The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-06-19


convinced that he would go! La
Provencel"
Good God in heaven!" he gasped,
dropping suddenly into a chair and
burying his face in his shaking hands
What viii this mean to Lydia-what
will she do-what viii become of herr"
culver of pain crossed the wom-
ans face, her eyelids fell as if to shut
out something that shamed her in
spite of all her vainglorious protesta-
tions. Then the spirit Of exaltation re-
sumed its sway.
You cannot marry Lydia now" she
said, affecting a sharpness of tone that
caused him to shrink involuntarily. 1T
is your duty to write her letter to-
night, explaining all that has hap
pened today. She would sacrifice her
self for you today, but there is-to-
morrowi A thousand tomorrows, Fred
eric. Don't forget them, my dear.
They would be ugly after all, and she
is too good, too fine to be dragged
into"
you are right" he exclaimed, leap
ing to his feet at would be the vilest
act that man could perpetrate.
Why-why it would be proof Of what
he says of met would stamp me
forever the bastard he-No, no, could
never lift my head again If were to
do this utterly vile thing to Lydia He
said to me here-not an hour ago
that he expected me to go ahead and
blight that loyal girls life, that
would consider it a noble means Of
self-justifcation! What do you think
Of that? He But waitI What is
this that we are proposing to do?
Give me time to think Why-why,
can't take you away from him,
YvonneI God in heaven, what am I
thinking of? Have no sense Of
honor? Am L"
you are not his son." she said,
significantly.
But that is no reason why I should
stoop to a foul trick like this Do
do you know what you are suggest
ing?" He drew back from her with a
look of disgust in his eyes. No! I'm
not that vile! I"
Frederic, you must let me"
ST don't want to hear anything
more, Yvonne. What manner of woun-
an are you? He is your husband, he
loves you, he trusts you-oh, yes, he
doesI And you would leave him like
this? You would"
'eHushI Not so Ioud!" she cried, in
great agitation
.And let me tell you something
more Although I can never marry
Lydia, by heaven, 1 shall love her to
the end of my life. 1 will not betray
that love. To the end Of time she shall
know that my love for her is real and
true and"
Wait! Give me time to think" she
pleaded. He shook his head reso-
Iutely. do not judge me too harshIy.
Hear what I have to say before you
condemn me. I am not the vile crea-
ture you think, Frederic. Wait! Let
me Think"
He stared at her for a moment in
deep perplexity, and then slowly drew
near. 81 do not believe you mean to
do wrong-I do not believe it Of you.
You have been carried away by some
horrible"
Listen to me-" she broke in, fierce
~. '1 would have sacrificed yOu-ay,
sacrificed you. poor boy-for the joy
it would give me to see James Brood
grovel in misery for the rest Of his
life. OH" She uttered a groan Of
despair and selfIoathing so deep and
full of pain that his heart was chilled
Good Lord. Yvonne!" he gasped.
dUmfounded.
DO not come near me-" she cried
out, covering her face with her hands.
For a full minute she stood before him,
straight and rigid as a statue, q tragic
| figure he was never to forget Sud
denly she lowered her hands. To his
surprise, a smile was on her lips. You
would never have gone away with me
1 know it now. All these months
have been counting on you for this
very hour-this eliminating hour-and
now 1 realize how little hope 1 have
really had, even from the beginning
| You are honorable. There have been
/ times when my influence over you was
such that you resisted only because
you were loyal to yourself-not tC
Lydia, not to my husband-but tC
/ yourself 1 came to this house with
but one purpose in mind l came here
to take you away from the man who
has always stood as your father.
would not have become your mistress
-pah! how loathsome it soundsl But
I would have enticed you away, be
Iieving myself to be justified. I would
have struck James Brood that blow
He would have gone to his grave be
lieving himself to have been paid in
full by the son Of the woman he had
degraded, by the boy he had reared
for the slaughter. by the blood"
"In Gods name, Yvonne, what is
this you are saying? What have you
against my-against him?"
What! I shall come to that
did not stop to consider all that
should have to overcome. First, there
was your soul, your honor, your in
tegrity to consider. I could see moth
ing else but triumph over James
Brood. To gain my end il was neces
| sary that I should be his wife. I be
came his wife-I deliberately took that
step in order to make complete my
! triumph over him. I became the wife
OF the man I hated with all my soul
Frederic. So you can see how far
was willing to go to-ah, it was a hard