The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-12-19
By
John
Breckenridge
Ellis.

perennial absorption in the miseries
II folk beyond the horizon, and lack
II sympathy with those who sat al
his table. set him apart as a model I;
Simon hated models.
Old Mrs. Jefferson beamed upon
Fran and added her commentator:
She pushes me when | want to be
pushed, and pulls me when | want To
be pulled"
Fran clapped her hands like q
child, indeed. "Oh, what a gay old
world" she cried There are sc
She danced before the old lady, then
wheeled about with such energy that
her skirts threatened to level TO the
breeze.
Don't, DON'T" cried Mrs. Greg
DRY precipitately. "Franl"
Bravo" shouted Simon Jefferson
'Encore!"
Fran widened her fingers to push
Town the rebellious dress. IF
don't put leads on me-" she said with
contrition, "Pll be floating away
When ] feel good, always want to
40 something wrong-it's awfully
dangerous for person to feel good
I guess. Mrs. Gregory, you say
IAN belong TO you,-when I think
about that, I want to dance
[ guess you hardly know what II
means for Fran to belong TO a per-
son. You're going to find out. Come
on" she shouted to Mrs Jefferson
without using the t-always
subtle compliment to those nearly
stone-deaf, 81 mustn't wheel myself
about, so I'm going to wheel you"
AS she passed with her charge
into the garden, her mind was busy
with thoughts OF Grace Noir. Be
longing to Mrs. Gregory naturally
suggested getting rid Of the secre-
tary. II would be exceedingly diff
cult But two months ought to set
tie her." Fran unused.
In the meantime, Grace Noir and
Gregory sat in the library, silently
turning out an immense amount OF
work, feeding the hungry and con-
soling the weak with stroke OF pen
and click OF typewriter. II CONVEX
sation sometimes trickled across the
dry expanse OF statistical benevo-
fence, 1t was never, on Grace's part,
Tor pastime. Beneath her words was
always an. underfowing current.
Juggling at the listener to bear him
away to her chosen haven. AS an
expert player of checkers knows his
moves In advance, SO her converse
lions. however brief, were built up
with a unity OF purpose which her
consciousness OF purest motives
saved from artificiaTity.
About this case, number one
hundred forty-three," she said, look
ing up from her work as copyist,
"the girl whose father wouldn't
acknowledge her :"
Write to the matron to give her
good clothing and good schooling. +"
He spoke softly. There prevailed
an atmosphere OF subtle tenderness;
On this island-the library-blos-
;omed love OF mankind and devotion
TO lofty ideals. These two mariners
found themselves ever surrounded
by sea Of Indifference; there was
not sail in sight. IT'S a sad case. +"
he murmured.
You think number one hundred
torty-three a sad case?" she repeat
ed, always, when possible, building
her next step out OF the material
furnished by her companion. But
suppose she Is an imposter. He says
she's not his daughter, this number
Dne hundred forty-three. Maybe she
Isn't. Would you call her conduct
sad?"
Gregory took exquisite pleasure
in arguing with Grace, because her
serene assumption of being in the
right gave to her beautiful face a
touch of the angelic. IL should call
1t impossible"
Impossible? Do you think. It's
impossible that Fran's deceiving
you? How can you know that she is
the daughter Of your friend?"
He grew pale. Oh, II he could
have denied Fran-if he could have
Joined Grace In declaring her an i'm
poster! But she possessed proofs SO
lrrefutable that safety lay In admit
ting her claim, lest she prove more
than he had already admitted. 81
know It. absolutely. She is the
daughter Of one who was my most
my most intimate friend"
Grace repeated with delicate re-
proof-"Your intimate friend"
81 know II was wrong for him to
desert his wife"
"Wrong!" How inadequate seem
ed that word from her pure lips
(Contlnued.)