The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-05-21

son will cost you a great deal. my
dear"
You are mistaken. | do understand
myself" she said gravely. May |
speak plainly, Mr.. Brood?"
Certainly. | intend to speak plain
ly to you"
Frederic loves me. He does not
love YvOnne. He is fascinated, as
! also an fascinated by her, and you
too, Mr.. Brood. The spell has fallen
over all of us. Let me go on, please.
You say that Frederic loves like his
father before him. That is true. He
loves but one woman. You love but
one woman, and she is dead. You will
always love her. Frederic Is like you.
He loves Yvonne as you do-oh, |
know it hurts! She cast her spell owe
you, why not over him? Is he stronger
than you? Is it strange that she
should attract him as she attracted
you? You glory in her beauty, her
charm, her perfect loneliness, and yet
you love-yes love, Mr.. Brood-the
woman who was Fredeic's mother. Do
| make my meaning plain? Well, so 1t
is that Frederic loves me. ! am con
tent to wait. | know he loves me-"
Through all this, Brood stared at
her in sheer establishment. He had no
feeling of anger. no resentment. no
thought OF protest.
"You-you astound me, Lydia. Is
this your own impression or has 1t
been suggested to you by-by an
other?"
Il am only agreeing with You when
you say that he loves as his father
loved before him-but not lightly. All.
not lightly, Mr.. Brood"
you don't know what you are say
ing" he muttered.
"Oh. yes, l do" she cried earnestly.
"You invite my opinion; ! trust you
will accept it for what it is worth. Be-
fore you utter another word against
FsHSaric, let me remind you that !
have known both of you for a long,
long time. In all the years ! have
been in this house, | have never known
you to grant him a tender, loving
word. My heart has ached for him.
There have been times when / almost
hated you. He feels your neglect,
your harshness, your-your cruelty.
He"
Cruelty"
1T is nothing less. You do not like
him. l cannot understand why you
should treat him as you do. He shrinks
from you. Is it right, Mr.. Brood, that
a son should shrink from his father as
a dog cringes at the voice of an un-
kind master? might be Idle to un-
derstand your attitude toward him IL
your %unkindness was Of recent origin,
but"
Recent origin?" he demanded
quickly.
IF it had begun with the advent Of
Mrs. Brood" she explained frankly,
undismayed by his scowl. 81 do not
understand all that has gone before. Is
it surprising, Mr.. Brood, that your
son finds it difficult to love you? Do
you deserve"
Brood stopped her with a gesture Of
his hand.
"The time has come for %frankness
on my part. You set me an example.
Lydia. You have the courage of your
father. For months l have had 1t in
my mind to tell you the truth about
Frederic, but my courage has always
failed me. Perhaps / use the wrong
word. 1t may be something very un-
like cowardice that has held me back.
l am going to put a direct question to
you first of all, and l ask you to an
swer tr%uthfully. Would you say that
Frederic is like-that is, resembles his
father" He was leaning forward. his
manner intense.
Lydia was surprised. What an odd
thing to say! OF course he resembles
his father. l have never see a por-
trait of his mother, but"
"You mean that he looks like me?"
| demanded Brood.
when he Is angry he is very much
like you, Mr.. Brood. have often
dered why he is unlike you at other
times. Now l know. He is like his
mother. She must have been lovely,
gentle, patient"
wait! Suppose l were to tell you
that Frederic is not my son."
I should not believe you. Mr..
Brood" she replied fatty. What is it
that you are trying to say to me-"
will you understand if say to you
that-Frederic is not my SOM"
Her eyes filled with horror. How
can you say such a thing, Mr.. Brood?
He is your son. How can you say"
His fat r was the man who wrote
the accursed waltz he has just been
playing! Could there be anything
more devilish than the conviction 1t
carries? After all these years. he"
stop, Mr.. Brood"
II am sorry If l hurt you, Lydia. You
have asked me why l hate him. Need
l say anything more"
II do not believe all that You have