by Thomas Dixon
CHAPTER XXVII
A SURPRISE
For a while Norton stood with folded arms gazing at Cleo, his eyessmouldering fires of wonder and loathing. The woman was trembling beneathhis fierce scrutiny, but he evidently had not noted the fact. His mind wasbusy with a bigger problem of character and the possible depths to which ahuman being might fall and still retain the human form. He was wonderinghow a man of his birth and breeding, the heir to centuries of culture andrefinement, of high thinking and noble aspirations, could ever have sunk tothe level of this yellow animal--this bundle of rags and coarse flesh! Itwas incredible! His loathing for her was surpassed by one thing only--hishatred of himself.
He was free in this moment as never before. In the fearlessness of deathsoul and body stood erect and gazed calmly out on time and eternity.
There was one thing about the woman he couldn't understand. That she waswithout moral scruple--that she was absolutely unmoral in her fundamentalbeing--he could easily believe. In fact, he could believe nothing else.That she would not hesitate to defy every law of God or man to gain herend, he never doubted for a moment. But that a creature of her cunning andtrained intelligence could deliberately destroy herself by such an act ofmad revenge was unreasonable. He began dimly to suspect that her plans hadgone awry. How completely she had been crushed by her own trap he could notyet guess.
She was struggling frantically now to regain her composure but his sullensilence and his piercing eyes were telling on her nerves. She was on theverge of screaming in his face when he said in low, intense tones:
"You did get even with me--didn't you?"
"Yes!"
"I didn't think _you_ quite capable of this!"
His words were easier to bear than silence. She felt an instant relief andpulled herself together with a touch of bravado:
"And now that you see I am, what are you going to do about it?"
"That's my secret," was the quiet reply. "There's just one thing thatpuzzles me!"
"Indeed!"
"How you could willfully and deliberately do this beastly thing?"
"For one reason only, I threw them together and brought about their loveaffair----"
"Revenge--yes," Norton interrupted, "but the boy--you don't hate him--youcan't. You've always loved him as if he were your own----"
"Well, what of it?"
"I'm wondering----"
"What?"
His voice was low, vibrant but quiet:
"Why, if your mother instincts have always been so powerful and you'veloved my boy with such devotion"--the tones quickened to suddenmenace--"why you were so willing to give up your own child that day twentyyears ago?"
He held her gaze until her own fell:
"I--I--don't understand you," she said falteringly.
He seized her with violence and drew her squarely before him:
"Look at me!" he cried fiercely. "Look me in the face!" He paused until sheslowly lifted her eyes to his and finally glared at him with hate. "I wantto see your soul now if you've got one. There's just one chance and I'mclutching at that as a drowning man a straw."
"Well?" she asked defiantly.
Norton's words were hurled at her, each one a solid shot:
"Would you have given up that child without a struggle--if she had reallybeen your own?"
"Why--what--do you--mean?" Cleo asked, her eyes shifting.
"You know what I mean. If Helen is really your child, why did you give herup so easily that day?"
"Why?" she repeated blankly.
"Answer my question!"
With an effort she recovered her composure:
"You know why! I was mad. I was a miserable fool. I did it because youasked it. I did it to please you, and I've cursed myself for it eversince."
Norton's grip slowly relaxed, and he turned thoughtfully away. The woman'shand went instinctively to the bruises he had left on her arms as shestepped back nearer the door and watched him furtively.
"It's possible, yes!" he cried turning again to face her suddenly. "And yetif you are human how could you dare defy the laws of man and God to bringabout this marriage?"
"It's not a question of marriage yet," she sneered. "You've simply got toacknowledge her, that's all. That's why I brought her here. That's why I'vehelped their love affair. You're in my power now. You've got to tell Tomthat Helen is my daughter, and yours--his half sister! Now that they're inlove with one another you've got to do it!"
Norton drew back in amazement:
"You mean to tell me that you don't know that they are married?"
With a cry of surprise and terror, the woman leaped to his side, her voicea whisper:
"Married? Who says they are married?"
"Tom has just said so."
"But they are not married!" she cried hysterically. "They can't marry!"
Norton fixed her with a keen look:
"They _are_ married!"
The woman wrung her hands nervously:
"But you can separate them if you tell them the truth. That's all you'vegot to do. Tell them now--tell them at once!"
Never losing the gaze with which he was piercing her soul Norton said inslow menacing tones:
"There's another way!"
He turned from her suddenly and walked toward the desk. She followed astep, trembling.
"Another way"--she repeated.
Norton turned:
"An old way brave men have always known--I'll take it if I must!"
Chilled with fear Cleo glanced in a panic about the room and spoke feebly:
"You--you--don't mean----"
Minerva and Andy entered cautiously as Norton answered:
"No matter what I mean, it's enough for you to know that I'm free--freefrom you--I breathe clean air at last!"
Minerva shot Cleo a look:
"Praise God!"
Cleo extended a hand in pleading:
"Major----"
"That will do now!" he said sternly. "Go!"
Cleo turned hurriedly to the door leading toward the stairs.
"Not that way!" Norton called sharply. "Tom has no further need of youradvice. Go to the servants' quarters and stay there. I am the master ofthis house to-night!"
Cleo slowly crossed the room and left through the door leading to thekitchen, watching Norton with terror. Minerva broke into a loud laugh andAndy took refuge behind her ample form.