The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-07-16

MIN. He was loyal to Lydia and 4
himself"
And what did he think OF your" de
manded Brood scornfully.
IF you had not come upon US here
he would have known me for who an
and he would have forgiven me. hat
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 ol
you as IA what shall / say?"
"A bad woman? Perhaps. I did not
care. 1t WAS part of the price was to
pay in advance. / would have told him
everything as soon as the ship on
which we sailed was outside the har
Dor yolider. That was my intention
| and / know you believe me when / say
that-there 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
have hurt him since he was 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. I am not sure, James, that you
are not entitled to this miserable, I'M
happy love have come to feel for you
my own love, not Matilde's."
"You-you are saying this so that /
may refrain from throwing you out in
to the street"
mol" she cried, coming to her feet.
Il shall ask nothing of you. If I am
to go it shall be because / have failed.
l have been 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" said
he steadily.
You despise me?''
Il cannot ask you to stay here
after this"
But shall not go. have duty
to perform before | leave this house. /
intend to save the life of that poor boy
SO that he may not die be-
lieving me to be an evil woman,
faithless wife. Thank God, have &C.
complished somethingi You know that
he is your son. You know that my sis
that you killed her and that she loved
you in spite of the death you brought |
to her. That is something. That"
Brood dropped into the chair and |
buried his face on his quivering arms. |
In muffied tones came the cry from his |
soul. They've all said that he is like |
me. have seen it at times, but would |
not believe. i fought against it, reso-
utely, madly, cruelty! Now it is too
ate and see! / see, feel! Damn you
-oh, damn you-you have driven me
o the killing of my own son!"
She stood over him, silent for long
line, her hand lowering above his
lead.
HE is not going to die" she said at
asst, when she was sure that she had
ull command of her voice. 81 can
,romise you that, James. l shall not
20 from this house until he is we'll.
hall nurse him back to health and
i've him back to you and Matilde, for
low know that he belongs to both of
GU and not to her alone. Now, James,
GU may go down to him. He is not
onscious. He will not hear you pray
lg at his bedside He"
A knock came at the door-a sharp,
Imperative knock. 1t was repeated sew
raj times before either of them could D.,
ummon the courage to call out. They
'ere petrified with the dread of some /,
hing that awaited them beyond the +,
losed door. It was she who finally :.
allied out: Come ini"
Doctor Holder, coatless and bare
rmed, came into the room. >
CHAPTER XXI.