Charlevoix county herald., 1909-07-31

as she passed the breath of rare per-
fume she affected floated to his nos
trils. He did not watch her. as had
been his custom, but looked steadily
In the blue light of the hre. Once
before he had passed through a similar
experience. At least, he had found
himBelf in an unpleasant positioa. The
girl was desperately in love, declaring
he had encouraged her, while he had
never given her anything bat frank
comradeship. He remembered dis
tinctly it had not affected him in the
slightest Now 1t was different, and
why? Involuntarily, he sighed. The
woman heard 1t and instantly arose.
He was not aware that she had I'm.
ished until he felt her hand, caressing
in its tenderness, on his shoulder, and
her warm lips against his forehead.
Tell me-" she pleaded piteously;
tell me what is wrong"
He almost shook her away. Her
beauty, the perfume of lilies, the whole
truth of her love vitality plain, angered
him more at each moment.
Watt" he cried sharply. I'VE have
made horrible mistake. Perhaps l
am more to blame, but never
dreamed you thought of me In such
light. / do not love you" He was
fully aware that his tone and attitude
were brutal; but he knew he must
finish. Il did not intend it. l craved
your friendship SO that l was utterly
blind to consequences. Forgive me.
and ii ! go with your forgiveness,
won't feel the coward that am"
The woman was leaning YEARLY
against the chair She looked every
year of her true age, but there was a
pitiful sadness about her mouth and in
her wide. startled eyes.
1T was a mistake she said calmly,
yet her breath came fast and hard,
and, as though to master herself, she
placed her frail hand to her breast. Il
did not intend to let it go on, but
could not prevent it. l love you," she
raised burning, hungerins eyes.
He buried his face in his hands and
stammsrsd some inarticulate words,
which were drowned in his throat.
"Ah, but listen, dear one" she bent
forward, wild ring in her voice. Il
love you as a mother loves a child, for
you are my child"
He sprang to his feet. his face white
and drawn, the psrspiration standing
out boldly on his forehead
1T is not worth while to go over the
miserable story. He told you when
you were old enough to ask for me
that he divorced me because he
thought me an unworthy wife and
mother, and he compelled me, to re-
linQuish all rights to you, my own
boy. He poisoned your mind against
me until you finally forgot in some
word; life isn't much when all the
sweetness is taken away. / waited all
these years until l heard of his mar
riage and residence abroad, then
came, for my poor heart was hungry,
starving for sight of you. So
slipped quietly into your life to learn
the nature of your feelings towards a
! mother you had never known. You
could not help believing what you did.
| l can forgive you, dear, all that, and
| go away with the sweet satisfaction of
having experienced the only breath of
happiness I've known since l gave you
BIRTH
For the brevity Of a second a weird
sensation of creepiness stole through
him. Then he looked at her standing
before him, wondrously lovely with a
moistness in her gray eyes and an in
jured sadness quivering at her mouth.
Mother" he said, with great
hungering joy, and he clasped her to
his heart and kissed her trembling
lips.