Carnac's Folly, Volume 3_

Montreal offering to stand, and putting forward an ingenious policy. He asked also for an interview; and the interview was granted by telegram-almost to his s

ndidates who were pressing their claims. Carnac Grier, the disinherited son of the great lumber-king, who had fame as an artist, spoke French as though it were his native tongue, was an element of sensation which, if adroitly used, could be of great service. It might ev

her mind was in an eddy of emotions. It seemed dreadful that Carnac should fight his own father, repeating what Fabian had done in another way. Yet at the bottom o

d regret had chastened her. She was as lonely a creature as ever the world knew; violence was no part of her equipment; and yet terrible memories made her assent to this new p

ssurance of an undergraduate, and invented theories impossible of public acceptance. Yet in every stand he had taken, there had been thought, logic and reasoning, wrongly premised, but always based on principles. On paper

erstood how those big things would inspire the artist in him. For, after all, there was the spirit of Art in framing a great policy which would benefit millions

efore, will want to stand,

n't be surprised, but I feel in my bones that I'm going to

t the thing that prevents your marrying

s lips set. The sudden paleness of hi

, better it should come now than later. If the tr

reckless, Carnac,"

ounted the steps of the car, a cry went out from her heart: "My son, stay with me here-don't go." That was only in her heart, however; wit

their own difficult problem. The three applicants for the post each hated the other;

at eloquence was shown in a speech Carnac made in the late evening to the assembled executive. He spoke for only a quarter of an hour, but it was long enough to leave upon

what New France means. I stand to my English origin, but I want to see the French develop here as they've developed in France, alive to all new ideas, dreaming good dreams. I believe that Frenchmen in Canada can, and should, be an inspira

much enthusiasm, and was the beginning of a mov

his veins. In the morning he had a reasonable joy in

se told him that in standing against Barouche, he became important in the eyes of those affected by Barouche's policy. He had had luck, and it was for him to justify that luck. Could he do it? His first thought, howe

hink," he said to himself

ngthened the soul; good laws made life's conveniences greater, enlarged activity, lessened the friction of things not yet adjusted; good laws taught their framers how to balance things, how to make new principles apply without disturbing old rights; good pictures inc

another man read of Carnac's candidature wit

cal meeting had given him new emotions. His wife, to whom he had been so faithful in one sense since she had passed into the asylum, had died, and with her going, a new field of life seemed to open u

poke, when his eyes saw the faces of Carnac and his mother the catastrophe stunned him like a huge engine of war. There had come to him at last a sense of duty where Alma Grier was concerned. She was nearly fifty years of age, and he was fifty-nine; she was

ort of the world. Then it was that he had the impulse to go to the woman's home, express his

ven bought, not from Carnac, but from a dealer, two of Carnac's pictures and a statue of a riverman. Somehow the years had had their way with him. He had at

From Carnac's face, from Carnac's mother's face, had come to him the real story. He knew that Alma Grier had sinned only once and with him. In the first day

uch the revulsion against herself and him. So they had fallen apart, and he had seen his boy grow up independent, origin

vest Ministers who had ever quarrelled with and conquered his colleagues had been an insurance agent; one of the sanest authorities on maritime law had been a man with a greater pride in his verses than in his practical capacity; and here was Carnac, who had painted pictures and made statues, plunging into poli

here I have flourished-what a triumph for him! And he would not know how great the triumph would b

wner than Carnac's, from his forehead. "Suppose she did this

beat hard against his walls of flesh; h

stroy his own father. But something must have told him to come and lis

ng over the table, as though

shall not bring me to the dust. I gave him life, and he shall not take my life from me. He's at the beginning; I'm going towards the end. I

door. Presently it opene

hand a half-do

ight you, I expect, m'sieu'," said t

not reply, but nodde

servant. "She wants to see you, m'si

s head in negatio

aspard. "It's about the election. It's got something to do with

hat?" He eyed the servant as though to see

's even handsome, and she's well-dressed. All she said was: 'Tell m

r-something about the election-and a woman! He kept a hand o

he En

rench, m

to see her, Gaspa

eply. "I guess she's out ag

r saw her

o my s

't finished

e whittling. If you can do things with your hands while you're talkin

iciously. "Well, sh

show herself up after I show her in

pened again, and Gas

ee you, m'si

also a latent cruelty in her face which only a student of human nature could have seen quickly. She was a woman with a grievance-th

s one of his serviceable assets; it was said no man co

ot to wait till you go to your office. I wanted you t

tha

I give you the sure means to win your

s heart was hard, but no

e had c

d, "but I don't believe anything till I study wh

man and stood up for Parliament against y

ys to look at it. There was the son's point of view, and there was his own. If he loved his son he ought to know the thing that threatened him; if he h

nour of addressing C

n. As events proved, he had taken a course which, if he cared for his son, was for that

n's face. "I'll tell yo

tricked into the marriage. At last she said: "Now I've come here to

interrupted Barode Ba

me one else. I could hav

here's the Divorce Cour

Frenchman and a Roman

orn in

u let me see

ou want to

ered. Then he held her eyes. "To who

this morning, I saw. Then I found out where you lived, and here I a

l we meet again, don't speak of this t

and there was revenge

ression crept over her

her forehead gathered. "There's some look! Well, t

As the door closed, he stretc

hat a situation