The Sins of the Father: A Romance of the South Read online

  THE SINS OF THE FATHER

  "She blushed scarlet, took the rosebud from her bosom andpinned it on his coat."

  [Page 246]]

  THE SINS OF THE FATHER

  A Romance of the South

  by

  THOMAS DIXON

  Author ofThe Leopard's Spots, The Clansman,Comrades, The Root of Evil, etc.

  Illustrated by John Cassel

  Grosset & DunlapPublishers :: :: New York

  Copyright, 1912, byThomas Dixon

  All rights reserved, including that of translation intoforeign languages, including the Scandinavian.

  Published March, 1913.

  Printed in the United States of America.

  TOTHE MEMORY OF

  RANDOLPH SHOTWELL

  OF NORTH CAROLINA

  SOLDIER, EDITOR, CLANSMANPATRIOT

  TO THE READER

  _I wish it understood that I have not used in this novel the private lifeof Captain Randolph Shotwell, to whom this book is dedicated. I have drawnthe character of my central figure from the authentic personal history ofMajor Daniel Norton himself, a distinguished citizen of the far South, withwhom I was intimately acquainted for many years._

  THOMAS DIXON.

  NEW YORK MARCH 8, 1912

  CONTENTS

  BOOK I--SIN

  CHAPTER PAGE

  I. THE WOMAN IN YELLOW 3II. CLEO ENTERS 26III. A BEAST AWAKES 39IV. THE ARREST 46V. THE RESCUE 58VI. A TRAITOR'S RUSE 71VII. THE IRONY OF FATE 78VIII. A NEW WEAPON 85IX. THE WORDS THAT COST 93X. MAN TO MAN 98XI. THE UNBIDDEN GUEST 109XII. THE JUDGMENT BAR 116XIII. AN OLD STORY 130XIV. THE FIGHT FOR LIFE 139XV. CLEO'S SILENCE 142XVI. THE LARGER VISION 145XVII. THE OPAL GATES 158XVIII. QUESTIONS 163XIX. CLEO'S CRY 171XX. THE BLOW FALLS 174XXI. THE CALL OF THE BLOOD 182

  BOOK II--ATONEMENT

  I. THE NEW LIFE PURPOSE 195II. A MODERN SCALAWAG 199III. HIS HOUSE IN ORDER 211IV. THE MAN OF THE HOUR 217V. A WOMAN SCORNED 222VI. AN OLD COMEDY 235VII. TRAPPED 247VIII. BEHIND THE BARS 259IX. ANDY'S DILEMMA 262X. THE BEST LAID PLANS 278XI. A RECONNOITRE 284XII. THE FIRST WHISPER 294XIII. ANDY'S PROPOSAL 299XIV. THE FOLLY OF PITY 307XV. A DISCOVERY 319XVI. THE CHALLENGE 329XVII. A SKIRMISH 335XVIII. LOVE LAUGHS 340XIX. "FIGHT IT OUT!" 346XX. ANDY FIGHTS 355XXI. THE SECOND BLOW 365XXII. THE TEST OF LOVE 372XXIII. THE PARTING 388XXIV. FATHER AND SON 399XXV. THE ONE CHANCE 414XXVI. BETWEEN TWO FIRES 420XXVII. A SURPRISE 423XXVIII. VIA DOLOROSA 428XXIX. THE DREGS IN THE CUP 438XXX. THE MILLS OF GOD 449XXXI. SIN FULL GROWN 454XXXII. CONFESSION 456XXXIII. HEALING 461

  THE SINS OF THE FATHER

  _Book One--Sin_