The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-13
FIR AN

| What very young Nonpareil 10
be wandering about the world. all by
yourself!"
She was grateful 70, his raillery.
l"How young do you Think"
| let me SEQ. Hum You are only
about" She laughed mlrthfully at
his air of preposterohs wisdom.
About 13--l4, yes, you are more than
lf-iifteen. more than But
take on that enormous hat, little Non
pareil There's no use guessing In
the dark when the moons shining
Fran was gleeful "All right" she
cried IN one OF her childish tones,
shrill, fresh, vibratory with the music
OF innocence.
BY this time they had reached the
foot-bridge that spanned the deep
ravine, Here the wagon-road made
| its crossing OF tiny stream. by slip
ping under the foot.bridge, some 10
feet below, Down there, all was semi
gloom, pungent fragrance OF weeds,
icooling breath OF the half-dried brook,
mystery OF space between steep banks
But on q level, with the bridge,
meadowlands sloped away from the
ravine on either hand. On the left lay
struggling Littlebuig with its four or
I'VE hundred houses, family twinkling,
and beyond the meadows on the right,
fringe OF woods started up as IL Il
to be seen, while above the woods
swung the big moon with Fran on the
foot. bridge to shine for.
Frans hat dangled idly In her
hand as she drew herself with back
ward movement upon the railing. The
moonlight was full upon her face: so
VAS the young mans gage. One OF
! her feet found, after leisurely explora-
ton. devastating beard upon the
edge OF which she pressed her heel
for support. The other foot swayed
/, 10 and fro above the flooring. while
n little hand on either side OF her
gripped the top rail.
Here | am" she said, shaking
back rebellious hair.
Abbott Ashtcl studied her with
grave deliberation--it IL doubtful IL
he had ever before so thoroughly en-.
joyed his duties as usher. He pro-
nounced judicially, You are older
than you look"
! YES" Fran explained, my expert
ence accounts for that. I've had lots"
Abbott's lingering here beneath the
moon when he should have been .htir.
lrying back to the tent, showed hog
unequally the good things OF hfe-ex7
lperience, for iAftance-are divided.
"You are 49, he hazarded, conscious
OF strange exhilaration
| Fran lodged the issue behind a
smile--"And I don't think you-arc so
IaWfullv old -
Abbott was brought to himself with
jolt that threw him hard upon self
4 consciousness. II am superintendent
| OF the public school The very .sotind
| OF the words rang as a warming, and
he became preternaturally solemn.
Goodness" cried Fran, considering
his grave mouth and thoughtful eyes,
| does II hurt that bad?" $780,
I, Abbott smiled. All the same, the
position Of superintendent must not
be bartered away for the transitory
/ pleasures of a foot-bridge. I'VE had
better hurry. If you please" he said
gravely.
II am so afraid of you," murInured
/ Fran. But / know the meeting will
/ last lc~g time yet. I'd hate to have
! to wait long at Mr.. Gregory's with that
disagreeable lady who isn't Mrs. Greg,
ory."
I Abbott was startled. Why did she
thus designate Mr.. Gregory's secre-
tary? He looked keenly at Fran. but
she only said plaintively:
Cant we stay here?"
| He was disturbed and perplexed. It
was as II fitting shadow from some
uniformed clod of thought-mist had
fallen upon the everyday world out OF
his acknowledgements Why did this
stranger speak OF Miss Grace Noir
as the lady who isn't Mrs. Gregory 2"
The young man at times had caught
himself thinking OF her in just that
way.
Looking intently at the other as IL
TO divine hor secret thoughts, he for
got momentarily his uneasiness One
could not long be- troubled by thought
mists from subconsciousness when
| looking at Fran, for Fran was fact.
! fe sighed involuntarily. She was
such a fact!
F, Perhaps she wasn't really pretty
but homely? by no means. Her thin
face slanted to sharpehed chin. Her
! hair, drawn to the corner of either
eye, left a white triangle whose apex
| pointed. TO the highest reach of the
forehead; Thus the face. In all It's
contour, was rising. or falling, to a
point. This sharpness OF feature was
In her. very laugh itself. while In that