The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-12

ANwSoNxS % "AH, YOU POOR, POOR LITTLE MoTHERi"
 HE SAID GENTLY. Temple continued to stand before her, grappling slowly with the horror, which loomed larger and darker. as 1t closed in on him. He stared from her to the safe. then back again. He. too, drew his hands across his eyes to cut out the picture of the woman who sank now on her knees before him, sobbing bitterly. convulsively.
 'I didn't think. you see. I couldn't think she moaned. ''I saw only my boys names branded through life"
 Still he did not speak.
 "Oh, why-why don't you say some thing? Why don't you curse meT'
 A vast. overwhelming pity surged up in Temples heart. Suddenly he forgot himself. his own horrible future. in tie picture of the woman he loved so abased-
 "Ah, you poor. poor little mother" he said at last very gently. He laid his hand on her bowed head ''Please get up." he said hoarsely.
 Anna rose and stepped back. her hands cIasred closely against her breast A light. akin to worship. shone in her eyes as she looked at him.
 ''That's what you have to say to me-" she breathed-''that? It is like the magnanimity of God. came into your life. dereiving you. spying upon you, cheating you. I've destroyed the one priceless thing that stood between you and prison. and now your thought is for me-my suffering and shamer'
 Impulsively she raised his hand to her lips and held it there for an in stint It was not caress. but a bene-- diction.
 ooh. you prince of princes among men, she said reverently. ''I have no words in which to tell you how I hon or you"
 Temple smiled sadly. remotely.
 "I-I think I can understand why you came. why you deceived me, why you did this terrible thing. You were fighting for your children and the man you believed in. and you fought to the bitter end. It was natural, suppose. I think I understand
 "No!' Annals voice was low, but steady now. and she spoke with sort of interpretive f1nality. ''No. it was not wholly natural. IT had to fight to do 1t all. It wasn't easy. this de ceiving you. this spying upon you. I had to go against my instinct every time-give the lie to my impulses. FPom the moment I saw you I must have been believing in you. think. And every day since I've been here I've been believing more and more. No. you see. 1t wasn't wholly natural. was fighting against hope"
 "But the hope fought. too, didn't 1t, dear?' he asked solemnly.
 A light leaped into her eyes.
 "Aye,'' said she. cit was a fighting hope. It fought. and it has won.' she whispered half to herself with trem- bling lips. looking far. far past him. And it was a joy to the man to see the smile in her eyes. "I know now with every faculty what my heart must have known from the first. know that Ives, I know" she shud- dered. ''but mustn't say it."
 "You love rpa!' cried he. 'NO. don't say it." He swallowed painfully. But it will be a comfort to think some times ti'2t a scrap of the very best that is in ycH IS mine. That can dc no harm. c9n it?'
 She could not answer for fear that her heart might tear from its moor ings.
 When she spoke it was an eminent 1y practical thing she had to say:
 ''There's some way at least; thank God, in which can repair little the injury l have done you. When your case comes up for trial can give my testimony, I can tell what became of that letter. I can repeat it, word for word. the foul thing. My testimony would have weight, would it not? It would have weight because it would be against my interest,"
 "It would have weight with the jury, yes" Temple nodded. A pause. "But' he hesitated. then went on bravely- ''no one knows of your having burned this letter."
 Mrs. Mason knows. She's an old friend of my mothers. l found her here by chance. She knows. but she won't speak. She's on Roberts side Oh. but she must speak. She mustr cried Anna. with sudden resolve. ssh must help in this. She must helI undo the wrong I have done. Rin. for her. please. I want her.
 Mrs Mason" said she when tE housekeeper entered. taking in the si, uation at glance. I've got to go court and tell what I've done. I'v got to tell the truth. My testimon means MT. Temples Iiberty-an more"
 The old New Englander had beer almost prepared for this. Neverthe- less she turned toward Burton Temple in indignant protest.