Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-08-06

up this fight against me. fou-you
know she was innocent he said IN a
low, unsteady voice.
And why | have hated you, ale!
But what you do not understand ID
how ! could have brought myself TO
the point Of loving you
Loving me! Good heaven, woman,
what do YOU"
Loving you in spite of myself" she
cried, beating upon the table with her
hands. Il have tried to convince my
self that 1t was not | but the spirit OF
Matilde that had come to lodge n my
treacherous body. | hated you for
myself and / loved you for Matllde'
She loved you to the end. She never
hated you. That was 1t. The pure
deathless love Of Matilde was constant
ly fighting against the hatred | bore
for you. | believe as firmly as l be-
lieve that | am alive that she has been
near me all the time, battling against
my insane desire for vengeance. You
have only to recall to yourself the mo-
ments when you were so wildly re-
minded OF Matilde Valeska. At those
times | am sure that something OF Ma
tide was in me. | was not myself. You
have looked into my eyes a thousand
times with a question in your own
Your soul was striving to reach the
soul Of Matilde. All, all these months
have known that you loved Matilde-
not me. You loved the Matilde that
was in me. You"
Il have thought Of her-always OF
r her-when you we're in my arms
? Il know how well you loved her."
! she declared slowly. 81 know that you
] went to her tomb long after her death
was revealed to you. | know that years
] ago you made an effort to find Fever
ELI. You found his grave, too, and you
could not ask him, man to man, II you
had wronged her. But In spite oil all
that you brought up her boy to be sac
rificed as"
"I-l-good God, am | to believe
u you? If he should be my SON. nc
cried, starting up, cold with dread.
u "He Is your son. He could be ne
other mans son. | have her dyint
word for 1t. She declared it In thu
presence of her God. Wait! Where
are you going?"
II am going down to him!"
mot yet, James. | have still NOR
TO say to you-more to confess. Here
Is Take this package of letters. Rea'
10 them as you sit beside his bed-no
ne his deathbed, for | shall restore hir
to health, never fear, II he were t
ia die. | should curse myself to the en-
al of time, for | and | alone would hav
been the cause. Here are her letter
10 and the one Feverelli wrote to he
This Is her deathbed letter to you. An
10 this Is a letter to her son and yours
et- You may some day read 1t to him. An
Ier here-this Is a document requiring m
'u' to share my fortune with her son.
TN Is q pledge that took before my
lot Their died n few years ago. II the be
10 ever appeared, he was to have II
er- mothers share Of the estate-and It
Ter not an inconsiderable amount, jaime
He is independent Of you. He net
TAI ask nothing of you. | was taking hi
home to his own"
as She shrank slightly as he stood ov
om her. There was more Of wonder al
pity In his face than condemnatlc
el' She looked for the anger she had {
pected to arouse in him. and W
v" dumfounded to see that 1t was not
vealed in his steady, appraising eye
Your plan deserved a better ff
than this Therese. 1t was prodigiou
p q IL can almost pity you"
Sod "Have-have you no pain-no reg
her no grief?" she cried weakly.
You yes" he said. controlling hims
ich. with difficulty. Eyes, | know all The
in and more" He picked up the pa
Sc age of letters and glanced at the S
lay, s~cription on the outer envelope. S
ac- denly he raised them to his lips a
,out with his eyes closed, kissed the wo'
/. | that were written there. Her hi
her drooped, and a sob came into
the throat. She did not look up until
began speaking to her again, Quie
,ted even patiently. But why should y
even in your longing for revenge-v
90. should you have planned to humili
,ord and degrade him even more thai
Won. could have done? Was 1t just to y
sisters son that you should blight
lii life, that you should turn him int
skulking, sneaking betrayer? W
would you have gained in the end?
req loathing, his scorn-my God, Their
HUI did you not think of all this?"
81 have told you that | thought
everything. | was mistaken. | did
poor stop to think that | would be tai
she him away from happiness in the sh
fore Of love that he might bear for some
man. else did not know that there W;
after lydia Desmond. When ! came to kr
my heart enftened and my purpose
most of its force. He would have /
safe with me, but would he have |
able banpy? | could not give him the
Oxen of love that Lydia promised. ! C
70 Of only be his mothers sister to him.
was not in love with me. He ha
went WAYS loved Lydia. | fascinated hi
ou TO Just as | fascinated you. lie would
have gone away with me- even