Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-12-05
CONTINUED from yesterday)

last the woman appeared to sleep
and when she opened her eyes again.
her gaze had become clear and lucid.
"Iiave you sent for them?" she
asked.
Yes. sent for them" answered
the old woman. lowering her voice
10 natural pitch. Tho girl is
here"
Patty? Where Is she?"
Drawing hcr hand from Corinna's
clasp, Patty moved slowly to tho
head OF the bed. and standing there
beside tho dcformcd old woman. she
looked down on tho upturncd face.
II came as promised. Can
help you?" she asked: and her voice
was so quiet, so rcprcssed. that Co
rinna looked at her anXionsly. How
much had the girl understood? And.
if she understood. what difference
would II make In her iife-and in
Stephens life?
II couldn't tell you the other day
because OF julius" said tho woman,
in strangled tone. II couldn't
say things before julius Then.
CHANGING toward the door, she
asked brcathlessiy. Didn't Gideon
Vetch come with you?"
Father" responded Patty. won
deringly. DO you want father to
Gomez
smile crossed the woman's face,
and she made a movement as IL she
wanted to raise her head. DO you
pleased voice.
AZ the question. Corlnna sprang
up and made an impulsive step for
ward. "Oh. DON'T" she cried out
plcadincly Don't toll her!"
But he Is my father" Patty's tone
was stern and accusing. lie is my
father"
Tho smile was still on tho woman's
face: hut while Corinna wEtched IT,.
she realized that It was unlike any
smile she had ever seen before In
her lite--a smile OF satisfaction that
was nj the Same time one OF re-
linGuishmcnt.
They thought I was married to
him" she said slowly. Julius
thought. or pretended to think. that
he could harm him by making me
swear that I was married to him.
They gave mo drugs ] would have
done anything for druEs-and / did
that! But the old woman there
knows better. She's got n paper. l
made her keep it-about Patty
Don't" cried Corinna again In a
sharper tone. "oh. can't you SEQ that
you must not Toll hcr.
For the first time the woman
turned her eyes away from the girl.
1T is because of Gideon Vetch." she
answered slowly. ~ may get we'll
again. and then I'll he sorry"
But he would rather you
wouldn't" Corinna's voice was full
Of pain. You know-you must
know. II you know him at all. that
lie would rather you spared her"
Know him." repeated the woman.
and she laughed with a dry rafting
sound. Il don't know him. I never
saw him but once In my life"
You never saw him hut once"
The words came SO slowly from Pat
over them. But you said that you
knew my mother"
Again the woman made that dry.
rattling sound in her chest Your
mother never saw him hut once" she
answered Erimly. she never saw
him hut once. and that was for 4
quarter OF an hour on the night they
were taking hcr to prison. I would
never have told hut for Julius" she
added. Il would never have told IL
they hadn't tried to make out that ]
knew him. and that he was really
your father. II would ruin him.
'h'H Hhih' qua 'hhl WIS Wndt tncN
wanted. Hut when they bring II
out. with the paper they got me to
sign. want you to know that IL is
a l!e-that | did 1t because I'd have
died II hadn't got hold OF the
drugs"
But he is my father" repeated
Patty quite steadily-so steadily that
her voice was without color or feel
ing.
The only reply that came was a
srasping sound. which grew louded
and louder. with womans strue-
gle for breath until 1t seemed Ia
NIL the room and the night outside
and even the desolate sky. AS she
cripple under her head and her
streaming hair the spasm passed
like stain over her face, changing
It's waXen pallor to the color OF
ashes. while a dull purplish shadow
encircled her mouth. For a few
minutes. so violent was the strue-
gle for air. il appeared to Corinna
that nothing except death could ever
quiet that acnnized easping: but
while she waited for the end. the
sound became gradually fainter. and
the woman spoke quite plainly.
though with an effort that rackcd
h'' 'HiN HfI StTdnEiPu cnpSt,
her entire body. Each syllable came
so slowly. and now and then so
family. that there were moments
when II seemed that the breath in
that tormened body would not last
until the words had been spoken.
You were going on three years
old when he first saw you. They
were taking me away to prison
that's over now, and ii don't matter
but ! hadn't any chance" The
painting began again: but by force
OF Will. the woman controlled il ar
ter minute, and went on. az If she
were measuring her breath inch by
inch, almost as IL IL were material
substance which she was holding in
reserve for the end. Your father
died the first year l married him, and
things went from bad to worse
there's no use going over that, no
use. They were taking me to pris-
on from the circus, and had YOU
in my arms. when Gideon Vctch
came by and saw me" Again
there was pause and desperate
battle FOR air; and again. after Il was
over. she went on in that strangIcd
whisper, while her eyes. like the
eyes of drowning animal. clunr
l.