The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-09-30
CHAPTER XI. FRANCES GOES TO SEA.

THREE months had passed fol- lowing the casting of the Som l mers gun, three months that had brought many changes to l those whose lives had been for a short time tangled in the intricate maze of l pride, love and ambition.
 The gun had been taken to the prov ing grounds and there had stood the test. The naval board was enthusi- astfc over it. All that remained was l for the weapon to prove it's efficiency on shipboard at target practice and it would be adopted by the government. Orders on the Rhfnestrom gun were still held up pending the result of tar l get practice.
 Lieutenant Sommers had been or dered back to sea duty. Apparently. I he had achieved his ambition. The l future looked bright for him in his l chosen profession. Fellow officers en- l vied him. He was considered a won- derful young man, and q bright future l in the service of his country seemed in store.
 All this on the side of ambition, but on the other side life was not so l bright. He knew that no matter how high he might rise in his profession happiness could not be his. He had lost frretrievably the girl he loved, and satisfied ambition meant little to him compared to that. On the morning after the sensational events in the furnace room Sommers had called at the Durant house. Fran ces had refused to see him. He wrote her letter. and it was returned to him unopened. Finally he managed to meet her on the street, but she passed him by without speaking. Next morning the young officer re ported back in Washington for duty And how about the girl? She had hurried away from the works that night burning, with shame and raging with anger. She determined never to see Sommers again. She hated him! She knew she did! And to make it sure she told herself so over and over again. s .s : s x The next day she was still enraged when he called. 1t cost no effort to have him turned from the door. When his note arrived she started fnpul- sively to open it, then checked her self. She would be firm: she would punish him.
 And so with some slight effort she handed the letter to the servant with instructions to return 1t to Lieutenant Sommers at his hotel.
 Passing her old lover on the street had been an effort, but that, too, she managed to do. It took the last of her anger, however The reaction had come. She began to regret, then to forgive and finally to long once more for the one man who, she felt sure, could make her happy. s>
 A little discreet questioning had brought out the cause of his anger. She found out the real reputation of Pinckney among the work people. The discovery shocked her.
 She understood then why Sommers had been so enraged. She saw it was not against her or brought about by any doubt of her, but merely fierce, uncomfortable rage against Pinckney that he had dared-ia man Of his kind ito put her in position that his char acter at once made questionable. When she had finally come to real understanding the girl longed to write, but Sommers by that time was away on sea duty, and she could not reach him. Against her own judgment she had longed for and expected some word from him. But the naval off cer's pride was too great to pursue further intrusion after so signal a re- buff. 4.ss s41 -f.
 Then the girl began to grow pale and to worry. Her parents noticed ok fxfv fTo No one had any suspicion of the real relation between Frances and the young naval officer. That good night" on the vine covered porch was a secret-a tender memory locked in her heart and in his, to be brought out | by each, regarded fondly and mourned over when alone.
 Sommers had his work, but Frances | had nothing to distract her mind. No 1 wonder she grew paler and seemed to | lose interest in everything! MT. and Mrs. Durant became alarmed. They | consulted doctors, but there was noth- ing wrong physically with their daughter Finally one big expert pro posed sea voyage, and for the first l time Frances showed some sign of in- l terest MT. Durant paid a double | size bill cheerfully, thinking that doc tor a wonderful man.
 The Durant yacht, the Irvessa, was | got ready as quickly as possible. MT. | Durant could not go himself, and he decided it would be a good plan to send his wife and daughter away for cruise in charge of Pinckney.
 Now for month they cruised, but l Frances showed little sign of interest.
 Pinckney was the only one who seemed to get real enjoyment out of | the trip. Ke now felt that victory | must in the end be his.
 He was not deceived by the result | of the first test of the Sommers gun. It had stood the frst test safely, but | in his heart the conspirator knew that | soon tte badly tempered gun must fail. perhaps with shocking results.
 That mattered little to him. The
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