better.
It may help you to understand your husband; although, God grant,
knowledge like mine may never come to you.

"Of one thing I am certain, you will never have anything to do with
the woman who abused my friendship and took your father from me. I
cannot carry my forgiveness far enough, even in the presence of death,
to bid you go to him if she be still a part of his life.

"I can write no more, my darling. I want you to know that you have
been the dearest child a mother could have, and that you have never
given me moment's uneasiness in my life. God bless and keep you.

"MOTHER."

I did not weep when I had finished the letter. There was that in its
closing words that dried my tears. I put the pages reverently in
the envelope, laid it in the old box, closed and locked the lid, and
replaced it in the trunk. For my mother's bitter mention of the woman
who had stolen my father from her had brought back the old, wild
hatred I had felt for so many years.

"Whatever Robert Gordon can tell me of you, mother darling, I will
gladly hear," I whispered, as I locked her old trunk, "but I never
want to hear him talk of the woman who so cruelly ruined your life."

XXXV

THE WORD OF JACK

"O, pray do not let me disturb you."

Mother Graham drew back from the open door of the living room with
a little affected start of surprise at seeing me sitting before the
fire. Her words were courteous, but her manner brought the temperature
of the room down perceptibly.

She had managed to keep out of my way in clever fashion since the
scene of the day before, when she had attacked me concerning the
interest taken in me by Robert Gordon.

"You are not disturbing me in the least," I said, pleasantly, "I was
simply watching the fire. Jim certainly has outdone himself in the
matter of logs this time."

"Yes, he has," she admitted, grudgingly, as she came forward slowly
and took the chair I proffered her. "I only hope he doesn't set the
house afire with such a blaze. I must tell Richard to speak to him
about it."

Always the pin prick, the absolute ignoring of me as the mistress of
the house. I could not tell whether she had deliberately done it, or
whether long usage to dominance in a household had made her speak as
she did unconsciously.

I made no reply, and, for a long time, we sat staring at the fire
until Dicky's entrance came as a welcome interruption.

I went sedately to the door to meet hi