The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-04-27

Fran's arm was still extended
Stand therep she repeated
Quivering in helpless fury, he tun1-
bled to his desk, and leaned upon it.
His face burned; that of Grace Noir
was CHASTITY white.
Nov, you," said Fran, her voice vi
brating as she faced the secretary,
go to your typewriter"
Grace did not move.
Fran's eyes resembled cold stones
with Jagged points as her steady arm
pointed: Go! Stand where / tell
you to stand. Oh, I have tanned lions
before today. You needn't look at me
so--I'm not afraid OF your teeth"
Grace's fear was not inspired by
dread of exposure, but by the realiza-
ton that she had done what she could
not have forgiven in another. But
tor the supreme moment she might
never have realized the real nature of
her feeling for her employer. She
stood appalled, and Inundated, yet her
spirit rose in hot revolt because it was
Fran who had found her in Gregorys
arms She glared at her dehantly.
EYES," said Fran somberly, that's
my profession, lion-taming. I'm the
World Famous Fran Nonpariel.' Go
to your typewriter, Grace Noir, l say
Grace could not speak without filling
every word with concentrated hate
"You wicked little spy, your evil ma
ture won't let you see anything but
evil in the fruits of your evesdropping.
You misj hdge simply because it would
be impossible for you to understand"
81 see by your face that you under
stand-pity you hadn't walked up long
ago" Fran looked from one to the
other with a dark face. Whether just
ly or not. they reminded her of two
lions in a cage; she stood between, to
keep them apart, lest, combining their
forces, they spring upon her.
81 understand nothing of what you
imagine you know" Grace said stam-
meringly. 81 haven't committed a
crime. Stop looking at me as if l had
do YOU hear?" Her tone was pas
sionate: ri am what l have always
been" Did she say that to reassure
herseifl What do you mean. Fran!
I command you to put your suspicious
in words"
81 have had them roar at me be-
fore today" cried Fran. What l mean
is that you're to leave the house this
day" -
Mr.. Gregory orders it. 1t would be ad-
hitting that I've done wrong, and /
am what l have always been. What
YOU saw ] will say this much,
that it shall never happen again. But
nothing has happened that you think.
little imposter, with your evil mind
/ am what / have always
been. And I'm going to prove that
you are an imposter in very short
time"
Fran turned to Hamilton Gregory.
Tell her to Co." she said threatening
Nv. Tell her she must. Order 1t.
You know what mean when | say she
must 60, and she needn't show her
claws at me- / don't go into the cage
without my whip. Tell her to 60"
He turned upon Fran, pushed to ut
ter desperation. "No-you shall go!"
he said between clenched teeth.
"Yesw exclaimed Grace. 1t was
hiss of triumphant hate.
Fran lost control over herself. DO
you think, knowing what / know, that
I'll stand quietly by and see you dis
grace your wife as you disgraced
Do you think I'll let you
have this Grace Noir for your
to be the third Do you think I've
come out of your past life to fold my
hands? I tell you plainly that I'll ruin
you with that secret before I'll let you
have this woman"
Gregory beheld the awful secret
quivering upon her lips. The danger
drove him mad. you devil!" he
shouted, rushing upon her.
Fran stood immovable, her eyes fas
tened on his. Don't strike me-" she
said tensely; don't strike me unless
you kill at the first blow"
He staggered back as if her words
possessed physical impact He shrunk
in a heap in the library chair and
dropped his head upon his arms. To
prevent Grace from hearing the truth,
he could have done almost anything in
that first moment of insane terror; but
he could not strike Fran.
In the meantime, Mrs. Gregory had
been ascending the stairs. They could
hear her now, as she softly moved
along the hall. No one in the library
wished, at that moment, to confront
the wife, and absolute silence reigned
in the apartment. They heard her
pause. when opposite the door, doubt
less to assure herself that the type
writer was at work. If she did not