The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-09-10
CHAPTER VII.
a Family Conference.


A Family Conference.
OF the group, II was the secretary
who first claimed Fran's attention. In
way, Grace Noir dominated the
place. Perhaps it was because OF her
splendidly developed body, her beauty.
her attitude Of unclaimed yet unrec-
ognized authority. that she stood dis.
tinctly first.
AS for Mrs. Gregory. her mild aloof.
ness suggested that she harlly be.
longed to the family. Hamilton Greg.
ory found himself instinctively turn
Ing to Grace. rather than to his wife.
Mrs. Gregory's face did, indeed ask
why Fran was there; but Grace, stand.
Ing at the foot of the stairs, end look.
Ing at Gregory with memory of her
recent dismissal. demanded explana
tions.
Mrs. Gregory's mother, confined by
paralysis to wheel-chair, fastened
upon the newcomer eyes whose
brightness seventy years or more had
not dimmed. The group was complet.
ed by Mrs. Gregory's bachelor brother,
older than his sister by fifteen years.
This brother, Simon Jefferson, though
stockily built and evidently well.fed
wore an air Of lassitude, as II peren.
nially tired. As he leaned back in q
hall chair. he seemed the cnly one
present who did not care why Fran
was there.
Gregory broke the silence by clear.
Ing his throat with evident enlbarrass.
ment. A peal of thunder offered him
reprieve. and after it's reverberations
had died away, he still tesitated.
This" he said presently. |s a-the
orphan-an Orphan-one who has
come to me from She fays her
name Is Frances"
Fran" came the abrupt correction;
'just Fran"
There was q general feeling that an
orphan should speak less positively,
even about her own name-sliould be,
as 1t were, subdued from the mere
fact Of orphanhood.
AN orphan!" Simon Jefferson ejac.
ulated, moving restlessly in his effort
to find the easiest corner Of his chair.
Il hope nothing is going to excite me.
have heart-disease. little girl, and
I'm liable to topple off at any moment.
/ tell you, must not be excited"
II don't think" replied Fan, with
cheerful interest in his malady, that
orphans are very exciting"
Hamilton Gregory resumed, eau.
tiously stepping over dangerous
ground, while the others looked at
Fran. and Grace never ceased to look
at him. "She came here tonight, after
the services at the Big Tent. She
came here and, or should cay, to re-
quest, to ask-Miss Grace saw her
when she came. Miss Grace knew of
her being here" He seized upon this
fact as If to lift himself over pitfalls.
Grace's eyes were gravely judicial.
She would not condemn him unheard,
but at the same time she let him see
that her knowledge Of Fran would not
help his case. 1t did not surprise
Mrs. Gregory that Grace had known
OF the strange presence; the secretary
knew Of events before the rest Of the
family.
Gregory continued, delicately pick
Ing his way: "But the child asked to
see me alone, because she lad a spe.
c1al message-a-yes, message to
deliver to me. So asked Miss Grace
to leave US for half an hour. Then
heard the girls story, while Miss
Grace waited upstairs"
WELL" Simon Jefferson interposed
irritably, Miss Grace is accc united for
Go on. brother.in-law, 60 On, II we
must have It,"
"The fact is, Lucy" Gregory at
this point turned to his wife-for at
certain odd moments he found relief
in doing so-"the fact is-tle fact is,
this girl is the-er-daughter of-of a
very old friend OF mine-a friend who
was-was friend years ago, long be-
fore moved to Littleburg, long before
I saw you, Lucy. That was when my
home was in New York. I have told
you all about that time Of my youth.
when l lived with my father in New
York. Well. before my father died.
I was acquainted with-this friend.
owed that person a great debt, not Of
money--a debt of--what shall l say?"
Fran suggested, Honor"
Gregory mopped his brow while all
looked from Fran to him. He re-
sumed desperately: Il owed a great