The Port Gibson reveille., 1913-11-13

Robert. What business can you have
with me that wouldn't wait till morn
ing? Look here. I'm desperate!"
$50 am l." retorted Abbott. Bob,
you've been to Springfield"
Robert Clinton snatched open the
yard-gate, muttering, That's my bust.
ness"
Miss Noir sent you to unearth .
secret"
"Oh!" exclaimed Robert, In an al
tered tone, stopping in the gateway,
did she tell you about it?''
''No-but you've brought back that
secret, and you must not tell it to
Miss Noir."
Not tell her? That's funny!" Rob-
ert produced a sound which he expect
ed to pass as laughter. $50 that's
what you wanted to tell me, is it? DO
you know what the secret is?"
Il do not. But you mustn't tell it, :"
However, that's what I'm going to
do. as soon as / reash that door
take your hand off, man. my blcod's
Iup, by George! Can't you see my
blood's up? It's a-boiling. that's what
it's doing! So all you want is 10
ask me not to tell that secretE
mot exactly all"
"WelI, well-quick! What else?"
ITO see that you don't tell it,
"How do you mean to see that !
don't tell it?"
"You will listen to reason, Bot"
said Abbott persuasively.
"No, won't!" cried Robert. Not
me! No, sir! I'm going to tell this
minute"
"You shall not!" said Abbott, in q
lower and more compelling tone His
manner was SO absolute, that Robert
Clinton, who had forced his way al
most to the porch-steps, was slightly
moved.
"See here, Abbott-say! Fran knows
all about it, and you pretend to think
a good deal of her. Well, it's to her
interests for the whole affair to be
laid open to the world"
Il think so much of Fran" was ths
low and earnest rejoinder, "that If
were better fixed, I'd ask her to marry
me without moments delay. And
think enough of her, not to ask her
to marry me, until / have a good po-
sition. Now it was Fran who asked
me to see that you didn't betray the
secret And think so much Of her,
that I'm going to see that you don't!"
For a moment Clinton was silent;
then he said in desperation Where
is your nice dark alley? Come on.
then, let's get in it,"
When they were safe from Interrupt
ton, Clinton resumed: you tell me
that Fran wants that secret kept? I'd
think she'd want it told everywhere.
This secret is nothing at all but the
wrong that was done Fran and her
mother. And since you are so frank
about how you like Fran, I'll follow
suit and say that have asked Grace
Nolr to marry me, and I know I'll
stand a better show by getting her
out Of the hypnotic spell of that mis-
cradle scoundrel who poses as a bleat.
ing sheep"
Abbott interrupted: "The wrong
done Fran? How do you mean?"
'rWhy, man, that-that hypocrite in
wool, that weed that infests the
ground, that"
'In short, Mr.. Gregory? But what
about the wrong done Franz"
"Ain't 1 telling you? That worm
eaten pillar of the church that's mada
me lose so much faith in religion that
/ amt got enough left worth the post
age stamp to mail it back to the re-
vival meeting where it came from"
For heavens sake, Bob, tell me
what wrong Mr. Gregory did Franz"
Didn't he marry Frans mother
when he was a college chap in Spring
field, and then desert her? Didn't he
marry again, although his first wife
Fran's mother-was living, and hadnI
been divorced7 Don't he refuse to ac
knowledge Fran as his daughter, nak
ing her pass herself OF as the daugh
ter OF some old college chum? That's
what he did, your choir-leader! I'd
like to see that baton Of his laid over
his back; I'd like to lay it, myself