The Washington herald., 1913-05-18

like the rest of the crowd. do you
mean that you never want to see me
again? Do you mean that you want
me to marry Mr.. Clinton"
Il do not care what you do he said,
still more roughly.
"You do not carer" she stammered,
bewildered what has happened? You
do not care-for me!"
She looked deep into his eyes but
found no incense burning there. The
shrine was cold.
2 "Mr. Grerory! And after all that has
passed between us? After have given
you my-myself-
Gregory seized her arm, as il to hold
her off. His e yes burned dangerously: :
Il saw murder in your heart while
YOU were watching Fran" he whisper
ed. fiercely. That's my daughter, do
you understand? | know you now. l
know YOU now :" He stumbled
down the steps, pushing out of his
way those who opposed his progress.
Grace stared after him with blood
less cheeks and smoldering eyes. Clear
ly, she decided, the sight of Fran's
fearful danger had unbalanced his
mind. But how could he care so much
about that Franz And how could he
leave her knowing that Robert Clinton
was beginning to climb upward with
eyes fastened upon her face?
But it was not the sigh ~ Fran's
danger that had forever alienated
Gregory from Grace Noir. In an in
slant. she had stood revealed to him
as an unlovely monster. His sensitive
nature. always abnormally alive to
outward impressions, had thrilled re-
sponsively to the exultation of the
audience. He had endured the agony
of suspense, he had shared the uni
versal enthusiasm. II, in a sense, he
was a series of moods, each the result;
of blind impulse, j, so happened that
Grace's hiss-"It's the hand of God
turned his love to aversion; she was
appealing as a justification of personal
hatred to the God they were both be-
traying.
Grace began to trenble as she
watched Robert Clinton coming up
and Hamilton Gregory descending She
had trusted foolishly to broken reed,
but it was not to late to preserve the
good name she had been about to be-
smirch. The furnace-heat in which
rash resolves are forged, was cooled.
Gregory had deserted Fran's mother !;
he was false to Mrs. Gregory; he
would perhaps have betrayed Grace in
the end: but Clinton was at hand, and
his alteration would endure.
In the meantime. the voice of Fran
was to be heard above that of the hap
BY crowd: Il love you all. You helped
me do it. / should certainly have been
mangled but for you perfect heroes.
Yes. thank YOU Yes, feel fine
And, oh. men and women, could
just feel your spirits holding mine up
till / was so high was in the clouds.
That's what subdued Samson. He
knew | wasn't afraid. He knew it!
And | wanted to win out for your
sakes as well as my owna:yes. | did!
Thank you, men Thank you,
women. Well, If here aren't the
children. too-bless your brave hearts
And is that your baby. My
goodness, and what baby it is! =" .
No, I'm not bit tired.
She stopped suddenly, on feeling a
crushing grip. She looked down, a
frown forming on her brow, but the
sun shone clear when she saw Abbott
Ashton. She gave him swift look, as
if to penetrate his Utmost thoughts.
He met her eyes unfalteringly. ITS
already o'clock" he said with singu-
lar composure Don't forget o:3o"
Then he disappeared in the crowd.
Fran saw the ranks thinning before
her. She was glad. for suddenly she
found herself very tired. What would
Abbott think? Would he, henceforth.
see nothing but the show girl of tinsel
and trainers whip, forever showing
through the clear glass of her real
self? At o:3o, what would Abbott say
10 her? and how should she reply:
The thought of him obseured her Wis