Charlevoix county herald. (East Jordan, Mich.) 189?-1953, 1913-08-09


like other people"
oh" murmured Grace. then you
think there IS more than one standard
OF right? | don't. There's one God
and one right No, cannot consent;
what might satisfy Mrs. Gregory might
not seem best to me. No. professor.
if you feel that you cannot explain
what | saw. last night. | shall feel
Obliged to tell Mr. Gregory as soon as
the choir practice ends"
Didn't Fran refuse TO tell" Abbott
temporized.
Yes" was the skilful response; but
her reticence must have been TO save
you. for the girl never seems ashamed
OF anything she does. | imagine she
hated TO get you into trouble"
Miss Grace, you have heard Mrs.
Gregory say that she trusts me-and
she is Frans guardian. ! ask you to
do the same"
II must consider my conscience.
That answer closed all argument
You had better tell her." said Mrs.
Gregory. for she is determined TO
know"
IL was taking a walk to rest my
mind" Abbott said slowly, proceeding
as if he would have liked to fight his
ground inch by inch, and it was rath-
er late. | was strolling about Little
burg. At last | found myself at the
new bridge that leads to the camp
meeting grounds. when ahead OF me.
there was-l saw Fran. | was much
surprised to find her out there, alone"
81 can understand that" said Grace
quietly, for / should have been sur
prised myself"
Mrs. Gregory turned upon Grace.
Let him go on" she said with a flash
that petrifled the secretary.
When | came up 10 the bridge, she
was sitting there with some cards
all alone. She had some superstition
about trying fortunes on new bridge
at midnight, and that explains the late
ness of the hour. So | persuaded her
to come home. and that is all"
Mrs. Gregory breathed with relief
What an odd little darling!" che muir
INJURED, smlilng.
What kind of fortune was she tell
ing" Grace asked.
Whatever kind the new bridge
would give her"
"Oh. then the cards stood for peo-
pie. didn't they! And the card you
dropped in the yard was your card, OF
course"
"Os course"
And did Fran have card to repre-
sent herself, perhaps?"
II have told you the story" said Alb.
bolt. rising.
That means she did. Then she
wanted 10 know if you and she would
Mrs. Gregory, | have always
| felt that Fran has deceived us about
her age! She is older than she pre-
tends to be-"
II believe iris concludes our bar.
gain" said Abbott, rising.
Mrs. Gregory was calm Miss Grace,
Fran told ne long ago that she is
eighteen years old; she came as a lit.
tie girl, because she thought we would
take her in more readily. if We be.
lievt.d her mere child"
"Does Mr.. Gregory know that?"
81 haven't told him, don't know
whether Fran has or not"
You haven't told hint" Grace was
|. spcechless. You knew it. and haven't
told him? What ought | to do?"
You ought to keep your promise. /"
Abbott retorted holly.
Sitting on that bridge at midgnight
alone, telling peoples fortunes by
cards. Professor Ashton
Mrs. Gregory" Grace exclaimed, with
one of those flashes of inspiration pc.
, culiar to her sex. that Fran is a show.
girl"
Mrs. Gregory rose, and spoke
through her mothers ear-trumpet:
Shall We go home, now?"
That Fran" repeated Grace, lis a
show-girl! She is eighteen or nineteen
years old. and she is a show-girl!"
Wouldn't it be best for you to ash
her."
Ask her? Her? No, ask you!
Let me push the chair" said Alb
| bolt, stepping to Mrs. Gregorys side
He read in the troubled face tina. she
/ had known this secret, also.
The secretary gazed at him with g
far-away look, hardly conscious thai
he was beating retreat. so absorbed
was she i'm this revelation. II would bC
necessary for some one to go e
Springfield to make Investigations
Grace had for ever alienated Abbot
Ashton. but there was always Rober
Clinton. He would obey her ever
wish; Robert Clinton should go, AnC
when Robert had returned with full
history of Hamilton Gregorys school
days at Springfield, and those of Greg
ory's intimate friends, Fran, with the
proofs of her conspiracy spread befor,
her, should be driven forth, never
again to darken the home of the phil
anthropist.