New Britain herald., 1927-06-21
My Sons S4|0eE!!eaG:!:S!! ]! Is .0, 0 ,o,eeaco r ,.n,u aznp.m ,blDA MeClON GIBSON
WlDA McClONf GIBSON,

lDA MCNNDNI O0OO<INN do not blame Her for holding against me.
 You did not know that I fel there was greater danger menac ing you at home-a danger to whicl death was preferable.
 Dear son, l have never said any thing about this before. but nov that it no longer threatens. I wan you to know that Lyra-oh, can not talk about it even now.
 T am very proud about you cross. my son. It will go iIto the ar chives of your family. whose mel have always been brave. no matter what their other failings may hav' been.
 T am sending you letter that must confess had disturbed me { little. I cannot fathom what ii means. for although it was ad. dressed and written to me. yet am sure it was meant for your un. derstanding alone.
 T know it was woman who wrote it, and I am wondering wh, she should think you the most splendid example of gentleman she had ever known. Some way the idea sticks that your sending to me for that s1,OoO had to do with this mysterious letter.
 T hope. son. it was a free gift and not a reparation.
 Dear. dear boy. I am praying carnage will cease and that soon again you will find within your strong arms.
 Your loving | Mother"
 Slowly Phillip Wynne Tracy " put down his mothers letter and looked around upon the pale and maimed wrecks of young men about him.
 How far away from all this, it seemed.
 He felt, as did so many of his fel- lows who were fighting and suf- fering on the French front. that the life he Tad known was really gone forever, and when the end of the war came-if it ever did-there would be no place for him back home.
 There was always some one to fill up the ranks, he thought, as he read again the paragraphs his mother had written about Major Aukland.
 This man had filled up the gap and comforted her while he had been away. As time went on, If he were still away, his influence would grow while that of her son would wane.
 He was loath to read the letter his mother had enclosed. He knew before he opened it that it was from "Glad.' but even it seemed to bring up only dream of his other life.
 At last he made himself unfold the single sheet of paper. It began:
 Twill you, dear mother of the dearest son ir all the world, let one whom you will never know congrat- ulate you on the fact that Phillip Wynne Tracy " is recovering from his wounds and that France has pinned upon him for bravery on the field Of battle a croiX de guerre.
 1T could not let the news go by without saying to you that you should be happy beyond all other women in this world, for you are the mother of the most splendid gentleman that l have ever met. To have known him. even slightly, has been salvation held out 10 one, who for it, will always be glad" He slowly tore the letter into tiny bits and dropped them into tn waste can. before he opened the one he knew was from Natlee. He wondered just what Natlee would think of the letter he had just destroyed. He wondered if some day he would tell her.
 Slowly he tore off the end of the envelope addressed in her hand, which he held in his hand. CHAPTER XXXIX \ Letter From Natlec Phillip Tracy did not realize that he had unconsciously delayed open. ing Natlees letter. for after what his mother had written about Je- rome Kenyon. he was almost afraid to read it's contents. Its first words, however. reassured him:
 My Darling:
 "Thank God. Wynne. you're still in the land of the living. Thank God. I can si; up here in my own little room, secure. I hope. from interruption, and put my thoughts on paper witb the feeling that some time you will read them.
 Even as ] write these words, feel that I am the wickedest girl on earth for being the least bit thankful for enything, when Rod is dead.
 Out of my window see across the street the old oak tree where you and l used to meet so often, and where RoG comforted me that last time when I knew that you had en- listed and were going to war
 T am sure you won't mind, Wynne, dear when I tell you that l have wished many times that I could have loved Rod instead of you. for love devotedly and sing { ly. Why know, if he thought at all after those cruel bullets hit him. it was with joy because he was sav- ing you for me.
 "Rodnev Maxwell loved me all his life. You have only allowed me 10 love you.