oolly firm little self, the bang of authority back in her voice.

"You can't marry Louis Latz."

"Can't I? Watch me."

"You can't do that to a nice, deserving fellow like him!"

"Do what?"

"That!"

Then Mrs. Samstag threw up both her hands to her face, rocking in an
agony of self-abandon that was rather horrid to behold.

"O God! why don't you put me out of it all? My misery! I'm a leper to my
own child!"

"Oh--mamma--!"

"Yes, a leper. Hold my misfortune against me. Let my neuralgia and
Doctor Heyman's prescription to cure it ruin my life. Rob me of what
happiness with a good man there is left in it for me. I don't want
happiness. Don't expect it. I'm here just to suffer. My daughter will
see to that. Oh, I know what is on your mind. You want to make me out
something--terrible--because Doctor Heyman once taught me how to help
myself a little when I'm nearly wild with neuralgia. Those were doctor's
orders. I'll kill myself before I let you make me out something
terrible. I never even knew what it was before the doctor gave his
prescription. I'll kill--you hear?--kill myself."

She was hoarse. She was tear splotched so that her lips were slippery
with them, and while the ague of her passion shook her, Alma, her own
face swept white and her voice guttered with restraint, took her mother
into the cradle of her arms and rocked and hushed her there.

"Mamma, mamma, what are you saying? I'm not blaming you, sweetheart. I
blame him--Doctor Heyman--for prescribing it in the beginning. I know
your fight. How brave it is. Even when I'm crossest with you, I realize.
Alma's fighting with you dearest every inch of the way until--you're
cured! And then--maybe--some day--anything you want! But not now. Mamma,
you wouldn't marry Louis Latz now!"

"I would. He's my cure. A good home with a good man and money enough
to travel and forget myself. Alma, mamma knows she's not an angel.
Sometimes when she thinks what she's put her little girl through this
last year she just wants to go out on the hilltop where she caught the
neuralgia and lie down beside that grave out there and--"

"Mamma, don't talk like that!"

"But now's my chance, Alma, to get well. I've too much worry in this big
hotel trying to keep up big expenses on little money and--"

"I know it, mamma. That's why I'm so in favor of finding ourselves a
sweet, tiny little apartment with kitch--"

"No! Your father died with the world thinking him a rich man and t