The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1915-12-04

GU ulI lliGt
7 am your brother. Paul couidn'r
be cad as " ell as 4 thIet Yes / told
her | told her more what goa never
knew / let CraIs believe that / was
you, Paul | wore your clothes. you,
scarfpns your hats In that VAS
black villain God! What hell
! lived n An, mother" Arthur
dropped his head upon his arms again
Paul, my SOM
1t was Warrington chair that top.
pled over Framed in the portieres
stood his mother, white haired. pale
but as beautiful as OF Old
Il AIN sorry | tad hoped t0 get
away Without you knowing"
Why"
oh. because there wasn't any use of
my coming a all n passed cut Of
your HE. and should have STAYED
out Don't worry I've got everything
mapped out There's train at mid,
night
Arthur stood up. Mother, am the
guilty man ! was the thief. Al these
lad taken the money
Yes, yes," she Interrupted, never
taking her eyes Off this other son Il
/ 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 al her.
He could not tell Ter that he now
knew what had drawn him hither.
| that all along he had deceived him
self
Paul, my son, have been a wicked
! woman"
Why. mother. you mustn't talk like
| that"
wicked! My son, my silent, kind
! ly, chvalric boy, will you forgive your
mother? Your unnatural mother?"
He caught her before her knees
| touched the floor; ard. ali! how hun
| grily her arms wound about him.
What's the use of lying?" he cried
brokenly My mother! wanted to
! hear your voice and feel your arms.
! You don't know how | have always
| loved 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 shoulders. now moving with
| silent stabbing sobs. he held out his
! hand to his brother Presently. above
! the two bowed heads. WarringtOns
| own rose TRANSPORTED with happiness.
The hall door opened and closed but
none of them regarded it.
BY and by the mother stood away.
but within arms length. How big and
strong you have grown, Paul"
In heart. too, mother" added Ar
thur. "Old Galahad!"
You must never leave US again.
Paul. Promise"
May | always come back?"
"Always!" And she took his hand
and pressed it tightly against her
cheek Always! All. your poor blind
mother!"
ALWAYS to come back! |
am going to China in little while. to
take up the work have always loved.
the building of bridges"
And am going, tool" 1t was Elsa
at her journeys end.
Jealous love il keen of eye. There
was death in Arthur's heart, but he
smiled at her After all. what was
more logical than that she should APP
pear at this moment? Why sip the
cup when it might be drained at once
over with and done with?
"EIsa." said the mother. holding
Warrington's hand in closer grasp.
Yes. mother. All, why did you not
tell me all?'
! Arthur walked to the long window
that opened out upon the garden.
There. for a moment. he paused. then
passed from the room.
go to him, mother" said Elsa. wise
ly and with pity.
The mother hesitated. pulled by the
old and the new love, by the fear that
the new-found could be hers but lit
tie while Slowly she let Paul's hand
fall. and slower still she followed Ar
| thurs footsteps.
Il wasn't quite brave enough" he
said. when she found him. They love.
! And love me we'll, mother. for | am
the broken man.
She pressed his head against her
heart. MY boy!" But her glance was
| leveled at the amber-tinted window
! through which she had come.
TO Warrington, Elsa was little
thinner, and of color there was none;
| but her eyes shone with all the splen-
dor of the oriental stars at which ne
had so often gazed with mute inquiry.
| "Galahadt" she said and smiled.