The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-04-30
CHAPTER vi.
The SPREADING Glow,

The Spreading Glow.
Yvonne Lestrange, In q way, had
been born to purple and fne linen. She
had never known deprivation Of any
description. Neither money, position
nor love had been denied her during
the few years in which her charm and
beauty had flashed across the great
European capitals, penetrating even to
the recesses Of royal courts. It 10
doubtful II James Brood knew very
much concerning her family when hs
proposed marriage 20 her, but 1t Is Ger
tain that he did not care. He first saw
her at the home Of q British nobleman,
but did not meet her. Something in
tho vivid, brilliant face Of the woman
made deep and lasting impression
on him. There was an instant when
their eyes met through an opening In
tho throng which separated them. He
was not only conscious of tho fact that
he was staring at her, but that she
was looking ct him in curiously pens.
trating way. There was q hooking
smile on her lips at the time. He saw
1t fade away, even as the crowd came
between. He knew that the smile had
not been intended for him, but for
some Of the eager cavaliers who sur
rounded her, and yet there was some.
thing smsularly direct In the look she
gave him.
That single glance in the dukes
house proved to be a fateful one for
both. They were married inside Of Q
month. The virile. confident American
had conquered where countless sup.
plants Of more or less noble char
acter had gone down to defeat.
He asked but ono question Of her,
she asked none Of him The fact that
she was the intimate friend and asso-
ciate Of the woman in whose home ho
met her, was sufficient proof of her
standing in society, although that
would have counted for little so far a.
Brood was concerned.
She was the daughter OF a baron,
she had spent much Of her life In
Paris, coming from st. Petersburg
when . young girl; and she was an
orphan with an Independent fortune Of
her own. Such common details ~
these came to Brood in the natural
way and were not derived from any Of.
fort on bis part to secure information
concerning Mademoiselle LestransA.
Like the burnt child, he asked a ques.
ton which harked back to an unfor.
gotten pain.
Have you ever loved a man deeply.
devotedly, Yvonne-so deeply that
there is pain in the thought Of himf"
She replied without hesitation.
There Is no such man. James. You
may be sure Of that"
Il am confident that l can hold your
love against the future, but no man 10
vital enough 10 compete with the past.
Love doesn't really die, you know. II
! man cannot hold q womans love
against al newcomers, he deserves to
lose 1t. It doesn't follow. however, that
he can protect himself against the
man who appears out Of the past and
claims his own"
you speak as though the past had
played you an evil trick" she said.
He did not mince words. Years
Ago . man came out Of the past and
.ook from me the woman | loved and
"Your-your wife," she asked In 4
1oice suddenly lowered.
YES" he said quietly.
She was silent for long time. Z
wonder at your courage In taking tn
1sk again." she said.
Il think I wonder at 1t myself" said
10. mo. l am not afraid" he went OF,
u II convincing himself that thssc
vas no risk. Il shall make you ,sy.
No to the end. Yvonne. | am na1
Ifra!d. But why do you not ask -
or aIl the wretched storyr