The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-10-09

edness-it evolved you, you, the Fran
of today-the Fran of this living
hour. And it's the Fran of this living
hour that | want to marry"
Fran covered her face with her
hands. For a while there was silence
then she said
Father was there, tonight"
AT the lion-show? Impossible! Mr.
Gregory go to a-a-to-a-"
Yes, it is possible for him even to
go to show. But to do him justice,
he was forced under the tent, he had
no intention of doing anything so
wicked as that he only meant 10 do
some little thing like running away
But no, can't speak of him with bit
terness, now. Abbott, he seems all
changed"
Abbott murmured as if stupeied:
Mr.. Gregory at show"
Yes, and a lion-show When i; was
over he came to me-he was so ex-
cited"
so was l." spoke up the other
rather"
You didn't show it. 1 thought
maybe you wouldn't care if had been
eaten up. No, no, listen He
wanted to claim me-he called me
daughter right there before the peo-
plc. but they thought it was just sort
of--of church name. But he was won
des-fully moved | left the tent with
ho1 70
from him to you | never saw any
body so changed
But why"
You see, he thought | was going to
be killed right there before his eyes,
and seeing 1t with his very own eyes
made him feel responsible He told
me, afterwards, that when he found
out who it was in the cage, he thought
of mother in a different wayne saw
how his desertion had driven her to
earning her living with showmeu, so |
could be supported. All in all, he is a
changed man"
Then will he acknowledge you?-
but no, no
You see? He can't. on account OF
Mrs. Gregory. There's no future for
him. or for her, except to go on livrs
as man and wife-without the secre-
tary. He imagines It would be a sort
of reparation to present me to the
world as his daughter, he thinks it
would give him happiness-but it cant
be. Grace Noir has found it all out"
kn oil
claimed, in dismay
She would nave told but for one
thing. She doesn't dare, and it's on
her own account-of course. She has
been terribly-well, indiscreet You
cant think of what lengths she was
willing to go--not from coldly making
up her mind, but because she lost grip
on herself, from always thinking she
couldn't. So she went away with Bob
Clinton-shell marry him, and they'll
go to Chicago, out Of Littleburg his
tory-poor Bob, Remember the night
he was trying to get religion? I'm
afraid he'll conclude that religion
isn't what he thought it was, living so
close to it from now on"
AN this interests me greatly, dear,
because it interests you. Still, it
doesn't bear upon the main question"
Abbott, you don't know why | went
to that show to act.s You thought |
was caring for a sick friend. What do
you think OF such deceptions?"
Il think | understand Simon JEFF
ferson told me of a girl falling from a
trapeze it was possibly La GQnizetti's
daughter. Mrs. Jefferson told me that
Mrs. Gregory is nursing some one
The same one, imagine. And La Con
izetti was friend of yours. and you
| took her place, so the mother could
stay with the injured daughter"
You're wonder. yourself!" Fran
declared, dropping her hands to stare
at him. Yes, that's it. All these
show people are friends of mine
When the mayor was trying to decide
what carnival company they'd have
for the street fair, | told him about
this show, and that's why it's here
Poor La Confetti needs the money
dreadfully-for they spend it as fast
as it's paid in. The little darling will
have to go to a hospital. and there's
nothing laid by. The boys all threw
in, but they didn't have much, them
selves Nobody has. Everybody's poor
in this old world-eXcept you and me
I've taken La Gonizettis place in the
! cage all day 10 keep her from losing