Manchester Democrat., 1911-04-26
CHAPTER xll.-contlnued.

81
He halted. looking as II he would
like to escape. but there was no way
Of egress. This determined-looking
young woman had him at q disad.
vantage.
Il do not think" he said icily, that
there is any subject which can be of
mutual interest"
"oh, yes. there is." she replied Gag
erly. She was quick to take advan-
tage Of this entering wedge into the
mans mantle of cold reserve.
Flesh and blood" she went on
earnestly, us OF mutual interest. Your
son is yours whether you cast him OF
or not. You've got to hear me. / am
not asking. anything for myself. It's
for him, your son. He's in trouble.
Don't desert him at moment like
this. Whatever he may have done to
deserve your anger-don't-don' deal
him such blow. You cannot realize
what II means in such critical situa-
tion. Even II you only pretend to be
friendly with him-you don't need to
really be friends with him. But don't
you see what the effect will be If you,
his father. publicly withdraw from his
support? Everybody will say he's no
good. that he can't be any good or his
father wouldn't 60 back on him. You
know what the world is. People will
condemn him because you condemn
him. They won't even give him a
hearing. For Gods sake, don't go
back on him now!"
. Mr.. Jeffries turned and walked to-
ward the window, and stood there ga
zing on the trees on the lawn. She
did not see his face, but by the ner-
vous twitching of his hands behind
his back, she saw that her words had
not been without effect. She waited
in silence for him to say something.
Presently he turned around, and she
saw that his face had changed. The
look of naughty pride had gone. She
had touched the chords of the ia
ther's heart. Gravely he said:
"Of course you realize that you,
above all others. are responsible for
his present position"
She was about to demur, but she
checked herself. What did she care
what they thought of her? She was
fghting to save her husband, not to
make the Jeffries family think better
OF her. Quickly she answered:
Well. all right-I'm responsible
hut don't punish him because of me"
Mr.. Jeffries looked at her.
Who was this young woman who
championed 80 warmly his own son?
She was his wife. of course. But wives
Of certain kind are quick to desert
their husbands when they are in trou-
BILE. There must be some good in the
girl, after all. he thought. Hesitating.
", he said:
81 could have forgiven him every.
thing. everything but"
-But me-" she said promptly, 81
know it. Don't you suppose feel It.
too. and don't you suppose it hurts 2"
Mr.. Jeffries stiffened up. This won.
an was evidently trying to excite his
sympathies. The hard, proud express.
sion came back into his face, as he an.
swered curtly:
Forgive me for speaking plainly,
but my sons marriage with such a
woman as you has made it impossible
to even consider the question of recon
ciliation."
With all her efforts at self-control.
Annie would have been more than
human had she not resented the insin.
nation In this cruel speech. For mo.
ment she forgot the Importance of
preserving amicable relations, and she
retorted:
Such woman as me? That's pret.
ty plain. But you'll have to speak
even more plainly. What do you mean
when you say such a woman as me?
What have done?"
Mr.. Jeffries looked out of the win.
dow without answering, and she went
on:
II worked in factory when / was
nine years old. and I've earned my
living ever since. There's no disgrace
in that, is there? There's nothing
against me personally-nothing dis
graceful, mean. know I'm not edu.
Gated. I'm not lady in your sense
Of the word. but I've led decent life.
There isn't a breath of scandal against
me-not breath. But what's the
good Of talking about me! Never mind
me. I'm not asking for anything.
What are you going to do for him?
He must have the best lawyer that
money can procure-none of those
barroom orators. Judge Brewster,