Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-07-14

would have called You defaulter;
that's because you had access to the
safe, whereas l had none" Arthur
WINGED Il don't propose to disillusion
the mother. am strong enough to go
away without seeing her; and God
knows how my heart yearns, and my
ears and eyes and arms"
| Warrington reached mechanically for
the portrait in the silver frame, but
Arthur stayed his hand
NO, Paul; that is mine"
| Warrington dropped his hand, puz-
zled. II was not going to destroy it,
ironically.
No; but in sense you have de-
stloyed me. Compensation. What
trifling thought most of us give that
wo.d. The law Of compensation. For
ten years Elsa has been the flower q
the corn for me- She almost loved me.
And one day she sees you; and in that
one day all that had gained was lost,
an6 all that you had lost was gained.
The law Of compensation. Sometimes
we escape retribution, but never the
law of compensation. Some months
ago she wrote me letter. She was al
ways direct. 1t was just letter"
| A pause Arthur gaZed steadily at
the portrait, while Warrington twisted
his yellow beard.
THE ways of mothers are mysteri-
ous," said the latter finally. He Won
dered if Arthur would confess to the
blacker deed, or have it forced from
him. He would wait and see. THE
father and the mother weren't happy.
| Money. There's the wedge. It's in ev-
cry life somewhere. A marriage Of
convenience is an unwise thing. When
we were born the mother turned to us.
| Up to the time we were six or seven
there was no distinction in her love
for us. But on the day the father set
his choice upon me, she set hers upon
! you. You'll never know how 1 suffered
as a boy, when l saw the distance
growing wider and wider with the
years. Perhaps the father understood,
for he was always kind and gentle to
me. I expect to return to China short
| ly. The Andes has taken me back.
Sounds like a fairy-tale; eh? l shall
never return here. But did you know
who Elsa Chetwood was?"
Not until that letter came"
Neither of them heard the faint gasp
which came from behind the portieres
dividing the study and the living
room. The gasp had followed the in
visible knife -thrusts of these conf
dences. The woman behind those por-
there's swayed and caught blindly at
the jamb. With cruel vividness she saw
in this terrible moment all that to
which she had never given more than
passing thought. No reproaches:
only a simple declaration of what had
burned in this boys heart. And she
had almost forgotten this son. A spe-
| cies of paralysis laid hold Of her, leav-
| ing her for the time incapable of move
ment.
She heard the deep voice of this 9TH
son say:
Lots of kinks in life. There is only
one law that 1 shall lay down for you,
Arty. You must give up all idea of
marrying Elsa Chetwood.'
1T will be easy to obey that. Are
you playing with me, Paul?'
| Playing" echoed Warrington.
"Yes. Do you mean to sit there and
tell me that you don't know why shall
never marry herr"
"Arty, l don't understand what
you're talking about"
| Arthur read the truth in his broth
er's eyes, He smiled weakly, the anger
gone. Same old blind duffer you al
ways were. l wrote an answer to her
letter. In that letter told her
| the truth"
You did that?"
Il am your brother, Paul. 1 couldn't
he a cad as we'll as thief. Yes, I told
her. told her more, what you never
knew. let Craig believe that l was
you, Paul. l wore your clothes, your
scarf pins, your hats. In that l was a
black villain. God. What hell / liv-
ed in. All, mother" Arthur drop
ped his head upon his arms again.
Paul, my son!"
1t was Warrington's chair that top
pied over Framed in the pOrtieres
stood his mother, white-haired, pale
but as beautiful as of old.
Il am sorry. l had hoped to get
away without your knowing"
"Why?"
"Oh, because there wasn't any use of
my coming at all. I'd passed out of
your life, and l should have stayed out.
Don't worry. I've got everything map
ped out There's a train at midnight"
Arthur stood up. Mother, l am the
guilty man. l was the thief. All these
years I've let you believe that Paul had
taken the money
Yes, yes!" she interrupted, never
taking her eyes off this other son. 81
heard everything behind these cur
tains. You were going away, Paul,
without seeing me-"
What was the use of stirring up old
matters? OF bringing confusion into
this house," He did not look at her.
He could not tell her that he now knew
what had drawn him hither. that all
along he had deceived himself
Paul. my son, have been a wicked
woman"
Why. mother, YOU mustn't talk like
that"
Wicked! My son, my silent, kindly,
chivalric boy, will You forgive your
mother? Your unnatural mother"
He caught her before her knees
touched the floor, and, ah! how hun
grily her arms wound about him.
What's the use of lying" he cried
brokenly My mother. l wanted tn
! hear your voice and feel your arms.
You don't know how have always low
ed you. 1t was long time, very long
time Perhaps | was to be blamed. |
was proud, and kept away from you.
Don't cry. There there! can go away
now, happy" over his mothers shOul-
ders. now moving with silent stabbinG
| SobS he held out his hand To his broth