The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1915-07-23

ldlu Luo lOuuudllOu LUZ Lbs lew LUZ
tune.
He spoke Of the morrow without the
faintest indication in his manner thai
it was to bring a crisis in his own at
fairs. His brow was clear, his eye
sparkling, his serenity undisturbed
If there was a thought in his mind
of Yvonne he did not betray 1t by 9
single outward manifestation. His in
terest was conferred in the two young
people and their immediate future. II
would have been easy to believe, as
he stood there chatting gayly, that
there was no one else in all the world
SO far as he was concerned. Quite
casually he expressed regret that poor
old Dawes and Riggs were to be left
behind, but Of Yvonns lot so much as
a word.
Lydia was something of a diploma
fist. She left father and son after a
few minutes, excusing herself on the
ground that she wished to have good,
long chat with Yvonne. She did not
delay her departure, but hurried into
the house, having rather adroitly pro-
vided Frederic with an. opening for
( an intercession in behalf Of his lovely
stepmother. Her meaning glance was
not wasted on the young man.
He lost no time in following up the
advantage See here, father, don't
like the tdes Of leaving Yvonne out in
the cold, SO 10 speak. lists pretty
darned rough. don't you think? Down
in your heart you don't blame her for
what she started out to do, and after
all she's only human. Whatever hap
pened in the past we-well, It's all in
the past. She"
Brood stopped him with an impera-
tive gesture. my son. will try to
explain something to you. You may
be able to understand things better
than /. l fell in love with her once
because an influence that was her own
overpowered me. There was some
thing of your mother in her. She ad-
mits that to be true and / now believe
it. ; Well, that something-whatever it
was-is gone. 1t can never return.
She is not the same. Yvonne is The
reese. She is not the woman l loved
two months ago. She"
Nor am 1 the boy you hated two
months ago." argued Frederic. Isn't
there a parallel to be seen there, IA
Their? am your son. She is your
wife. YOU"
There never was a time when /
really hated you, my son. / tried to
but that is all over. We will not rake |
up the ashes. AS for my wife-well
have tried to hate her. 1t is impossible |
for me to do so. She is wonderful
woman. But you must understand on
the other hand that I do not love her.
I did when she looked at me with your
mothers eyes and spoke to me with
your mothers lips. But-she is not
the same"
"Give yourself chance, dad"
: "a chance? What do you mean?
Just this: You will come to love
her for herself If only you will let go
Of yourself You are trying to be
hard. YOU"
Again Brood interrupted. His face
had gone very pale and his eyes grew
dark with pain.
you don't know what you are say
ng, Frederic. Let us discontinue the
subject"
Il want you to be happy want"
81 shall be happy. am happy. Have
not found out the truth? Are you
lot my beloved son? Are"
"And who convinced you of all that,
ir? Who is responsible for your pres
mt happiness-and miner"
II know, know" exclaimed the ia ;
her In some agitation.
You'll regret 1t all your life If you
all her now, dad. Why, hang 1t all, ]
on're not an old man. You are less I
han fifty. Your heart hasn't dried up
ct. Your blood is still hot. And she is
lorious. Give yourself chance. You
now that she's one woman in mil
on, and---she's yours' She has made {
on happy-she can make you still
appier."
mo, am not old. l am far younger I
han was fifteen years ago. That's 9
hat am afraid of-this youth real
7 never possessed till now. II gave t
'ay to 1t now Pd-well, l would be .
Ike putty in her hands. She could q
o on laughing at me, trifling with me. q
,oling me to-"
She wouldn't do that!" exclaimed c
Is son holly. u
IL don't blame you for defending
er. It's right that you should. l, too, L
sfend her In way. You are forget y
ng the one important condition, how p
yer. She has point Of view of her
vn, my son. She can never reconcile b
srself to the position you would put y
,r in ii permitted you to persuade 81
9 that" u
II can tell you one thing, father,
at you ought to know-if you are 20 d.
ind that you haven't discovered It e.
r yourself She loves you" al
my son. you are dealing with . lie
aver mystery than you can possibly to
specific secret heart of wom-
i" ST
well, I'm sure of IL father-I am
sure Of it." bt
You speak Of giving myself q ~