The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-12-10

H II 4k1CA bLLA JOON
him. He was loyal to Lydia and to
himself"
And what did he think of you?" de-
manded Brood scornfully.
IF you had not come upon US here,
he would have known me for who | am
and he would have forgiven me. had
asked him to go away with me- He re-
fused. Then ! was about to tell him
the whole story of my life, of his life
and of yours. Do you think he would
have refused forgiveness to me? No!
He would have understood.
But up to that hour he thought of
you as "a what shall say"
"A bad woman? Perhaps. did not
care. 1t was part Of the price was to
pay in advance. l would have told him
everything as soon as the ship on
which we sailed was outside the har-
Dor y0nder That was my intention,
and l.kn0W you believe me when | say
that-sthere was nothing more IN my
mind, Time would have Strengthened
| everything out for him. He could have
had his Lydia, even though he went
away with me- Once away from here,
do you think that he would ever re-
turn? No! Even though he knew YOU
| to be his father, he would not forget
that he has never been your son. You
have hurt him since he was a babe.
Do you understand? do not hate you
now. 1t is something to know that you
have worshiped her all these years.
You were true to her. What you did
long, long ago was not your fault. You
believed that she had WrOnged you.
But you went on loving her. That is
what weakened my resolve. You loved
her to the end, she loved you to the
end. Well in the face Of that, could
go on hating you? You must have
been worthy of her love. She knew you
better than all the world. You came
to me with love for her in your heart
You took me, and you loved her all the
time. am not sure, James, that you
are not entitled to this miserable, un
happy love have come to feel for you
my own love, not Matildes."
"You-you are saying this so that
NAV refrain from throwing YOU out In
to the street"
moi" she cried, coming to her feet
81 shall ask nothing of you. If an
to go it shall be because have failed
have been a blind, vain-glorious fool
The trap has caught me instead of you
and shall take the consequences.
have lost-everything!"
Eyes, you have lost everything" sail
he steadily.
you despise me?"
81 cannot ask you to stay here
, after this"
But | shall not go. have a dut
to perform before leave this house.
intend to save the life of that poor bo
downstairs, so that he may not die be
lieving me to be an evil woman,
faithless wife. Thank God, have AZ
, complished something! You know tina
: he is your son. You know that my siI
8 ter was as pure as snow. You kno'
Q that you killed her and that she love
you in spite of the death you brougt
to her. That is something. That"
Brood dropped into the chair an
bufied his face on his quiVering arm
4 In muff1ed tones came the cry from b
:, soul. They've all said that he is liz
:, me. l have seen it at times, but woul
= not believe. / fought against it, res
\ lutely, madly, cruelty! Now 1t Is tc
a late and see! see, / feel! Damn yc
% oh, damn you-you have driven n
to the killing of my own son!"
4 She stood over him, silent for lor
I time, her hand lowering above b
4 head.
q HE is not going to de-" she said
Il last, when she was sure that she ht
a. full command of her voice. 81 CT
" promise you that, James. shall n
Ia 70 from this house until he is well.
10 shall nurse him back to health al
G give him back to you and Matilde, f
n now I know that he belongs to both
m YOU and not to her alone. Now, JAIME
you may go down to him. He is n
~ conscious. He will not hear you pre-
"A ing at his bedside. He"
n A knock came at the door-a shal
- imperative knock. 1t was repeated Sc
=. eraI times before either of them cou
a. summon the courage to call out Tn
were petrified with the dread OF son
- thing that awaited them beyond t
~ ~ closed door. 1t was she who tnal
" called out: Come I'M"
Doctor Holder, coatless and pa
e' armed, came into the room.
Elf CHAPTER XXI.