The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-13


told you; your fathers family, and the
family of-of-another = man. Your
father and this other man were both
my suitors. But my uncle tried every
means in his power to turn your
father away from me to my cousin,
while he secretly encouraged the at
tentfons of the other man to me.
Your fathers blood was of the best
in Virginia. A soldier, as the men Of
his, family. had always been, he had
already won, by conspicuous gallantry
the rank OF colonel in the Indian
wars"
What was he like?"
: The Iron Gray Woman turned her
eyes and studied him, so long, so in
tently, that he trembled lest>hi ques-
tlon-a question that came in spite Of
him-had startled her into silence.
Like you" she resumed, "and not
like you. His eyes were blue, his hair
light. Your hair is dark like mine.
Your eyes like mine. But he had the
same height and breadth of shoulder:
IKE you, slow of speech, slow - to
strike, till the ripe instant came
then, as the hawk strikes.
L never liked~the other man; though
my uncle made it impossible for, me
completely to discourage his atten-
TONS" Her words dropped back into
the memory groove worn deep by the
years. Il Kept up. show of interest
IN him, also, for the sake of my
cousin. She really loved him, and it
was the only way she could get to see
MN He was a very handsome man;
though, as it afterward turned out,
the black sheep of his family, and
deeply involved in debt. It was to re-
PAIR his wasted fortunes, as 1 now be-
lieVe, that he deliberately planned to
win my cousins heaE-and hand"
Inc cough threatened to come back
She held her hands tight upon her
breast till she had mastered it, and
then hurried on as if afraid her
strength might. not hold to say all that
had to be said.
THE very boldness of him fascin-
ated my cousin. Day by day his pow
er over her grew greater. never
realized how great till one night,
without. taking even me into her con-
fldence, she utterly astonished us all
by clipping with him. 1 will never
forget the day that followed. My I'M
Gle disowned her, and sent after her
message that she was never again
and swore; drank himself into drunk
en- madness; and finally ended by
driving me away, also.
Your father had already declared
himself. My uncle's cruelty fastened
out marriage. That same dav he
took me to his home as his bride-to
the beautiful gray mansion overlook
ing the river. We've sometimes passed
1t in our neutrality-suspicious. came a
wistful pause-:but 1 never allowed
you to know.
There followed year of such
happiness as 1 never knew could
come to this world-a year that has
lett barren all the years that fol-
lowed; that beggared all that went
before! One evening, almost a year
TO day afterward, as l sat rocking
you, baby in the cradle, and waiting
Tor your father to come in, thinking
strangely enough, of my cousin, whom
l had never seen since the night of
the elopement, a slight sound at one
OF the low windows caused me to
turn. l was far steadier nerved than
L am now, but / could hardly keep
back scream. There stood my cous-
ms husband. He was speaking in q
half whisper. But for the moment l
was too startled to make out what he
said. He came out from behind the
curtains and drew near. shrank
away. In 10 WHISPERS, for the maids
We're just outside the door, he was
begging me to leave your father and
come to him-that he had never loved
my cousin-that 1 must come-that
1t was always me. l couldn't move.
He came close-stooped over me. A
second and his hands would have
been upon me, but 1 sprang up and
shrank away.
"a step sounded in the hall. Half
frantic, I tried to push him back to-
ward the window. At the instant the
door opened, and in it-your father:
with the maids behind him. 1 never
knew man's~fac could look as his
looked. I sank into a chair. and hid
my eyes.
. How long has this been going
on p he Numbered"
(To be continued tomorrow