Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1913-11-07

Nv 49, ~
whatever happened. he was resolved
to lead the spiritual life. See here,
Sapphire. I'm going to tell you some
thing. ! had quite a talk with Abbott
about hat bridge-business-after
you'd spread it all over town, sis-and
If you'll believe me, she waylaid him
ON those scholarships. He didn't want
to talk to her. Why, he left her stand
ing there. She made him mad, find
ing fault with the very folks that have
taken her Mp. He's disguised. That
night at the campmeeting, he had to
take her out of the tent-he was asked
to do it"
"He didn't have to stand, a-holding
her hand"
And as soon as he'd shown her
the way to Brother Gregory's, he came
on back to the tent. l saw him In the
aisle.
And she whistled at me" cried Miss
Sapphira-"the limb"
"Now, listen, Sapphire, and quit
goading. Abbott says that Miss Bull
is having lots of trouble with Fran"
See that, now!"
Because Fran won't get her les
sons. being contrary"
81 wish you could have seer her
whistling at me, that night"
Hold on. So this very evening
Miss Bull is going to send her down
to Abbott's Office to be punished, or
dismissed. This very evening he wants
me to be over there while he takes
her In hand"
abbott Is going to punish that
girl?" cried Miss Sapphira; going to
take her in hand? What do you mean
by taking her in hand? She is too
old Robert, you make me blush"
"You amt adjusting, Sapphira,"
her brother assured her, good-natured-
ly, you're suffering from the hot
weather. Yes, he's to punish her at
four o'clock, and I'm to be present. to
stop all this confoun-I mean this un-
cody gossip"
you'd better wear your spectacles,
Bob, so you'll look old and settled.
I'm not always SUR of you, either"
Sapphire, If l hadn't Joined the
church, I'd say" He threw up his
hand and clenched his fist as If he
had caught an oath and meant to hold
1t tight. Then his honest face beamed.
See here, I've got an idea. Suppose
you make it a point to be sitting out
here on the veranda at about half-past
four, or five. You'll see Fran come
sneaking out of that door like a
whipped kitten. She'll look everlast-
ingly wilted. l don't know whether
Abbott will stuff her full of fractions
and geography, or make her stand in
a corner-but you'll see her wilted."
Miss Sapphire wal highly gratiied.
Il wish you'd talked this reasonable
at first. It's always what people don't
see that the most harm comes of. I'll
give a little tea out here on the We
randa, and the worst takers in town
will be in these chairs when you bring
Fran -zrwa5~eTon Abbott's-offcR-And
I'll explain it all to EN-, and they'll
know Abbott is all right. just as I've
always known"
Get Miss Grace to come" Bob said
sheepishly. "She doesn't like Fran,
and she'll be glad to know Abbott is
doing his duty by her. Later, I'll drop
in and have a bite with you"
This, then, was Bob's "idea," that
no stone might be left unturned to
hide the perfect innocence of the SUI
perintendent. He had known Abbott
Ashton as a ba~re-legged urchin rum
ming on errands for his widowed moth
er. He had watched him through stu
dious years, had believed in his fu-
ture career-and no, no bold adventur-
ess, though adopted into Hamilton
Gregory's home, should be allowed to
spoil Abbott's chances of success.
In his official character as chairman
Of the board, Robert Clinton marched
with dignity into the superintendent
office, meaning to bear away the wilt
ed Fran before the eyes of woman.
Abbott Ashton saw him enter with a
sense of relief. The young mar could
not understand why he had held
Fran's hand, that night on the foot
bridge. Not only had the sentiment
Of that hour passed away, but the in
terview Fran had forced Upon him at
the close of a recent school-day, had
inspired him with actual hostility. 1t
seemed the irony of fate that a mere
child, a stranger, should, because Of
s~enseless gossip, endanger his chances
Of reappointment-a reappointment
which he felt certain was the best
possible means of advancement. Why
had he held Fran's little hand? He
M 81