The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-04-16

girl or miserable foreigner or heaven
knows"
Freddy. You are beside yourself.
Your father would not marry cheap
show girl. You know that, And you
must not forget that your mother was
foreigner"
His eyes fell. I'm sorry l said
that" he exclaimed, hoarsely.
Lydia, leaning rather heavily
against the door, spoke to him in q
low, cautious voice.
did you tell Mr.. Dawes and Mr..
Riggs?"
He stopped short. mo! And they
waited up to see if they could be Of
any assistance to him in an hour Of
peril! What a joke! Poor old beg
CARS! I've never felt sorry for them
before, but, on my soul, l do now.
What will she do to the poor old
chaps? ! shudder to think of it, And
she'll make short work of everything
else she doesn't like around here, too.
Your mother, Lydia-why, God help
us, you know what will just have to
happen in her case. It's"
Don't speak so loudly, dear-please,
please! She is asleep. Of course,
we've shan't stay on, Freddy. Well
have to 20 as soon as"
His eyes filled with tears. He seized
her in his arms and held her close.
It's beastly, beastly shame, darling.
Oh, Lord, what fool man can make
of himself"
You must not say such things" she
murmured, stroking his cheek with
cold, trembling fingers.
But why couldn't he have done the
fine, sensible thing, Lydia? Why
couldn't he have-have fallen in love
with-with your mother? Why not
have married her if he had to marry
someone in"
Freddy" she cried, putting her
hand over his mouth.
She kissed him swiftly. Her cheek
lay for second against his own and
then, with stified goodnight, she
broke away from him. An instant
later she was gone; her door was
closed.
The next morning he came down
earlier than was his custom. His
night had been troubled one. For
getting his own wOes-or belittling
had thought only of what
this news from the sea would mean
to the dear woman he loved so well.
No one was in the library, but huge
ire was blazing. A blizzard was rag
ing out-OfdOors. Once upon a time,
when he first came to the house, q
piano had stood in the drawing-room.
His Joy at that time knew no bounds;
he loved music. For his years he was
no mean musician. But one evening
his father, coming in Unexpectedly,
heard the player at the instrument.
For moment he stood transfXed In
the doorway watching the eager, al
most inspired face of the lad, and
then, pale as ghost, stole away with
put Disturbing him. Strange to say.
Frederic was playing dreamy waltz
If Ziehrer's. waltz that his mother
lad played when the honeymoon was
n the full The following day the
,iano was taken away by a storage
company. The boy never knew why
t was removed.
He picked up the morning paper.
His eyes traversed the front page rap
dly. There were reports of fearful
weather at sea. The Lusitania was
seven hundred miles out and
n the heart of the hurricane. She
would be day late.
He looked up from the paper. Mrs.
Desmond was coming toward him,
queer little smile on her lips. She
was a tall, fair woman, an English
.ype, and still extremely handsome.
Hers was an honest beauty that had
10 fear Of age.
"She is stanch ship, Frederic" she
said, without any other form of greet
ng. "She will be late but-there's
'eally nothing to worry about"
I'm not worrying" he said con-
'usedly. Lydia has told you the
he news?"
"Yes."
Rather staggering, isn't it," he said
with wry smile. In spite Of himself
le watched her face with curious in
entness.
Rather" she said briefly.
II suppose you don't approve Of the
way L"
II know just how you feel, poor
boy. Don't try to explain. l know"
"You always understand" he said,
owering his eyes.
mot always" she said quietly.
well, it's going to play hob with
everything" he said, tanning his
hands deep into his pockets. His
shoulders seemed to bunch forward
and to contract.
Il am especially sorry for Mr.. Dawes
and Mr.. Riggs" she said. Her voice
was steady and full of earnestness.
do they know"
"They were up and about at day