The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-13

killed. After that ] went back to the
show and stock up in experience.
mention it to point out that mild
little job like being your private Sec
rotary wouldn't strain muscle. | cx-
pect | could even be foreign secre-
| tary rs as easy to walk rope that's
rugged high, as one near the ground
All the trouble is in the imagination.
Gregory's voice cut across hers,
showing no comprehension of her last
words: "My secretary must be in SYM
pathy with my work. To exercise
such talents as ! have, is my religion,
and | need a helper whose eyes are
fixed upon the higher life. This is
final, and the subject must never be
reopened. l find it very painful"
Fran's discovery that he had not
heard her plea, crimsoned her face.
She jumped from the arm chair,
breathing rapidly. Then" she cried,
If you won't have me, get another.
The one you have must 60"
She shall do nothing of the sort,
he coldly responded.
Yes" Fran retorted violently, 81
tell you she must go!"
He struck the table with his palm.
"Neverv'
Shall | use my last resource?"
Fran's eyes cleaned ominously.
The hand upon the table became a
fist. That was his only reply
Il would entreat you.' said Fran,
faltering. land with tears-but what
good would it do? None There's no
use for one woman TO weep if another
woman is smiling. Dismiss your Sec
rotary"
He leaned toward her from over the
table, and spoke in low level tone
Il am going to appeal to your better
nature Think of the girls Of the
street who need rescue, and the women
of the cities who are dying from neg
lect an vice If you hinder my work,
let the souls of these outcasts Be upon
your soul. You can ruin me, but not
without running my good works. l
don't ask you to keep silent on my &C
count-what am | but an instrument
in the hands of Providence but for
the sake of the homeless thousands |
have atoned for my past, but the world
always ready to cruelty the divine.
would rejoice to point the finger of
of twenty years ago"
But your secretary
"She is a vital factor in my work.
Remove her, and the work ceases"
How important cried Fran,
throwing back her head What will
God do when she dies?"
Perhaps | have gone too far Still,
il would be impossible to replace her"
Fran made step toward him-"My
mother was replaced"
He started up. You shall not speak
of that She lived her life, and de-
mand the right 10 live mine. / tell
you, the past is ended"
But | am here" returned Fran. Il
have not ended. Can't you look into
my face and see my mother living !?
She paid for her secret marriage. wan
dering over the face of the earth with
her baby. trying to find YOU. ! don't
deny that you've paid for all-yes,
even for your desertion and your liv-
ing a hidden life in this town. Maybe
you've suffered enough. But that isn't
the question. Look At me- am here.
| have come as truly as out of your
past as out of the past of my darling.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS did you call her !?
friend And being here, / ask,
What will you do with me" All |
want is-just a little love-"
The long loneliness of her life found
expression in the eager voice, in the
yearning eyes. As he stared at her,
half-stupe6ed. he imagined she was
holding out her arms to him in plead
ing. But it was not this erect form,
slight and tense, that reached forth as
if to clasp him to her heart: it was a
memory of his youth, memory that
in some odd manner blurred his per-
ception of the living presence. From
the fragile body of Fran. something
leaped toward him. enveloping, over
towering.
1t was partly Fran, and partly
somebody else-how well he knew that
other somebody. that dead woman who
had found reincarnation in the soul of
this wanderer
She thought his covered face a token
of weakening. you must have loved