The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-09-11

I hands ia pockets. Then hcthmkiuc
Aim.Ii-"Hut aiu't done nothiu'"
Abbott said r,crotf.lIy, Hen nave
To b" whipped
| CIiu'ou nodded, and sat down sol
"mn1 breathing hard Abbott was
r"-tIo-siy Taciug the lIoor, and Bob
"as staring at him unw.nkiugly, when
the door opened and In came Fran
Fran walked up to Abbott hcsi,at.
mrly, and spoke with tho indistinct-
ness OF awrd humility You arc TO
punish me- she explained by max
ing mo work out this original propo.
siiiou'n showing the book end you
al, 10 keep mo here tin get it,"
Abbott asked s'crnly Did Miss
Ball send mo this mcssagc?"
She Is named that" Fran muir.
INJURED, her eyes fastened on the open
page.
From the yard came the shouts Of
| children, breaking the bonds of learn.
ing for wider freedom Abbott, Eaz-
ing severely on this slip Of n girl.
found her decidedly commonplace in
appearance, How the moonlight must
have bcwitched himl He rejoiccd that
Robert Clinton was there TO witness
his Indifference.
| This Is the problem" Fran said.
with exceeding primness, pronouncing
| the word as II 1t were too large for
her, and holding up the book with n
slender finger placed upon certain
italicized words.
Let me see it." said Abbott. with
professional dryness. He grasped the
book to read the proposition. His
hand was against hers. but she did not
draw away, for had she done so. how
could he have found the place?
Fran, with uplIfted eyes, spoke in
the plaintive accents of a fiyeyoar.old
child: Right there. sir it's
| awful hard"
! Robert Clinton cleared his throat
and produced IA sound bursting with
| accumulated his and r's--his warning
passed unheeded
Never before had Abbott had 80
much OF Fran. The capillaries OF his
skim as her hand quivered warmly
against his. seemed drawing her in;
and as she escaped from her splendid
black orbs, she entered his brain by
the avenue OF his own thirsty eyes.
What was the use to tell himself that
she was commonplace, that his posi-.
tlon was in danger because OF her?
| Suddenly her hair fell slantwlse past
the corners of her eyes, making
triangle of smooth white skin to the
roots OF the hair, and II seemed good,
Just because 1t was Frans way and
not after a machine.turned fashion;
Fran was done by hand, there was no
doubt of that.
sit there" Abbott said, grayely
pointing. She obeyed without word,
leaving the geometry as hostage in the
teachers hand. When seated ut dis.
Greet distance, she looked over at Bob
Clinton. He hastily drew on his spec
tacles, that he might look old
Abbott volunteered, This IL Mr..
Clinton, President of the Board"
Il know" said Fran, staring at her
pencil and paper, hes at the head
OF the show, and watches when the
wild animals are tanned"
Clinton drew forth newspaper, and
opened 1t deliberately.
Fran scrubbed for some time. then
looked over at him again. Did you
get it," she asked, with mild interest.
Did get-what?" he returned, with
puzzled frown.
"Oh, | don't know what 1t is" said
Fran with humility; the name OF it's
Religion"
III | were you" Clinton returned,
flushing. I'D be ashamed to refer to
the night you disgraced yourself by
laughing in the tent"
Fran" Abbott interposed severely.
attend to your work"
Fran bent her head over the desk,
but was not long silent. Il don't like
abe and def" she observed with
more energy than she had hitherto dis.
played They're equal to each other,
but don't know why. and don't care,
because IL doesn't seem to matter.
Nothing interests me unless It has
something to do with living. These
angles and lines are nothing to me;
what ! care for is this time I'm vast.
Ing, sitting in a stuffy old room. while
the good big world is enjoying itself
just outside the window" She started
up impetuously,
sit down." Abbott commanded.
'Fran!" exclaimed Robert Clinton.
stamping his foot, sit down."
Fran sank back upon the bench.
81 suspect" said Abbott mildly.
that they have put you In classes too
far advanced. We must try you in
another room"
But don't want to be tried in
rooms" Fran explained. Il want to be
tried IN acts--deeds. Until | came
here, I'd never been to school day
In my llfe." she went on In con6den-
tial tone 81 agreed to attend because
! imagined school ouzht to have SOFA