Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-02-01
s no spirit OF girlhood or womanhoot

is no spirit of girlhood or womanhoot
in you"
Fran returned in low, concen
trated voice, "If I'm unnatural, what
were you In the Springfield days? Wal
1t natural for you to be married 50
cretly when the marriage might have
been public? When you went away te
break the news to your father. wasn't
1t rather unnatural for you to hide
three years before coming back!
When you came back and heard that
your wife had gone away to be sup
ported by people who were not respect
able. was 1t natural for you to be salts
fled with the first rumors you heard.
and disappear for good and all? AS for
me, yes. have neither the spirit Of
girlhood nor womanhood, for I'm
neither a girl. nor woman. I'm moth.
ing Her voice trembled Don't
rouse my anger-when lose grip on
myself, I'm pretty hard to stop. II ]
let everything rush on my mind-how
she--my friend-my sweet, darling
'friend'-how she searched for You
all the years till she died--and how
even on her death-bed she thought
maybe you'd come--you--"
DON'T" she gasped. Don't reproach
me, or I'll reproach you, and l mustn't
do that. want to hide my real heart
from you-from all the world. want
to smile, and be like respectable peo-
pie"
For Gods sake" whispered the
other, frantically, hush! hear my
wife coming. Yes, yes. I'll do anything
you say. but. oh. don't ruin me. You
shall have home with us, you shall
have everything, everything
Except welcome" Fran faltered
frightened at the emotion she had be.
trayed. "Can you show me to room
ouick-before your wife comese l
don't want to meet her. now. I'm ter
ribly tired. I've come all the way from
New York to find you I reached Lit.
tleburg only at husband I've been
pretty busy ever since!"
Come, then" he said hastily This
way-I'll show you room. ). Il.
It's too late" he broke off. striving
desperately to regain composure.
The door opened. and a woman en-
tered the room hastily.
CHAPTER vi.
Mrs. Gregory.
The wind had suddenly increased In
violence. and few raindrops had al.
ready fallen. Approximations OF a.
storm caused hurried movements
throughout the house. Binding flashes
Of lightning suggested gathering Of
the family in the reception hall.
where. according to tradition. there
was "less DANGER" and as the NM
known lady opened the door Of the
front room, Fran heard footsteps upon
the stairs. and caught glimpse OF
Grace Noir descending.
The lady closed the door behind her
before she perceived Fran, so intent
was she upon securing from threaten
ing rain some unfinished silk-work
lying on the window-sill. She paused
abruptly, her honest brown eyes
opened wide.
Fran regarded her with that elfish
smile which, to the secretary had sug-s
gested fox. 1t was the coolest little
smile, slyly playing upon her twisted
mouth
The Precipitation shone on Hamil-
ton Gregory's forehead. "Just mo-
ment," he uttered incoherently
"wait-Tll be back when | make sure
my library windows closed.
He left the room. his brain in an
agony of indecision. How much must
be told? And how would they regard
him after the telling?
"Who are you?" asked the lady OF
thirty-five, mildly, but with gathering
wonder.
(To Be Continued.