The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-22
The Greater Love A NEW ROMANCE By VIRGINIA TERHuNE VAN DE
 WATER
A NEW ROMANCE
CHAPTER VII

ShttBEh VII
 Kenneth Lang dreamed that he was cold Then, slowly. he became aware that his dream was the result of his actual sensations.
 The rain had ceased and cool breeze was blowing through his room. He had gone to sleep under one sheet. Now he needed more GOV 1 ering.
 At first he could not remember where he was. Then, as he tried to turn, pain brought the recollection of what had happened. He groaned softly. His arm felt as 1t was in the grip of some cruel monster. So potent had been the sleeping draught administered by pr. Grant that, in spite of the pain. the suf- ferer was still drowsy. But for the fact he might have reached out for an extra blanket. He felt powerless to make this effort.
 A step sounded on the threshold of his room. He lay very still. Someone approached his bed softly and a blanket was drawn up over his shoulders. He stirred, muttered an expression of thanks. "Sh-shw someone whispered. DO not try to talk Go to sleep again. I was afraid you might feel cold. There has been sudden change in the weather
 Then, as quietly as she had entered the intruder glided from the room, closing the door behind her. Of course it had been Ruth Grant. Kenneth Lang reflected. Or per- haps the Martha" of whom father and daughter had spoken. He hoped that it was Ruth-not Martha. Had his senses been more alert he might have detected which person 1t was. Her whisper had been so low as to be hardly distinguishable. The warmth of the wollen cover ing was most grateful to him. It re- minded him of how, when he was a small boy, his mother had sometimes come into his room to lay an extra blanket over his small form. There had been something almost motherly in the touch of someone-Ruth or Martha<who had just been here.
 Motherlyi The word set him to thinking of his own mother. He knew that in many respects she had not beea like other boys mothers She had always been self-absorbed-- fond of society--always wishing that she lived in another place than Sax vile, where heS husbands business kept him. Had she loved her boy as deeply as most parents loved their sons, she would not have given up her home as soon as Kenneth Lang, ST., died.
 But she had confessed frankly that she hated Saxville, and now, that she could do as she pleased, she pro- posed to spend most of her time In New York, coming to the small town only at intervals to visit her son. Mrs. swinnerton his landlady, could always put her, up" Tor week or two at a time.
 For that matter, Mrs. Lang had stayed in Saxville very little for some years before her husbands death. While the married pair were not actually separated, it was evil dent to their son that they had little in common-that their living to- gether was more for appearance than from inclination.
 That his mother was tired of his father Kenneth could not help know ing. That the bankers death was Q relief rather than grief to the wife, the young man also knew. But he had tried to force Che thought of al. this from his mind. In his heart he was aware tkat he had loved his father better than his mother. He had said as much to his father one day in an outburst of confidence.
 
 head reproyingly
 Son. Son" he had protested. "She is your mother. Never forget that. do not know how much longer I shall be here-but when l . am gone always remember that you are to treat her with the deference due her as the woman who bore you and cared for you--her only child"
 Kenneth had remembered this con versation when his father died of heart disease three years ago. He tried to show his widowed mother all the consideration possible. When she told him that she would miss her husband too much were she to con- tinue to live in Saxville, he pretended to believe her.
 She was ambitious for her only child. Kenneth was sure that was why she had approved of his atten-