l kill him, probably. At least I'll choke this lie or this truth,
whichever it is, down the throats of this town. God! I'm _filius
nullius_! I'm the son of no man! I'm worse. I'm a loafer. I've been
supported by a woman--my own mother, who had so little, who was left
alone--oh, God! God!"

"Don," she cried out now. "Don, I'd died if I could have kept it from
you. Oh, my son--my son!"

CHAPTER III

TWO MOTHERS

The young man stood motionless, facing the white-faced woman who had
pronounced his fate for him. Happily it chanced that there came
interruption, for a moment relieving both of the necessity of speech.

The click of the little crippled gate as it swung to brought Aurora Lane
to her senses now. She hastened to the door, toward the outer stair. She
met someone at the door.

"Julia!" she exclaimed. "Come in. Oh, I'm so glad. Come! He's here--he's
come--he's right here now!"

There entered now the figure of a youngish-looking woman, her hair just
tinged with gray here and there upon the temples; a woman perhaps the
junior of Aurora Lane by a year or so. Of middle stature, she was of
dark hair, and of brown eyes singularly luminous and soft. Not uncomely,
one would have called her at first sight. The second glance would have
shown the limp with which Julia Delafield walked, the bent-top cane
which was her constant companion. She was one of those handicapped in
the race of life, a cripple from her childhood, but a cripple in body
only. One might not look in her face without the feeling that here was a
nature of much charm.

Miss Julia likewise was owner of two smiles. The one was sad, pathetic,
the smile of the hopeless soul. The other, and that usually seen by
those about her, was wide and winning beyond words--the smile which had
given her her place in the hearts of all Spring Valley. These many years
"Miss Julia," as she was known to all, had held her place as "city
librarian," in which quasi-public capacity she was known of all, and
loved of all as well.

She came in now smiling, and kissed Aurora Lane before she allowed
herself to see, standing in the inner room, the tall young man, who
seemed to fill up the little apartment. A swift color came into her face
as, with a sort of summoning up of her courage, she went up to him,
holding out her hands. Even she put up her cheek to be kissed by him. It
was her peculiarity when feeling any emotion, any eagerness, to flush
brightly. She did so now.