked mildly and /,
wnat are you going TO do with him, when
you get him homer"
m going 70 keep him out o the way
0f the devil. That's what I'm going TO II