The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-12-29
..r,,+ seems impossible to yous" sh'

.rs - saems impossible to you' oAa
demanded. .,w
81 An nm 70 sn o for myself and not
CO., NV brother" stephen replied. Msn
nv, ~. him who are assailed by ceI''',u
Inv laanass are best left alone Win !"
That is why 1 came to you 10 paa s ~n-
If 7 could. Is there anything 'n"' sno-
,oct-anvthing which your own SUI
nasc and YOUR lover. or lovers have
foi,ed TO provide for you!
II was useless to try to rlse' sue
was powerless in all her llmDs. o.ue
hr eide with the anger and horror lIa'
bic words aroused was a sense OF solue-
thing almost grotesque, solnetnln
which seemed to force an unn"''A
laugh from her lips.
$50 YOU want to buy me oHF
81 should be glad to believe that u
vos within my power to do so. nave
NOT Johns great fortune, but naVs
money the accumulated savings OK a
lifetime, for which l have no oet'ei
purpose. There is one more tnlng' 'oo'
to baasid."
"AASEher charger
mot that" he told her; "only It Is
better for you to understand that II
YOU turn me from your house tais
morning, shall still feel the necessity
Of saving my brother from you"
Saving him from me-" she ex'
claimed, rising suddenly and throwing
out her arms. do you know what
you are talking about? Do you know
that II l consented to think of your
brother as my husband, there Is not @
man In London who would not envy
him? Look at me! am beautiful, am
I not? / am q great artist. l am Lou
Use Maurel, and I have made myself
famous by my own work and my own
genius. What HAS your brother done
in life to render him worthy OF the
sacrifice 1 should make If l chose to
give him my hand? You had beter
20 back to Cumberland, Mr.. Strange
wey. You do not see life as we see 1t
up here"
"And what about John?" he asked.
without moving. "You tempted him
away. Was 1t from wantonness, or do
you love him?"
"Love him?" she laughed. Il hate
you both! You are boors-you are
ignorant people. hate the moment l
ever saw either of you. Take John back
with you. Take him out of my life,
There is no place there for him!"
Stephen picked up his hat from the
sofa where 1t lay. Louise remained
perfectly still, her breath coming quick
ly, her eyes Lit with passion.
Madam" he said, 81 am sorry to
have distressed you, but the truth
sometimes hurts the most callous Of
us. You have heard the truth from
me- 1 will take John back to Cumber-
land with me, if he will come. II he
will not"
'Take him with you'll" she broke In
fiercely. 'He will do as bid him-do
you hear? If I lift my little finger, he
will stay. It will be I who decide.
I"
"But you will not lift your little fin.
GER" he interrupted grimly.
''Why shouldn't !, just to punish
your? she demanded. There are
scores of men who fancy themselves in
love with ME. If choose, 1 can keep
them all their lives hanging to the
hem Of my skirt, praying for a word, a
touch. l can make them furious one
day and penitent the next-wretched
always, perhaps, but I can keep them
there. Why should I rot treat your
brother in the same way?'
He seemed suddenly to dilate. She
was overcome with sense of some lat
ent power in the man, some command
ing influence.
Because" he declared, 81 am the
guardian of my brothers happiness.
Whoever trifies with it shall In the fin,
ture reckon with mel"
His eyes were fixed upon her soft.
white throat. His long, lean fingers
seemed suddenly to be drawing near
to her. She watched him, fascinated.
she was trying to scream. Even after