Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1911-11-02
CHAPTER xII.--continued.


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 a disad-
vantage.
II 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 adyan-
tage of this entering wedge into the
mans mantle OF cold reserve.
Flesh and blood" she went on
earnestly, lis of mutual interest. Your
BOn is yours whether you cast him off
or not. You've got to hear me. l am
not asking anything for myself. It's
for him, your son. He's in trouble.
Don't desert him at a moment like
this. Whatever he may have done to
deserve your anger-don't-don't deal
him, such a blow. You cannot realize
what 1t means in such a critical situa-
ton. Even if you only pretend to be
friendly with him-you don't need to
5sally 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 go back on him. You
know what the world is. People will
condemn him because you condemn
him. They won't even give him a
bearing, yor Gods sake, don't go
back on him now!"
Mr.. Jefft1es turned and walked to-
yard the window, and stood there ga
cling 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 "a
Tiers heart. Gravely he said:
"Of courae 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
fighting to save her husband, not to
make the Seffries family think better
Of her. Quickly she answered:
well, all right-Tm responsible
but don't punish him because of me-"
Mr.. J~effries looked at her.
Who was this young woman who
championed 80 warmly his own son?
She was his wife, Of course. But wives
of a 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. Hesltating-
~, he said:
Il could have forgiven him every
thing, everything but"
But me-" she said promptly. II
know it. Don't you suppose l feel it,
too and don't you suppose it hurts?"
Mr.. Jeffries stiifened up. This WON.
an was evidently trying to excite his
s~ympathies. The hard, proud express
sion came back into his face, as he an
Bwered CURLY:
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 che not resented the insin-
uation in this cruel speech. For a mo-
SnenJ she forgot the importance of
preserving amicable relations, and she
retorted:
"Such a woman as me? That's rret-
~ plain, But you'll have to speak
even more plainly. What do you raean
when you say such a woman as me?
What have l done?"
Mr.. Jeffries looked out OF the win
dow gthnus asSwering, ard she went
wi