Williams news., 1916-05-25

"Yes, It Is ], the Unlucky Penny" Jr1nIng thought most Of us give that word! The law of compensation. For ten years Elsa has been the flower O the corn for me. She almost loved me. And one day she sees you; and in that one day all that had gained was lost, and all that you had lost was gained. The law of compensation. Sometimes we escape retribution, but never the law of compensation. Some months ago she wrote me a letter. She was always direct. It was just letter"
 A pause. Arthur gazed steadily at the portrait, while Warrington twist ed his yellow beard.
 "The ways of mothers are mysteri- ous," said the latter, finally. He won- dered if Arthur would confess to the blacker deed, or have it forced from him. He would wait and see. "The father and the mother weren't happy. Money. There's the wedge. It's in every life somewhere. A marriage of convenience is an unwise thing. When we were born the mother turned to us. Up to the time we were six or seven there was no distinction in her love for us. But on the day the father set his choice upon me, she set hers upon you. You'll never know how l suffered as boy, when I saw the distance growing wider and wider with the years. Per haps the father understood, for he was always kind and gentle to me. l eX- pect to return to China shortly. The Andes has taken me back. Sounds like fairy tale; eh? I shall never re- turn here. But did you know who Elsa Chetwood was?"
 Not until that letter came"
 Neither of them heard the faint gasp which came from behind the portieres dividing the study and the living room. The gasp had followed the invisible knife-thrusts of these con- fidences. The woman behind those portieres swayed and caught blindly at the jamb. With cruel vividness she saw in this terrible moment all that to which she had never given more than a passing thought. No reproaches; only a simple declaration of what had burned in this boys heart. And she had almost forgotten this son. A species of paralysis laid hold of her, leaving her for the time incapable of movement.
 She heard the deep voice of this other son say: Lots of kinks in life. There is only one law that l shall lay down for you, Arty. You must give up all idea of marrying Elsa Chet- wood"
 1t will be easy to obey that. Are you playing with me, Paul?"
 "Playing?" echoed Warrington.
 "Yes. Do you mean to sit there and tell me that you don't know why l shall never marry herr"
 Arthur read the truth in his broth CTS eyes. He smiled weakly, the anger gone. Same old blind duffer you always were. I wrote an answer to her letter. In that letter told her the truth
 You did that?"
 q am your brother, Paul. I couldn't be a cad as well as a thief. Yes, told her. l told her more, what you never 4 knew. let Craig believe that l was you, Paul. I wore your clothes, your scarfpins, your hats. In that was a black villain. God! What a hell lived in. An, mother!" Arthur dropped his head upon his arms again.
 Paul, my son!"
 It was Warrington's chair that top | pied over. Framed in the portieres stood his mother, white-haired, pale but as beautiful as of old
 "I am sorry. 1 had hoped to get away without you knowing" "Why?"
 "Oh, because there wasn't any use oi my coming at all. I'd passed out of | your life, and I should have stayed out Don't worry. I've got everything mapped cut. There's a train at mid night"
 Arthur stood up Mother, I am the guilty man. l was the thief. All these years I've let you believe that Paul had taken the money.
 "Yes, yes!" she interrupted, never | taking her eyes off this other sen. q heard everything behind these cur tains. You were going away, Paul without seeing me?"
 What was the use of stirring up old matters? Of bringing confusion into this house?" He did not look at her He could not tell her that he now knew what had drawn him hither that all along he had deceived him self
 Paul, my son, have been wicked