The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-12
: 9 The |N
 NOvelized by VIRGINIA LEILA WENTZ
(Continued.l

faint smile She rose to her feet Did turn up my eyes to heaven wabble once and overwhelm you. Mir Temple? I've seen 1t done like that on the stage; 1t looks melodramatic. I'm sorry" She was talking frivO- lously against the awful blackness of despair in the background of her mood.
 ''Now. Mrs. Mason" Temple said. with big kindliness, "help Miss Dale to her room. lock her Tn if need be. and don't let her show her face until tomorrow at noon- Strict orders, you understand" he added smilingly. ''She's oVerworked. Oh. and Miss Dale, I'm so sorry to trouble you, but just one moment before you go. Would you mind giving me that combination 50 that I can jot it down?" Suiting the action to the words, he pulled out q book of memoranda.
 'T''- In very bewildered. pathetic fashion Anna Granger's hands went up to her heavy masses of hair. Its my dizzy. dizzy head. Mir. Temple" said she. 'T-rm afraid I can't re- member the combination just now.'
 @WelI, never mind,' returned he gently. There's a later train I can take, and when 1t comes to you just send 1t down by Mrs. Mason. Good evening, and sleep well tonight. I've lots to say to you tomorrow. Miss DaIe,'' he called after them in down right boytsh fashion. His burden of months had been lifted, and he was coming to his own again.
 Once in the privacy of her own room Anna told Mrs. Mason everything. She sat there now. twisting and untwisting her hands in silence. her face very white. her pupils wide and black.
 ''And now" she began hgain duly. ''I shall have to go before the man I have wronged and make my awful confession. l shall have to face the first big look of incredulity sweeping over him; then the tightening of his lion lips and lastly, perhaps, the pity of his eyes. Oh. I can't. I can't never knew before that I was cow ard But I am, I amp
 Anyhow, dearie,'' ventured Mrs. Mason. you've done your duty toward your children-you have cleared their name"
 ''Not really haven't, not really and truly Why, Mrs. Mason, I've just told you their fathers guilty-guilty as he'll And to think I shall have to go
 
 my life with that man." Her brows twitched and she trembled-
 ''Yes," pursued the stern old Purf- tan who, because of a peculiar twist of conscience, could see the matter p-Ey from one side. "It's the debt you owe the boys. Anna. No woman has any right to give helpless souls the wrong father And when the day of reckoning comes it's she must pay not the children she's betrayed into life. Oh. look here! Here's something I was just going to bring you when Mir. Temple rang the bell for me. It had just come in the post"
 From her pocket Mrs. Mason drew an envelope. out of which she took two en. losures.
 They sent them to me. as I told them" she explained to the wan moth CT, handing her the chiIdren's letters.
 Harold w=ites pretty well for five. doesn't he. Mrs. Mason observed Anna with pride, opening the younger boys missive first And she read aloud:
 Dear Mother-when are you coming home? I am well. I hope you are well. had stomach ache. The cat had kit tens Are you coming home next week? Robbie says he Is going to be president. He's been 1t every day this week. Won't you please make Robbie not be president every day right aIong7 He lets me be vice president. but that's no fun. When are you coming home? Very respectfully, your son, HAROLD GRANGER"
 "And what does Hobbies letter say?'' asked Mrs Mason as Anna stopped to wipe the foolish little mother tears from her eyes.
 
 a sorrowful pride In her voice. ''Bobs has never left off calling me 'Muddie.' Mrs. Mason. Don't you think it's dear and pretty of him ?)-Do- not worry. Every thing Is quite all right. Harold had the stomach ache, but thatS all right too. Harold misses you when go to bed, but don't, not till after Harold's got to sleep. Your son,
 ROBERT GRANGER NO. 2''
 "He signed it Robert Granger No. 2. the second,'' finished she, drawing a long. sobbing breath. "Oh, my boys, my boys! Whatever can do to scotch the criminal traces of Robert Granger the first that may be running in your blood?'
 Mrs. Mason considered it the mo- ment for interfering on Roberts be half.
 He just made one terrible mistake, Anna. that's all''
 'I don't know" said Anna, slowly shaking her head. "I don't much think that temptation develops any qualities. good or bad. not tempta- tion at least that has any deliberate consent of the will. No. 1t doesn't de- velop them. It only shows a man what he already is. Temptation's a test, that's all.
 "Why, you see he wasn't even man enough to come to me and tell me that he'd been tempted. Instead he must offer the plea of a martyr-fool me, trick me, lie to me. I can't stand a lying man. Again she seemed to smell the sickening, cloying honey ESckleS.
 CHAPTER VIII.
 THE FIGHTING EOPE.
 o A &1ys ARIacy