The Sins of the Father A Romance of the South   By: Thomas Dixon (1864-1946)

[Illustration: "She blushed scarlet, took the rosebud from her bosom and pinned it on his coat."

[Page 246]]

THE SINS OF THE FATHER

A Romance of the South

by

THOMAS DIXON

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

Illustrated by John Cassel

Grosset & Dunlap Publishers :: :: New York

Copyright, 1912, by Thomas Dixon

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

Published March, 1913.

Printed in the United States of America.

TO THE MEMORY OF

RANDOLPH SHOTWELL

OF NORTH CAROLINA

SOLDIER, EDITOR, CLANSMAN PATRIOT

TO THE READER

I wish it understood that I have not used in this novel the private life of Captain Randolph Shotwell, to whom this book is dedicated. I have drawn the character of my central figure from the authentic personal history of Major Daniel Norton himself, a distinguished citizen of the far South, with whom 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 3 II. CLEO ENTERS 26 III. A BEAST AWAKES 39 IV. THE ARREST 46 V. THE RESCUE 58 VI. A TRAITOR'S RUSE 71 VII. THE IRONY OF FATE 78 VIII. A NEW WEAPON 85 IX. THE WORDS THAT COST 93 X. MAN TO MAN 98 XI. THE UNBIDDEN GUEST 109 XII. THE JUDGMENT BAR 116 XIII. AN OLD STORY 130 XIV. THE FIGHT FOR LIFE 139 XV. CLEO'S SILENCE 142 XVI. THE LARGER VISION 145 XVII. THE OPAL GATES 158 XVIII. QUESTIONS 163 XIX. CLEO'S CRY 171 XX. THE BLOW FALLS 174 XXI. THE CALL OF THE BLOOD 182

BOOK II ATONEMENT