The Sins of the Father Part 83

She smiled at him tenderly:

"It's beautiful to hear you say that, dearest, but our dream has ended!"

She stooped, took up the bag and coat, paused and looked into his face with the hunger and longing of a life burning in her eyes:

"But I shall keep the memory of every sweet and foolish word you have spoken, every tone of your voice, every line of your face, every smile and trick of your lips and eyes! I know them all. The old darkness will not be the same. I have loved and I have lived. A divine fire has been kindled in my soul. I can go into no world so far I shall not feel the warmth of your love, your kisses on my lips, your strong arms pressing me to your heart--the one true, manly heart that has loved me. I shall see your face forever though I see it through a mist of tears--good-by!"

The last word was the merest whisper.

The boy sprang toward her:

"I won't say it--I won't--I won't!"

"But you must!"

He opened his arms and called in tones of compelling anguish:

"Helen!"

The girl's lips trembled, her eyes grew dim, her fingers were locked in a cruel grip trying to hold the bag which slipped to the floor. And then with a cry she threw herself madly into his arms:

"Oh, I can't give you up, dearest! I can't--I've tried--but I can't!"

He held her clasped without a word, stroking her hair, kissing it tenderly and murmuring little inarticulate cries of love.

Norton suddenly appeared in the door, his face blanched with horror. With a rush of his tall figure he was by their side and hurled them apart:

"My G.o.d! Do you know what you're doing?"

He turned on Tom, his face white with pain:

"I forbid you to ever see or speak to this girl again!"

Tom sprang back and confronted his father:

"Forbid!"

Helen lifted her head:

"He's right, Tom."

"Yes," the father said with bated breath, "in the name of the law--by all that's pure and holy, by the memory of the mother who bore you and the angels who guard the sanct.i.ty of every home, I forbid you!"

The boy squared himself and drew his figure to its full height:

"You're my father! But I want you to remember that I'm of age. I'm twenty-two years old and I'm a man! Forbid? How dare you use such words to me in the presence of the woman I love?"

Norton's voice dropped to pitiful tenderness:

"You--you--don't understand, my boy. Helen knows that--I'm right. We have talked it over. She has agreed to go at once. The carriage will be at the door in a moment. She can never see you again"--he paused and lifted his hand solemnly above Tom's head--"and in the name of Almighty G.o.d I warn you not to attempt to follow her----"

He turned quickly, picked up the fallen bag and coat and added:

"I'll explain all to you at last if I must."

"Well, I won't hear it!" Tom cried in rage. "I'm a free agent! I won't take such orders from you or any other man!"

The sound of the carriage wheels were heard on the graveled drive at the door.

Norton turned to Helen and took her arm:

"Come, Helen, the carriage is waiting."

With a sudden leap Tom was by his side, tore the bag and coat from his hand, hurled them to the floor and turned on his father with blazing eyes:

"Now, look here, Dad, this thing's going too far! You can't bulldoze me.

There's one right no American man ever yields without the loss of his self-respect--the right to choose the woman he loves. When Helen leaves this house, I go with her! I'm running this thing now--your carriage needn't wait."

With sudden decision he rushed to the porch and and called:

"Driver!"

"Ya.s.sah."

"Go back to your stable--you're not wanted."

"Ya.s.sah."

"I'll send for you if I want you--wait a minute till I tell you."

Norton's head drooped and he blindly grasped a chair.

Helen watched him with growing pity, drew near and said softly:

"I'm sorry, major, to have brought you this pain----"

"You promised to go without seeing him!" he exclaimed bitterly.

"I tried. I only gave up for a moment. I fought bravely. Remember now in all you say to Tom that I am going--that I know I must go----"

"Yes, I understand, child," he replied brokenly, "and my heart goes out to you. Mine is heavy to-night with a burden greater than I can bear. You're a brave little girl. The fault isn't yours--it's mine. I've got to face it now"--he paused and looked at her tenderly. "You say that you've been lonely--well, remember that in all your orphan life you never saw an hour as lonely as the one my soul is pa.s.sing through now! The loneliest road across this earth is the way of sin."

Helen watched him in amazement:

"The way of sin--why----"

Tom's brusque entrance interrupted her. With quick, firm decision he took her arm and led her to the door opening on the hall:

"Wait for me in your room, dear," he said quietly. "I have something to say to my father."